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18:08 GMT
LONDON, Oct 5 (KUNA) -- Extradition to the US for a suspected Al Qaida
terrorist would breach his human rights and amount to an "abuse of process",
his lawyer told a court Tuesday.
Abid Naseer, 24, is wanted for trial in America after being accused of
being "deeply involved" in a plot to bomb the New York underground system and
targets in Britain.
Ben Cooper, lawyer for Naseer, cited conditions in US "super max" prisons
as one of the reasons for blocking the extradition.
"In due course, it will be submitted before this court that to permit
Naseer to be tried in the US amounts to an abuse of process," he said.
Naseer, who appeared via video link from Belmarsh prison, London, was
remanded in custody until November 2.
City of Westminster Magistrates' Court in central London has set aside
December 15, 16 and 17 as provisional dates for a full extradition hearing.
Naseer was arrested in July in the north east of England by Metropolitan
Police counter-terrorism officers after US authorities issued a warrant.
The US revealed it was bringing charges against Naseer and four other
suspects over an alleged terrorist conspiracy. Naseer, a Pakistani national
formerly of Manchester, northern England, is alleged to have planned attacks
on Manchester city centre and communicated with Al Qaida leaders behind the
plot.
The UK Government attempted to deport Naseer and a second man, Ahmed Faraz
Khan, 26, to Pakistan, but a judge blocked the move on the grounds they could
be tortured. (end)
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