NEW YORK - One-eyed radical Islamist cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri pleaded not guilty in federal court on Tuesday after Britain extradited him to the United States to face trial and a potential life sentence on terrorism charges.
US Judge Katherine Forrest in Manhattan set an Aug. 26, 2013, trial date for the Egyptian-born preacher. Hamza could face up to life in prison if convicted on the charges.Hamza, 54, is accused of participating in an 1998 hostage-taking in Yemen that resulted in the deaths of three Britons and an Australian. He is also charged with providing material support to the al-Qaida network by trying to set up a training camp in Oregon and with attempting to organize support for the Taliban in Afghanistan.
He was flown late on Friday to the United States along with four other men also wanted on US terrorism charges.
