Watch CBS News

Jury Deliberations Under Way For Alleged Terrorist Mustafa Kamel Mustafa

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) - A jury in New York has begun deliberations in the trial of an Egyptian imam accused of supporting terrorist organizations from his London mosque.

Jury deliberations began Thursday morning in the case brought against Mustafa Kamel Mustafa, just as the emotion-filled dedication ceremony for the National Sept. 11 Memorial Museum was wrapping up.

Jury Deliberations Under Way For Alleged Terrorist Mustafa Kamel Mustafa

U.S. District Judge Katherine Forrest in Manhattan warned jurors not to be "swayed by sympathy, prejudice or fear.''

As WCBS 880's Irene Cornell reported, jurors began their deliberations by asking the judge for the exhibits in the case that make up what prosecutors call a trail of evidence linking Mustafa to 11 acts of terrorism.

The indictment charges what is described as "criminal activity spanning the globe," Cornell reported.

Mustafa, also known by the aliases Abu Hamza and Abu Hamza al-Masri, testified on his own behalf in the month-long trial.

Prosecutors said the 55-year-old cleric provided a satellite phone to men who abducted 16 tourists in Yemen in December 1998. Four of the hostages died.

They also said he supported al Qaeda by plotting to open a training camp in Oregon in late 1999 and by sending young men to Afghanistan training camps.

Mustafa testified he never supported al Qaeda or any terrorist acts. He was brought to the United States in 2012.

You May Also Be Interested In These Stories


(TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.