Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Radical Cleric Abu Hamza Could Be Stripped of Hook in US Prison

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Abu Hamza al-Masri, the extremist preacher facing extradition to the United States for alleged terrorism offences, may be stripped of his prosthetic hook in prison amid fears it could pose a security risk.

The European Court of Human Rights ruled last month that Hamza and four other terrorism suspected can be extradited to the US to face trial. The preacher is wanted over an alleged plan to set up a terrorist training camp in Oregon and for helping jihadis in Yemen.

He is likely to be held at the ADX Florence 'super-max' prison in Fremont County, Colorado. The high security prison, dubbed the 'Alcatraz of the Rockies', holds inmates deemed the most dangerous and in need of tightest control.

Hamza, who wears a distinctive metal hook after losing his right hand in an explosion in Afghanistan may lose the prosthesis under a prison regime which prevent prisoners having access to improvised weapons. » | Matthew Holehouse | Tuesday, May 22, 2012