Editing Abu Hamza al-Masri (section)

==Arrests, charges and imprisonment==
Hamza was arrested in December 1980, during a raid on a [[Soho]] strip club, for overstaying his tourist visa, which allowed him to stay in the UK for one month. He pleaded guilty to overstay but was allowed to remain in the UK as he was married to a British citizen, Valerie Fleming.<ref name="GadSTAug18"/>

On 26 August 2004, Hamza was arrested by British police under section 41 of the [[Terrorism Act 2000]], which covers the instigation of acts of terrorism. Charges against him were dropped on 31 August 2004, but he was kept in jail whilst a US extradition case was developed and British authorities drew up further criminal charges of their own.<ref name="bbc310804">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3616524.stm|title=Muslim cleric Hamza de-arrested|date=31 August 2004|work=BBC News|publisher=BBC|access-date=22 March 2009|archive-date=23 June 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060623153759/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3616524.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> Almost two months later, on 19 October 2004, Hamza was charged with fifteen&nbsp;offences under the provisions of various British statutes, including encouraging the killing of non-Muslims, and intent to stir up [[racism|racial hatred]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/01/06/britain.hamza/index.html|title=Cleric faces trial on 16 charges|publisher=CNN|date=1 August 2006|access-date=10 April 2012|archive-date=23 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023093231/http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/01/06/britain.hamza/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The trial commenced on 5 July 2005, but was adjourned, and not resumed until 9 January 2006. On 7 February 2006, he was found guilty on eleven charges and not guilty on four:
* Guilty of six charges of soliciting murder under the [[Offences Against the Person Act 1861]]; not guilty on three further such charges.
* Guilty of three charges related to "using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to stir up racial hatred, contrary to section 18 (1) of the [[Public Order Act 1986]]",<ref name=Crown /> not guilty on one further such charge.
* Guilty of one charge of "possession of threatening, abusive or insulting recordings of sound, with intent to stir up racial hatred, contrary to section 23 of the Public Order Act 1986".<ref name=Crown />
* Guilty of one charge of "possessing a document containing information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism",<ref name=Crown>{{cite web|url=http://www.cps.gov.uk/news/press_releases/105_06/|title=Abu Hamza convicted of eleven charges|date=2 July 2006|publisher=Crown Prosecution Service|access-date=8 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005095511/http://www.cps.gov.uk/news/press_releases/105_06/|archive-date=5 October 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> under the Terrorism Act 2000, s58. This charge under the Terrorism Act of 2000 related to his possession of an ''[[Encyclopedia of Afghan Jihad]]'', an ''[[Al Qaeda Handbook]]'' and other propaganda materials produced by Abu Hamza.<ref>{{cite news|author=Vikram Dodd|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/jan/12/terrorism.islam?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487|title=Islamic cleric had terror handbook, court told|work=The Guardian|date=12 January 2006|access-date=10 April 2012|archive-date=21 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140521214052/http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/jan/12/terrorism.islam?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487|url-status=live}}</ref>

In sentencing, [[Anthony Hughes, Lord Hughes of Ombersley|Mr Justice Hughes]] said Hamza had "helped to create an atmosphere in which to kill has become regarded by some as not only a legitimate course but a moral and religious duty in pursuit of perceived justice."<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/preacher-of-hate-jailed-in-britain/2006/02/08/1139379570546.html|title='Preacher of hate' jailed in Britain|work=The Age|location=Australia|date=9 February 2006|access-date=10 April 2012|first1=Duncan|last1=Campbell|archive-date=6 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106070837/http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/preacher-of-hate-jailed-in-britain/2006/02/08/1139379570546.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Abu Hamza was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment.

In September 2012, [[Frank Gardner (journalist)|Frank Gardner]] claimed that Queen [[Elizabeth II]] had been upset some years earlier that Abu Hamza al-Masri could not be arrested.<ref name=bbc-bbc-apology>{{cite news
|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19716941
|title=BBC apology to Queen over Abu Hamza disclosure
|date=25 September 2012
|work=BBC News
|access-date=20 June 2018
|archive-date=7 January 2019
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107030747/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19716941
|url-status=live
}}</ref> The BBC apologised later that day for the claim.<ref name=bbc-bbc-apology/>

===Costs===
On 18 January 2007, [[Anthony Hughes, Lord Hughes of Ombersley|Lord Justice Hughes]] made an order for the recovery of the full costs of the court-appointed defence of the race-hate charges, estimated in excess of £1 million. This judgement was based on his view that "the story I have been told today (by Abu Hamza) is simply not true" that he [Abu Hamza] had no share in a £220,000 house in [[Greenford]], west London. Hamza had claimed it belonged to his sister. The court also found that Abu Hamza was contributing £9,000 a year for private education for his children.<ref name="bbc180107">{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6276209.stm|title=Abu Hamza must pay £1m for trial|date=18 January 2007|publisher=BBC|access-date=22 March 2009|archive-date=14 September 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070914053802/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6276209.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>