Cleric charged on 16 counts
 |  Abu Hamza al-Mazri. |
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|  VIDEO |
 Muslim cleric faces multiple charges in Britain.
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LONDON, England -- Muslim cleric Abu Hamza al-Mazri has appeared in a British court charged with a string of offences including soliciting to murder non-Muslims, stirring up racial hatred and possessing terrorist documents.
Hamza, a former preacher, was read a total of 16 charges as he sat in the dock at Belmarsh high security jail in south-east London.
There were 10 charges of soliciting murder under section four of the Offences Against the Person Act (1861).
In each, Hamza was accused of soliciting others to murder non-believers at public meetings. Several of the charges specified that Hamza had encouraged others to murder Jews.
He also faces four charges under the Public Order Act 1986 of "using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behavior with the intention of stirring up racial hatred."
A further charge said Hamza was in possession of eight video and audio recordings, which he intended to distribute to stir up racial hatred.
He faces one charge under section 58 of the Terrorism Act which relates to the alleged possession of a document which contained information "of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism."
The UK charges pre-empt a U.S. extradition bid.
CNN's Paula Hancocks, who was in court for the hearing, said Hamza nodded twice -- once when asked his name, and when asked if he understood the charges against him.
Copyright 2004 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
