You're welcome to them

[Gob]

Abu Hamza and Babar Ahmad extradition approved

The European Court of Human Rights has given its final approval for the extradition of five major terrorism suspects from the UK to the US.

The court's highest judges said they would not re-open the cases of Abu Hamza al-Masri, Babar Ahmad and others.

The decision means that the extradition of the men, wanted for years by the US, is likely to happen within weeks.

The Home Office welcomed the decision, saying it would ensure the extraditions happened as quickly as possible.

The men had argued they would face inhumane treatment in the United States if they were sent there.

Abu Hamza is accused of planning a terror training camp in the US and assisting hostage-taking in Yemen.

The US says that Mr Ahmad and his co-accused, Syed Talha Ahsan, ran a jihadist website in London that provided material support for terrorism.

Adel Abdul Bary and Khaled al-Fawwaz are accused of being aides to Osama bin Laden in London.

In a statement, the Strasbourg court said: "On 10 April 2012 the European Court of Human Rights held, in the case of Babar Ahmad and Others v. the United Kingdom, that there would be no violation of the applicants' rights if extradited to stand trial in the United States.

"On 9/10 July 2012, five of the applicants lodged a request for referral of the case to the Grand Chamber. Today the Grand Chamber Panel decided to reject the request. This means that the Chamber judgment of 10 April 2012 is now final."

Abu Hamza had alleged that he faced inhumane and degrading treatment if imprisoned for life without possibility of parole.

The other four men said that they faced an inhumane regime of solitary confinement in a special "supermax" prison.

A Home Office spokesman said: "The Home Secretary welcomes today's decision not to refer the cases of Abu Hamza and four others to the Grand Chamber. This follows the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights on April 10 to allow the extradition of these five terrorism suspects to the US.

"We will work to ensure that the individuals are handed over to the US authorities as quickly as possible."

Labour MP Keith Vaz, who chairs the Home Affairs Select Committee, welcomed the decision: "I think we've been waiting a very long time for Abu Hamza to be extradited."

"He went to the European Court and he tried to delay matters but now the decision has been taken so this clears the way for the Home Office to take action as quickly as possible against him and Adel Bary and Khaled Fawwaz - because they have all got histories of involvement in terrorism."

But Mr Vaz said there was "a concern" about Babar Ahmed and Talha Ahsan because "their family and the campaigners supporting their case point to the fact that there is a problem as far as the evidence is concerned - evidence that was handed straight over from the police to the American authorities - and they've asked the DPP [Director of Public Prosecutions] to reconsider matters.

"Indeed I, as chairman of the committee, have written following the request that they made to us."

The five cases go back many years: Abu Hamza and Mr Ahmad have been in custody since 2004, and Mr Ahsan since 2006; the arrests of Mr Bary and Mr al-Fawwaz date back to 1998, making them the longest-held detainees without trial in the UK.

Abu Hamza was convicted in 2006 of charges including soliciting to murder and stirring up racial hatred, and given a seven-year jail sentence.

Following the European ruling on Monday, US Justice Department spokesman Dean Boyd said: "We are pleased that the litigation before the European Court of Human Rights in these cases has come to an end, and we will be working with the UK authorities on the arrangements to bring these subjects to the United States for prosecution."

Mr Ahmad's family said: "The decision of the Grand Chamber is largely irrelevant to us as this matter should never have come to this stage had the British police done their job almost nine years ago and provided the material seized from Babar's home to the CPS (Crown Prosecution Service), rather than secretly passing it to their US counterparts."

Fahad Ansari: "The fight will never be over until Babar (Ahmad) is back home with his family"

They said the CPS had all the information that was the basis for the US accusations and Mr Ahmad should immediately be prosecuted in the UK for conduct allegedly committed in the country.

"Moreover, a British businessman Karl Watkins has recently commenced his own private prosecution of Babar based on the principle of the matter.

"We now call on the home secretary to immediately undertake to halt any extradition until the Director of Public Prosecutions makes a decision on this material that been in his possession for several months."

[Daisy]

Can I be the first to say it?

Oi Hamza! Sling your hooks!!

[Gob]

Oh FFS!!

A High Court judge has halted the extradition of Abu Hamza al-Masri to the US on terror charges after the cleric launched a last-ditch appeal.

An injunction temporarily stops the removal of the radical cleric and another suspect from the UK and is the latest move in a long legal battle.

The European Court of Human Rights had earlier rejected attempts to block them being sent for trial in the US.

The pair will outline their appeals at a hearing next Tuesday and Wednesday.

On Monday, the European court ruled that the men and three other suspects should stand trial in the US.

The Judicial Office confirmed Abu Hamza and Khaled Al-Fawwaz were "seeking injunctions preventing their removal from the UK".

A spokesperson said: "A High Court judge has considered the applications on the papers and adjourned the cases to a hearing in open court.

"The judge has issued interim injunctions preventing their removal prior to those hearings. The judge has directed the hearings be fixed urgently."

The defendants would need to prove to a judge that there is "some new and compelling factor" that has not been already considered by previous courts.

Legal sources have told the BBC that Mr Al-Fawwaz had new evidence to support his case.

He is said to have been delisted as a terrorist by the US authorities and the home secretary has been invited to reconsider her decision to approve his extradition.

BBC News home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said one of the grounds for Abu Hamza's legal action was believed to be deteriorating mental health.

[Long Run]

Guess we have the space to keep him, if he doesn't hire one of those crafty lawyer types:

[Lord Jim]

Ah, good old Rumpole....

One of my all time favorites....

My favorite line of his is when he goes to see his Doctor for an examination, and the Doctor is running though a list of questions, and asks:

"Drink?"

To which Rumpole replies:

"Oh yes, that would be lovely, thank you".....

[rubato]

You can keep them. Both.

We won't really mind.

yrs,
rubato

[Daisy]

No honestly, you have them. They're yours.

[Gob]

They're on their way!!

Five terror suspects including Abu Hamza al-Masri have left jail to begin extradition to the US after losing the last appeal in a long legal battle.

The High Court ruled Hamza, Babar Ahmad, Syed Talha Ahsan, Adel Abdul Bary and Khaled al-Fawwaz did not show "new and compelling" reasons to stay.

The men left Long Lartin prison in Worcestershire in a police convoy.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police's extradition unit will hand them over US marshals at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk.

The BBC understands a US Department of Justice-owned civilian Gulfstream jet has been on the tarmac at the base since Tuesday, having flown in from Washington that day.

[rubato]

The UK must be singing:

"How can we miss you when you won't go a-way!

It's a song with a message.

"
Lyrics to How Can I Miss You When You Won't Go Away? :
I've talked to your mother and I've talked to your dad
They say they've tried, but it's all in vain
I've begged and I've pleaded
I even got mad
Now we must face it, you give me a pain

How can I miss you when you won't go away?
Keep telling you day after day
But you won't listen, you always stay and stay
How can I miss you when you won't go away?

Your neverending presence really cramps my style
I dream that it won't always be the same
At first I was attracted, but after a while
Have you ever heard of the hard-to-get game?

How can I miss you when you won't go away?
I keep telling you day after day
But you won't listen, you always stay and stay
How can I miss you when you won't go away?
And I mean it, too!

Out of 3 billion people, why must it be me?
Oh why, oh why won't you cut me loose?
Just do me a favor and listen to my plea
I'm not the only chicken on the roost!

How can I miss you when you won't go away?
I keep telling you day after day
But you won't listen, you always stay and stay
How can I miss you when you won't go away? "

[The Hen]

[Joe Guy]

You should have given credit for the song to Dan Hicks.

A local celebrity since the 70's.

And still going strong.

[Lord Jim]

a US Department of Justice-owned civilian Gulfstream jet

Gee, they're traveling in style...







A C-130 cargo plane would have been more than adequate....

[Gob]

Anything which could have dropped them off half way would do.

[rubato]

I suppose we'll just have to try to make <<an example>> of them to make it all worthwhile.

yrs,
rubato

[Joe Guy]

Our people are probably preparing the chemicals as we speak.

[The Hen]

You're going to hold a Rave?

[loCAtek]

An interrogation;

[Jarlaxle]

Anything which could have dropped them off half way would do.

The C130 can dump cargo in flight. Just open the cargo hatch 30,000' over the Atlantic and give them a hard shove.

[Gob]

That would do just fine.

[Sue U]

Does anyone care what the actual charges are and whether they might even be guilty of any crime before you would have them summarily murdered? Or have you just decided to dispense with any semblance of justice and the rule of law?

Abu Hamza is accused of planning a terror training camp in the US and assisting hostage-taking in Yemen.

What does "planning a terror training camp" even mean? Do you think it might be significant that the US government abandoned the prosecution of the American citizen who was supposedly the one with the plan to create the "camp"? And what do you know about his "assisting hostage-taking in Yemen" that occurred 14 years ago, in 1998? Did you know that the sum and substance of the charge is that he had once given a phone to a guy who was later invovled in the kidnapping? And after the hostages were taken, this guy called him on that phone and asked him to be an intermediary to resolve the matter?

The US says that Mr Ahmad and his co-accused, Syed Talha Ahsan, ran a jihadist website in London that provided material support for terrorism.

So now it's a crime in the US to run a website in London? Why isn't the government arresting all the white supremacists running websites in the US that advocate a "race war" and provide handy tips to facilitate it?

Adel Abdul Bary and Khaled al-Fawwaz are accused of being aides to Osama bin Laden in London.

Bary and Fawwaz have been in prison -- wthout trial -- since 1998. Exactly what crime is it they have committed against the US, other than having worked for bin Laden years three years before 9/11?

But whatever.

DEATH TO ALL OF THEM!

Right?