Controversial Muslim cleric Abu Hamza has been arrested by police in London on an extradition warrant issued by the US government.According to reports he will be held on terror charges before being deported for trial in America.
In a statement Scotland Yard said “a British citizen, aged 47″ was detained in a pre-dawn raid.

“The man was arrested at his home address in west London under an extradition warrant issued by Bow Street Magistrates Court,” the statement continued.

He was taken to a central London police station and will appear before a judge at the magistrates court in Belmarsh high security prison later.

The raid was carried out by officers from the MPS Extradition and International Assistance Unit.

Police cordonned off the tree-lined street in Shepherd’s Bush where Hamza lives while they searched his terraced home.

His solicitor said he had reacted calmly to the arrest, which had come unexpectedly.

The warrant was executed after months of cooperation between the British and US authorities.

It followed a plea by President Bush to European leaders to speed up the extradition of terror suspects to the US.

The case against Hamza is thought to be based on information obtained from suspects already held in America.

The Egyptian-born cleric was a preacher at Finsbury Park mosque in north London until he was kicked out by the Charity Commission.

He has been accused of recruiting for al Qaeda and has urged young British muslims to copy suicide bombers in Israel.

His followers include shoebomber Richard Reid, who tried to blow up a transatlantic flight.

Home Secretary David Blunkett has begun legal moves to strip Hamza of his British citizenship but the case has been fraught with delays.