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January 11, 2006

UK: Muslim Cleric On Trial For "Soliciting Murder"

News on the trial of Abu Hamza at the Old Bailey in London, comes from Reuters, the Guardian, the Times, also Sky News and the BBC.

47-year old Abu Hamza al-Masri is charged, as we reported earlier on 16 counts, with 10 instances of soliciting murder. He is charged with possessing terrorist documentation, and is also charged in four instances under the Public Order Act 1986, for "using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behavior with the intention of stirring up racial hatred."

Prosecutor David Perry stated that Hamza had a manual which explained ways to make bombs and explosives, as well as assassination methods. The book, entitled The Encyclopaedia of Afghani Jihad was found in his home in 2004. It advised on how plans should be laid out for raids on skyscrapers, ports, aisports, nuclear plants and football stadiums. The book also suggested attacking large congregations at Christmas.

Perry told the court that the ten-volume encyclopaedia was dedicated to "Abu Abdullah Osama bin Laden" on account of his "carrying out jihad." Perry said the manual was a blueprint for terrorism, "which echoes the things which feature in the defendant's speeches."

All of the offences for which Abu Hamza is charged took place before May 2004. The "solicitations to murder" involve speeches he made at Finsbury Park Mosque in North London. Hamza had been the imam at this mosque, but when evicted by the trustees on account of his extremist views, he continued to hold regular prayer meetings in the street, entirely blocking off one road.

The speeches were inflammatory. "He preached intolerance, bigotry and hatred. He particularly preached against the Jews as a racial group and a religious body," stated the prosecutor. "He accused the Jews of being blasphemers, traitors and dirty. This, because of their blasphemy, and because of their filth, was why Hitler was sent into the world. He also tells his audience that the Jews control the West, by which he means western liberal democracies such as this country. He says the Jews control the West and must be removed from the earth."

Hamza has pleaded not guilty to all the charges laid against him. The court was told that Hamza has encouraged the killing of apostates, which included his definition of those who were not "true Muslims" such as leaders of Arabic states who conversed with the West. Hamza advocated jihad, whose aim was to reestablish the Caliphate, the Islamic State. The last Caliphate, that of the Ottomans, was destroyed by Kemal Ataturk in 1924.

He advocated that women should encourage their sons into jihad, from as young as 10 years old. Non-believers should and could be killed, with a reason or without. "That, you may think, is indiscriminate killing," the prosecutor said.

The Guardian printed some of Hamza's alleged remarks:

On suicide bombings
"It's not called suicide, it is called shaheed operation. People call it suicide to put people off, it is not called suicide, it is martyrdom ... If the only way to hurt the enemies of Islam is to take your own life, it is permissible ... If you don't use terrorism and torture, what are you going to use?"

On killing apostate rulers of Islamic lands
"Of course it is permissible to kill them, any person who hinders Allah, this man must be eliminated because he is a menace and this menace must be removed."

On Jews
"Because of their [Jews] treachery, blasphemy and filth, is why Hitler was sent into the world."

On Islam's enemies
"You have to stab him here and there until he bleeds to death."

On his arrest
"I am a preacher and I have spoken on religious matters. It is unfortunate they have been taken out of context."

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at January 11, 2006 10:46 PM

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