Arab West Report Egyptian press summaries and media research for dialogue

Muslim fundamentalists in the UK will rally in front of the British Parliament on 10 October demanding the release of Abu Hamza Al-Masry, the leader of the group of Ansar Al-Shari’a [The advocates of Shari’a].



The rally will takes place few days before the date of the court session in which a decision will be taken regarding Abu Hamza’s extradition to the US.



Abu Hamza Al-Masry, 44, is accused of offering financial support to terrorists affiliated with the Qa’ida and attempting to set up a terrorist training camp in the state of Oregon during the period from October 1999 until early 2000.



Washington also accuses the Egyptian fundamentalist of having taken hostages and having provided funding to Al-Qa’ida. The list of US accusations prepared by the Manhattan United court, constitute 11 accusations, which include the taking of hostages related to an attack in Yemen - December 1998 - that resulted in the killing of 4 hostages.



United States law punishes hostage-takers with the death penalty or life imprisonment; a matter that could complicate any attempts to hand him over from Britain, which ceded the death penalty. Abu Hamza could be imprisoned for close to 100 years for other accusations. Fundamentalists drew a connection in London yesterday, between him and between Omar Abdul Rahman - spiritual leader of the Islamic group, currently completing his life sentence at Colorado jail for his involvement in the New York bombing in 1993 - via the leaflets that they passed out to publicize the demonstration in solace with Abu Hamza.