Radical Islamist cleric, Abu Hamza, arrived in New York on Saturday where he is expected to appear in a US court on terrorism charges within 24 hours.

Hamza was deported from the UK along with four other suspects following an eight year legal battle which strained the country’s relationship with the European court of human rights.

The hate preacher faces 11 charges in the US related to hostage taking, conspiracy to establish a militant training camp and calling for a holy war in Afghanistan.

US State Department spokesman Mark Toner welcomed the move: “This ends a period of lengthy litigation through UK courts as well as the European court of human rights and also speaks of the strength of the law enforcement relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom.”

The five suspects left a military airbase in Suffolk in two planes just hours after their final appeals were turned down. Adel Abdul Bary and Khaled al-Fawwaz joined Hamza in New York.

While Babar Ahmad and Tahla Ahsan, were flown to Connecticut where they face charges of running a pro-Jihad website.