Muslim cleric arrested in Britain on terrorism charges

Police in Britain has arrested a radical Muslim cleric on suspicion of preparing or instigating acts of terrorism. The move could delay American attempts to extradite the suspect for allegedly trying to establish a terrorist training camp in Oregon and on other charges. The arrest of Abu Hamza al-Masri, who was already being held in a British prison on the US warrant, suggests that UK authorities plan to pursue charges against al-Masri under British law. If they formally charge al-Masri the case will have to be resolved before extradition proceedings can commence. British law prohibits extradition to countries that might execute a suspect, and officials have made clear they would not send the Egyptian-born cleric to the United States unless it rules out the death penalty. Al-Masri, whose mosque has been linked to several terrorist suspects – including 11 September suspect Zacarias Moussaoui and "shoe bomber" Richard Reid – is also under US scrutiny for possible links to an alleged senior al-Qaida operative recently arrested on charges that he conducted surveillance of financial targets in the United States.