Abu Hamza finally to be kicked out of Britain as US extradition is backed by European Court, human rights legislation can work properly

Dear All

France is kicking out Islamic extremists by simply deporting them back to their own countries.

It is a very populist move by French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

In the European Convention on Human Rights, people have been using Article 8, the right to a family life to escape justice.

However under Article 8.2, this right gives the French authorities and other members of the European Union the right to deport people deemed a threat to national security.

In short, cause trouble and you can be kicked out on your arse.

Islamic hate preacher Abu Hamza is wanted by the US for extradition; he and his lawyers have used human rights to effectively thwart the ends of justice.

Now, the European Court of Human Rights decided to go along with George Laird radical thinking and backed the extradition of Abu Hamza and four other terror suspects from the UK to the US.

We should be seeing more of Article 8.2 in future as it will become or should become the mechanism to deport illegal immigrants.

If people wish to come to Britain, there is a correct mechanism they can use.

The Strasbourg court held there would be no violation of human rights for those facing life and solitary confinement in a "supermax" prison.

Bad news for Abu Hamza, but he isn’t a victim of injustice, he is the architect of his own downfall.

Some of his family may find getting visiting rights a problem because they were involved in major criminal enterprises, car rings in the UK.

Visa to US denied.

Prime Minister David Cameron said he was "very pleased" with the news.

Article 8.2, was always at the disposal of the UK Government, who like the previous Labour Government were lacks in not tightening up the law, judicial reform and making more use of existing law.

The problem was race politics in Britain, something that political parties must abandon as a campaign tool, race politics are all about division not diversity.

Cameron added:

"It's quite right that we have a proper legal process, although sometimes you can be frustrated by how long things take."

The court's decision is one of its most important since 9/11 because it approves of human rights in US maximum security prisons.

Abu Hamza will undoubtedly go through the process of an appeal.
His appeal is heard before the final Grand Chamber but in practice, very few cases are re-examined in that final forum.

But Abu Hamza might want to learn the classic John Denver song, ‘I’m leaving on a Jet Plane’.

And put emphasis on the line:

‘don’t know when I’ll be back again’.

Home Secretary Theresa May said:

"I welcome the decision of the European Court of Human Rights to allow the extradition of Abu Hamza and other terror suspects. In five of the six cases, the Court found that extradition would not breach their human rights and in the remaining case, it asked for further information before taking a final decision. I will work to ensure that the suspects are handed over to the US authorities as quickly as possible."

It is a very populist move; there will be no outcry about Abu Hamza departure.

Those people coming to this country to preach hate now face being kicked out, the system works; the problems of major overhaul seem more important than ever.

This is a good decision and shows that human rights legislation applied properly works.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University