ECHR approves extradition of Abu Hamza to the US

The terror suspects had appealed a decision of the Court to allow extradition arguing their human rights would be violated if they were transferred to the US.  However, the Court dismissed their appeals and reinstated the earlier judgement.

"On 10 April 2012 the European Court of Human Rights held, in the case of Babar Ahmad and Others v. the United Kingdom, that there would be no violation of the applicants' rights if extradited to stand trial in the United States,” the Court said in a released statement.  “On 9/10 July 2012, five of the applicants lodged a request for referral of the case to the Grand Chamber. Today the Grand Chamber Panel decided to reject the request. This means that the Chamber judgment of 10 April 2012 is now final."

According to a Home Office spokesperson, the Home Secretary Theresa May has welcomed the decision.  "We will work to ensure that the individuals are handed over to the US authorities as quickly as possible,” he added.

Almost all stakeholders welcomed the decision to extradite Abu Hamza, however, concerns remain about other accused suspects Babar Ahmed and Talha Ahsan.  According to campaigners, the British police without forwarding the relevant material against these two individuals to the Crown Prosecution Service passed it on to American authorities.

The Chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, Labour MP Keith Vaz has written to the Director of Public Prosecutions to review this matter.   The family of Mr. Babar Ahmad has called on the Home Secretary to “to halt any extradition until the Director of Public Prosecutions makes a decision on this material that been in his possession for several months."

US Justice Department spokesman Dean Boyd said: "We are pleased that the litigation before the European Court of Human Rights in these cases has come to an end, and we will be working with the UK authorities on the arrangements to bring these subjects to the United States for prosecution."