Radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza and four other terrorist suspects appeared before US judges Saturday just hours after their arrival from Britain, which had approved their extradition, DPA reported.
Hamza, Khaled Al-Fawwaz and Adel Abdul Bary appeared in a New York court. Hamza, who uses two prosthetic arms, came into court without them, according to CNN broadcaster. He demanded to have them returned.
Bary, who is charged with conspiring in the 1998 attacks on US embassies in Nairobi and Dar-es-Salaam, and Al-Fawwaz pleaded not guilty to charges they conspired to launch terrorist attacks against the United States or its representatives overseas. There were conflicting reports about whether Hamza entered a plea.
Babar Ahmad and Syed Ahsan were taken to a Connecticut court, where they pleaded not guilty. All five men face life in prison if convicted of the most serious charges.