Egyptian-born terror suspect pleads not guilty

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)FRE 142054



His court-appointed lawyer, Jeremy Schneider, said his client prefers to be known as Mustafa Kamel Mustafa, the name listed first on his indictment. Abu Hamza and Abu Hamza al-Masri are listed as aliases.

There was no mention in court Tuesday about access to the prosthetics -- including a hook -- that Mustafa uses in place of the hands he says he lost fighting the Soviets in Afghanistan, but Schneider said outside court that it was a problem for him.

"I believe he has use of them for a certain part of the day but not long enough to allow him to function the way he should function," he said. "He's having a hard time. He doesn't have hands," he said.


Khaled al-Fawwaz, 50, and Adel Abdul Bary, 52, are charged with participating in the 1998 bombings of embassies in Tanzania and Kenya that killed 224 people, including 12 Americans. They were indicted in a case that also charged Osama bin Laden.

Both pleaded not guilty on Saturday.