Abu Hamza in court on 16 charges

Controversial Islamic cleric Abu Hamza will appear at the Old Bailey today charged with a string of offences including soliciting murder.

Hamza, 47, will appear by video link for the hearing before the Common Serjeant of London Judge Peter Beaumont.

The former imam of Finsbury Park mosque in north London who has no hands and only one eye, faces 16 charges.

Ten charges under the Offences Against the Person Act of 1861 allege he solicited others at public meetings to murder non-believers, including Jews.

Hamza 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 Hamza was in possession of eight 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 a document which contained information “of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism”.

Extradition proceedings to the United States, where Hamza is wanted in relation to other matters, have been suspended pending the outcome of the case.