Hamza denies urging followers to kill
Alleged race hate preacher Abu Hamza denied encouraging his followers to murder as he began giving evidence at his Old Bailey trial today.
Dressed in a blue shirt, and with his arms tucked into pockets, Hamza was led from the dock to the witness box by two security guards.
Another court officer held a card for him to read so he could swear in before giving his testimony.
Hamza said: “I do solemnly, seriously and truly affirm that the evidence that I will give should be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”
He coughed nervously and tested the microphone as the judge directed him on how to give evidence clearly to the court.
Hamza, 47, from West London, faces nine charges under the Offences Against The Person Act 1861, alleging that he solicited others at public meetings to murder Jews and other non-Muslims.
He also faces four charges under the Public Order Act 1986, of “using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with the intention of stirring up racial hatred”.
A further charge alleges Hamza was in possession of video and audio recordings, which he intended to distribute to stir up racial hatred.
The final charge, under Section 58 of the Terrorism Act, accuses him of possession of a document, the Encyclopaedia of the Afghani Jihad, which contains information “of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism”.
The cleric, who claims he lost both his hands in Afghanistan, denies all the charges.
