BRITAIN:British Muslim cleric Abu Hamza preached that killing non-Muslims was justified even if there was no reason for it, an Old Bailey jury in London was told yesterday.
"Killing an adulterer, even if he is a Muslin, is okay. Killing a kaffir [ unbeliever] who is fighting you is okay. Killing a kaffir for any reason - you can say it is okay even if there is no reason for it," he told an audience.
A video of Mr Hamza's talk, given in September 1999 and entitled "Adherence to Islam in the western world", was played to jurors trying him on race-hate allegations.
In it, he says Islamic beliefs should be spread with the help of the sword. "Dawa [ propagation of Islam through word and action] needs a sword next to it and also needs effort."
He says that those selling alcohol should be persuaded to come to the mosque. "Make sure that the person who gave him the licence for that wine shop doesn't exist any more on the earth. Finish him up. Give him dawa. If he doesn't respect dawa, kill him."
Mr 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 he 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 the Encyclopaedia of the Afghani Jihad, which contained information "of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism".