Hamza's suicide bombings call

New controversy surrounded radical Muslim preacher Abu Hamza today with the publication of secret tapes calling for suicide bombers to launch a holy war in Britain.

In a series of recordings sent to his most dedicated followers, the hook-handed cleric encourages bombers to become martyrs "on your own doorstep".

The tapes were obtained by investigative officer Neil Doyle and form the basis of his book Terror Tracker. They are revealed on the day of Hamza's latest court appeal against a bid to throw him out of the country.

Home Secretary David Blunkett considers the north London cleric to be a serious threat to national security. He wants his British citizenship to be revoked.

But police have never had enough evidence to support Hamza's deportation. His public speeches, delivered every Friday outside Finsbury Park mosque, are worded carefully to avoid committing a criminal offence by calling for direct terrorist acts.

The tapes, however, which are sent to people who have attended meetings or contacted Hamza via the internet, are uncensored.

Recorded between 2000 and 2002, they use a number of Islamic phrases such as shaheed (meaning martyr) and jihad (holy war).

One message says: "Our immediate duty now is to correct our own homeland. You don't have to travel thousands and thousands of miles to become a shaheed - you can be shaheed right on your own doorstep. This is the best jihad."

Hamza calls for all Israelis over the age of 15 to be killed and accuses President George Bush and Tony Blair of killing millions of children. He mocks the September 11 attacks against America and says that Islam must strive for world domination. He also boasts that he does not have papers to be in Britain, and says that followers should forge passports.

The latest round in Hamza's bid to stay in Britain was getting under way today at a hearing of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission. It was beginning with legal arguments before a full hearing, which is expected to last three weeks.

Labour MP Andrew Dismore, who has campaigned for Hamza to be deported, said: "These tapes reveal the truth and confirm what a lot of us have been saying for some time. They show that he is a racist, anti-semitic and a supporter of terrorism. I hope the judges in his latest case come up with the right response to this appeal."

The Egyptian-born cleric came to Britain as a student and obtained UK citizenship when he married a British woman he has since divorced. He was a resident preacher at Finsbury Park mosque until it was shut down after a police raid in January last year.