ABSTRACT

Abu Hamza al-Masri was an imam at Finsbury Park mosque in London between 1997 and 2003. At the time of his dismissal from this position he had become a notorious ¿gure in the UK due to outspoken views which are largely at odds with the mainstream values of a liberal western democracy. Hamza has, for instance, publicly expressed his support for the destruction of democracy, the introduction of Sharia law and the creation of a global Islamic state. After his dismissal, Hamza continued to preach outside the gates of Finsbury Park mosque which further increased his public visibility. Central to Hamza’s infamy is the fact that he uses a hook to replace his missing right hand1, which makes him an instantly recognizable iconic ¿gure. In August 2006, Hamza was arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000 and charged with offences including encouraging racial hatred and murder of nonMuslims. Hamza’s trial began on 9 January 2006 and on 7 February 2006 he was found guilty of most charges and sentenced to seven years in prison.