Radical cleric Abu Hamza pleads not guilty
October 10, 2012  01:07
British radical cleric Abu Hamza Al Masri has pleaded not guilty in a court here to 11 terror charges, including plotting to set up a terrorist training camp on US soil and providing material support to Al Qaeda.

Egyptian-born 54-year-old one-eyed and hooked-hand cleric appeared in Manhattan federal court amid tight security for his arraignment before US District Judge Katherine Forrest, his second court appearance after being extradited from UK over the weekend.

Forrest set an August 26, 2013, court date for al-Masri's trial and remanded him to custody in the maximum security detention center next to the courthouse. 

Wearing blue prison clothes, al-Masri briefly replied "Yes, your honour" when asked by Forrest if he was pleading not guilty to the 11 terror charges against him, including hostage-taking in Yemen in 1998 that resulted in four deaths, a conspiracy to establish a terrorist training camp in Oregon in 1999 and supporting violent jihad in Afghanistan.

He faces a maximum term of life imprisonment.
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