London: A British court today (Oct 19, 2004) charged Radical Islamic cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri with 16 offences including "incitement to murder Jews" and possession of terrorist documents, putting on hold his extradition to US.

The one-eyed former Imam appeared at the magistrates' court at the high security Belmarsh prison, in south east London where he has been held since May at the request of the US, who hope to extradite him.

The 16 charges include ten 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 behaviour with the intention of stirring up racial hatred".

Hamza has also been charged with possessing 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."

Hugo Keith, the lawyer representing the US authorities, asked the court to adjourn the extradition case until the domestic charges were dealt with.

Keith said US officials would ask for the extradition case to be resumed as soon as the British proceedings were over.

The former preacher at the Finsbury Park Mosque, in north London, came to the UK in 1979. He received British citizenship after marrying a Western woman.