Radical British cleric Abu Hamza has been sentenced to life in prison for a string of terrorism offences by a judge in New York.
British Governments spent a decade trying to extradite the preacher, 56, following allegations of his involvement in terrorist activities.
One of Hamza's disciples, al-Qaeda terrorist Djamel Beghal, is said to have mentored Cherif Kouachi, one of the chief suspects in the Charlie Hebdo massacre who was killed in a dramatic siege in Paris today.
Hamza, previously of north London, was finally jailed today by district judge Katherine Forrest at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan courthouse in Manhattan, New York.
Hamza was found guilty of supporting terrorist organisations
Last year a jury found him guilty of supporting terrorist organisations, including aiding the taking of hostages in Yemen and seeking to set up an al Qaida training camp in the United States.
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The cleric's lawyers asked the judge to consider Hamza's physical condition, particularly his amputations and high blood pressure, and suggested a lesser sentence at a prison medial centre.
During his trial in May last year, jurors heard a tape in which Hamza - tried under the name Mustafa Kamel Mustafa - said: ''Everybody was happy when the planes hit the World Trade Centre.''
Abu Hamza: In Pictures
Finsbury Park Mosque - Hamza(01 of32)
The firebrand cleric Sheik Abu Hamza, Mullah at the Finsbury Park Mosque arrives ahead of a demonstration which was held outside by the British far right movement the National Front. The Mosque has been identified by many as a centre for Islamic radicalism. (credit:PA)
Hamza: Supporters of Sharia head(02 of32)
Sheikh Abu Hamza al Misary, head of religious & political affairs for the Supporters of Sharia, at a London news conference in London where he called for the release of innocent detainees in Yemen. His stepson is one of 5 Britons being held in Yemen on terrorism charges. * Reissued 15/3/99 - Hamza was arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act in an early morning police raid. 17/01/03 Abu Hamza who vowed to persist making political speeches at a British mosque, despite facing expulsion from the mosque for his extremist Islamic views. The Charities Commission has told Hamza, 45, that it will exclude him as an agent of the North London Central Mosque Trust for his inflammatory and highly political speeches at prayer meetings. (credit:PA)
ABU HAMZA PREACHING(03 of32)
Muslim cleric Abu Hamza outside Finsbury Park Mosque, where he was banned from speaking by the Charity Commission. The cleric was accused of abusing his position to preach his radical brand of Islam and make inflammatory sermons. (credit:PA)
Notorious Muslim Cleric Conducts Friday Prayers(04 of32)
LONDON - MARCH 21: Muslim Cleric Abu Hamza Al-Masri conducts Friday services at the Finsbury Park Mosque March 21, 2003 in London. British Muslims are protesting all over England the U.S.-led war on Iraq and asking Muslim countries not to support the war. British police found weapons and chemical warfare protective gear at the mosque during a January 2003 raid. (Photo by Hugo Philpott/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Notorious Muslim Cleric Conducts Friday Prayers(05 of32)
LONDON - MARCH 21: Muslim Cleric Abu Hamza Al-Masri (R) arrives at the Finsbury Park Mosque for Friday services March 21, 2003 in London. British Muslims are protesting all over England the U.S.-led war on Iraq and asking Muslim countries not to support the war. British police found weapons and chemical warfare protective gear at the mosque during a January 2003 raid. (Photo by Hugo Philpott/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Muslim Cleric Abu Hamza Leads Prayers In London(06 of32)
LONDON -MARCH 28: Radical Muslim Cleric Abu Hamza conducts a service of Friday afternoon prayers outside the Finsbury Park Mosque March 28, 2003 in London. An MP has called for Abu Hamza to be deported under section four of the Asylum, Immigration and Nationality Act 2002. Section four comes into power on April 1, 2003 and gives the government the power to revoke the citizenship of immigrants who are considered disruptive and deport them. (Photo by Hugo Philpott/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Muslim Cleric Abu Hamza Leads Prayers In London(07 of32)
LONDON -MARCH 28: Radical Muslim Cleric Abu Hamza looks on having conducted a service of Friday afternoon prayers outside the Finsbury Park Mosque March 28, 2003 in London. An MP has called for Abu Hamza to be deported under section four of the Asylum, Immigration and Nationality Act 2002. Section four comes into power on April 1, 2003 and gives the government the power to revoke the citizenship of immigrants who are considered disruptive and deport them. (Photo by Hugo Philpott/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Muslim Cleric Abu Hamza Leads Prayers In London(08 of32)
LONDON -MARCH 28: Radical Muslim Cleric Abu Hamza conducts a service of Friday afternoon prayers outside the Finsbury Park Mosque March 28, 2003 in London. An MP has called for Abu Hamza to be deported under section four of the Asylum, Immigration and Nationality Act 2002. Section four comes into power on April 1, 2003 and gives the government the power to revoke the citizenship of immigrants who are considered disruptive and deport them. (Photo by Hugo Philpott/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Abu Hamza - Friday Prayers.(09 of32)
Muslim cleric Abu Hamza (centre) is lead away from the press after addressing an audience of around 120 during lunchtime prayers outside Finsbury Park Mosque in north London. * Mr Hamza today claimed that Home Secretary David Blunkett was acting like a 'Nazi Minister' over new measures allowing the government to strip people of their citizenship. (credit:PA)
Abu Hamza (10 of32)
Abu Hamza answers questions from journalists after addressing an audience of more than a 100 muslims during lunchtime prayers outside Finsbury Park Mosque, north London. (credit:PA)
Abu Hamza (11 of32)
Abu Hamza addresses an audience of more than a 100 muslims during lunchtime prayers outside Finsbury Park Mosque, north London. (credit:PA)
First Anniversary Of Finsbury Park Mosque Closure(12 of32)
LONDON - JANUARY 23: Self styled Muslim cleric Abu Hamza Al-Masri leads prayers out side Finsbury Park Mosque on January 23, 2004 in London. This week marks the first anniversary of the mosque being raided by anti-terrorist officers resulting in its closure.(Photo by Bruno Vincent/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Radical Muslim Cleric Abu Hamza Leads Friday Prayers In London(13 of32)
LONDON APRIL 16: Radical Muslim Cleric Abu Hamza after leading Friday prayers outside the North London Central Mosque on April 16, 2004 in London. British authorities accused Hamza, who has been stripped of his British nationality, of preaching extremist views last year when the mosque was shut down. (Photo by Bruno Vincent/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Radical Muslim Cleric Abu Hamza Leads Friday Prayers(14 of32)
LONDON - APRIL 16: Radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza leads Friday prayers outside the North London Central Mosque, on April 16, 2004 in London. British authorities accused Hamza, who has been stripped of his British nationality, of preaching extremist views last year when the mosque was shut down. (Photo by Bruno Vincent/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Radical Muslim Cleric Abu Hamza Leads Friday Prayers In London(15 of32)
LONDON APRIL 16: Radical Muslim Cleric Abu Hamza clears his eye after leading Friday prayers outside the North London Central Mosque on April 16, 2004 in London. British authorities accused Hamza, who has been stripped of his British nationality, of preaching extremist views last year when the mosque was shut down. (Photo by Bruno Vincent/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Abu Hamza regular friday prayer meeting(16 of32)
Radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza speaks during his regular Friday prayer meeting outside Finsbury Park Mosque, north London. Hamza said that the coalition soldiers involved in the torture of Iraqi prisoners are "evil Satanic" people and added, "to kill is better than torture". (credit:PA)
Abu Hamza regular friday prayer meeting(17 of32)
Radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza arrives with masked security for his regular Friday prayer meeting outside Finsbury Park Mosque, north London. Hamza said that the coalition soldiers involved in the torture of Iraqi prisoners are "evil Satanic" people and added, "to kill is better than torture". (credit:PA)
Abu Hamza regular Friday prayer meeting (18 of32)
Radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza speaks during his regular Friday prayer meeting outside Finsbury Park Mosque, north London. Hamza said that the coalition soldiers involved in the torture of Iraqi prisoners are "evil Satanic" people and added, "to kill is better than torture". (credit:PA)
Hamza outside Mosque Police(19 of32)
Muslim Cleric Abu Hamza (centre) addresses worshippers after the Friday prayers outside Finsbury Park Mosque in north London as police officers look on. 27/08/04: Police were Friday August 27, 2004, awarded more time to question muslim cleric Abu Hamza on suspicion of being involved in terrorist offences, Scotland Yark said tonight. (credit:PA)
ABU HAMZA PREACHING(20 of32)
Muslim cleric Abu Hamza outside Finsbury Park Mosque, where he was banned from speaking by the Charity Commission. The cleric was accused of abusing his position to preach his radical brand of Islam and make inflammatory sermons. 01/04/03 : An MP has called for radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza to be kicked out of Britain as new powers come into force. Hamza, who has British citizenship, has repeatedly preached against the West at the Finsbury Park mosque in north London. 26/04/04: Muslim cleric Abu Hamza begins his legal bid to stay in Britain. The hook-handed preacher is appealing against Home Secretary David Blunkett's attempt to strip him of UK citizenship and send him back to the Yemen. 01/07/04: Muslim cleric Abu Hamza, accused by the United States of being a "freelance consultant" to terror groups across the world, will appear in court Thursday July 1, 2004 via video link. Hamza, who is being held at high-security Belmarsh prison in south-east London, was arrested in May after an extradition request from the US, where officials believe he played a key role in Osama bin Laden's al Qaida terror network. 26/08/04: Hamza, 47, has been arrested under the Terrorism Act Thursday August 26, 2004. He was held this morning on suspicion of involvement in the "commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism". He is being quizzed by detectives from the Anti-Terrorist Branch in London. 26/10/2004 Hamza will appear at the Old Bailey, Tuesday October 26, 2004 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. (credit:PA)
COURTS Hamza(21 of32)
Video-grab from a video issued by the Metropolitan Police of a sermon dated 13/10/2000 by Muslim cleric Abu Hamza. Hamza was convicted of six out of nine soliciting to murder charges and two out of four charges of "using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with the intention of stirring up racial hatred" at the Old Bailey Tuesday February 7, 2006. He was also convicted of a charge of possession of video and audio recordings which he intended to distribute to stir up racial hatred and a final charge, under section 58 of the Terrorism Act, of possession of a document, the Encyclopaedia Of The Afghani Jihad, which contained information "of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism". See PA story COURTS Hamza. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Photo credit should read: Metropolitan Police/PA. (credit:PA)
Abu Hamza(22 of32)
Abu Hamza addresses an audience of more than a 100 muslims during lunchtime prayers outside Finsbury Park Mosque, north London. 20/08/2004 The radical cleric will appear in court Friday August 20, 2004, via video link, for a brief hearing regarding an extradition request from the USA. The full hearing is due to resume October 19. (credit:PA)
Abu Hamza regular friday prayer meeting(23 of32)
Radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza speaks during his regular Friday prayer meeting outside Finsbury Park Mosque, north London. Hamza said that the coalition soldiers involved in the torture of Iraqi prisoners are "evil Satanic" people and added, "to kill is better than torture". (credit:PA)
(24 of32)
FILE - In this Jan. 23, 2004 file photo, self-styled cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri leads his followers in prayer in a street outside Finsbury Park Mosque, on the first anniversary of its closure by anti-terrorism police, London. Britain is set to extradite its most recognizable extremist, Abu Hamza al-Masri, to the United States, sending a national hate figure to face charges of helping set up a terrorist training camp in rural Oregon. Britain's Home Office said Monday Sept. 24, 2012 that radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri has lost an appeal regarding his extradition to the United States.(AP Photo/John D McHugh, File) (credit:AP)
Abu Hamza extradition case(25 of32)
File photo dated 25/08/02 of Islamic preacher Abu Hamza, who will be extradited to the United States after Europe's human rights judges rejected a request for an appeal, officials said. Radical cleric Abu Hamza and four other terror suspects could be put on a plane to the United States within days after Europe's human rights judges rejected their bid for an appeal. (credit:PA)
Abu Hamza - Friday Prayers.(26 of32)
Muslim cleric Abu Hamza addresses an audience of around 120 during lunchtime prayers outside Finsbury Park Mosque in north London. Mr Hamza today claimed that Home Secretary David Blunkett was acting like a 'Nazi Minister' over new measures allowing the government to strip people of their citizenship. 27/05/2004: Muslim cleric Abu Hamza, 47, who was arrested at his west London home early Thursday May 27, 2004, on an extradition warrant issued by the US government. He will appear appear at Bow Street Magistrates Court, sitting at Belmarsh, later Thursday. (credit:PA)
Abu Hamza case(27 of32)
File photo dated 11/04/03 of Abu Hamza as The High Court reserved judgment today on his plea, who is fighting extradition to the US, to have further medical tests. (credit:PA)
Hamza awaits extradition ruling(28 of32)
File photo dated 06/04/03 of radical Islamic cleric Abu Hamza who, along with four other terror suspects, are expected to find out if they have won their latest legal move to avoid extradition from the UK to America for trial on terrorism charges. (credit:PA)
Abu Hamza Al Masri(29 of32)
FILE - in this Jan. 20, 1999 file photo, Muslim cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri speaks at a press conference in London . A British court is expected to rule on whether extremist cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri is too ill to be extradited to the United States to face terror charges. London's High Court is set to decide Friday Oct. 5, 2012 whether al-Masri and other terror suspects can be sent to the U.S. to face charges that include helping set up a terrorist training camp in rural Oregon. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File) (credit:AP)
(30 of32)
CORRECTS SPELLING OF ABU HAMZA AL- MASRI In this courtroom drawing, defense attorneys Sabrina Shroff and Jerrod Thompson Hicks represent accused terrorist Abu Hamza al- Masri, center, before Magistrate Judge Franklin Maas in Manhattan federal court in New York on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012. Abu Hamza al-Masri, entered no plea to charges of conspiring with Seattle men to set up a terrorist training camp in Oregon and of helping abduct 16 hostages, two of them American tourists, in Yemen in 1998. (AP Photo/Elizabeth Williams) (credit:AP)
Abu Hamza al-Masri(31 of32)
FILE - This Friday, April 30, 2004 file photo shows Muslim cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri, as he arrives with a masked bodyguard, right, to conduct Friday prayers in the street outside the closed Finsbury Park Mosque in London. Al-Masri pleaded not guilty Tuesday, Oct, 9, 2012 to charges that he conspired with Seattle men to set up a terrorist training camp in Oregon. Al-Masri entered the plea shortly before U.S. District Judge Katherine B. Forrest set an Aug. 26 trial date for al-Masri. (AP Photo/Max Nash, File) (credit:AP)
(32 of32)
In this courtroom drawing, defense attorney, Jeremy Schneider, left, represents accused terrorist Abu Hamza al-Masri, center, in Manhattan federal court, Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2012, in New York. (AP Photo/ Elizabeth Williams) (credit:AP)
Hamza led the Finsbury Park Mosque in the 1990s, reportedly attended by both September 11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui and shoe bomber Richard Reid, though the cleric denied ever having met them.
The mosque has been linked to this week's attacks in France, with reports Charlie Hebdo massacre suspect Cherif Kouachi - shot dead after taking a man hostage this evening - was a follower of convicted terrorist and mosque regular Djamel Beghal.
Hamza later spread violent messages there following the attacks of September 11 2001.
Hamza was jailed in the UK for seven years for soliciting murder and inciting racial hatred in 2006 and first faced an extradition request from the Americans in 2004.