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Hamza had a "terror manual''

Hasan Suroor

The Statue of Liberty

LONDON: One of Britain's most controversially radical Muslim clerics, Abu Hamza al-Masri, has gone on trial at the Old Bailey accused of preaching terrorism and being in possession of what the prosecution dubbed a "terror manual'' reportedly featuring the Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty as potential targets. The manual, with chapters "dedicated'' to Osama bin Laden and written between 1989 and 1999 for Afghan mujahidin, is said to recommend "skyscrapers, ports, airports, nuclear plants, football stadiums and large congregrations'' as targets.

The Encyclopaedia of Afghan Jihad, allegedly seized from Mr. Hamza's home, was described by the prosecution as a "blueprint for terrorism'' containing chapters on sabotage, assassinations and bomb-making techniques.

"It [the manual] contains anything anyone would ever need to know if they wanted to make a home-made bomb or explosive,'' David Perry, counsel for the prosecution, told the court.

Mr. Hamza, a rabid rabble-rouser who had virtually turned the Finsbury Mosque in north London into his headquarters, was arrested in 2004 for allegedly preaching hatred and murder through his speeches and for possessing tapes and documents that could help terrorists.

The Egyptian-born cleric, who lost both his hands in a "jihadi'' campaign, has denied all the charges. Mr. Perry told the court that Mr. Hamza abused his status as a cleric to preach "murder and hatred'' in his sermons. Referring to tapes of Mr. Hamza's speeches, he said: "You will hear the tapes. You will hear Sheikh Abu Hamza encourage his listeners, whether an audience at a private meeting or the congregation at the mosque, to believe it was part of their religious duty... . to kill.''

Mainstream Muslims have denounced Mr. Hamza as an embarrassment to the community, and campaigned against his provocative speeches.

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