He notoriously spewed hate messages against the West, but hook-handed Muslim preacher Abu Hamza al-Masri apparently has no problem with capitalism.
Evan Kohlmann, a former journalist who specializes in terror issues, told a Manhattan federal jury at al-Masri’s terror trial Wednesday that al-Masri and his underlings tried to sell him some videos after he interviewed al-Masri at his London mosque in 2002.
Kohlmann, now an FBI terrorism consultant, said that following the interview he was led to Finsbury Park Mosque’s bookstore, where he was coerced into buying what one person there pitched as “exclusive, unreleased” video of Osama bin Laden.
Kohlmann said he was likely ripped off because he now has serious doubts it was truly “exclusive.” Also being offered in the store were videotapes of sermons by al-Masri and other jihadists, he added.
Jurors earlier got to hear audio of his video chat with al-Masri in which the terror suspect said he called bin Laden a “victim of American policies” and a “good-hearted person.”
Other evidence played for jurors included an undated video in which al-Masri defended the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole in Yemen, which killed 17 sailors.
“No one can say this is a terror attack!” the one-eyed, handless hate preacher shouts. “This is a deterrent attack. This is a mujahedeen attack!”
Al-Masri, 56, is accused of setting up a terrorist training camp in Oregon, conspiring in a 1998 kidnapping in Yemen that resulted in the deaths of four tourists and committing other terror crimes. He faces life in prison if convicted.