By MARTA FALCONI, Associated Press Writer
1 hour, 5 minutes ago
ROME – Italy’s highest court on Tuesday upheld the extradition to Britain of a suspect in the failed July 21 London bombings, a lawyer for the British government said.
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The decision by the Court of Cassation concerning Hamdi Issac cannot be appealed, and he is expected to be transferred to Britain in the next 10 days, lawyer Paolo Iorio said.
«The request of the British government has been accepted,» Iorio said after the hearing.
Issac was not in court. He awaited the ruling in the Rome prison where he is being held.
Last month, a Rome court ordered Issac to be extradited to Britain. His lawyer appealed, citing what she said was the lack of proper documentation by British authorities and saying Issac feared the «heightened tension» in Britain might affect proceedings against him.
Issac’s lawyer, Antonietta Sonnessa, did not immediately comment Tuesday, saying she wanted to read the ruling first.
Issac, a British citizen also known as Osman Hussain, was arrested on an international arrest warrant in Rome on July 29. Through his lawyer, he had said he wanted to remain in Italy.
British authorities want to question Issac for his alleged role in the attempted bombing at the Shepherd’s Bush station, one of four botched attacks on London’s transport system July 21. Nobody died in the attacks.
In her appeal, Sonnessa complained that she had not received a report from the British analyzing the contents of the bag that Issac allegedly carried onto a subway at Shepherd’s Bush station on the day of the attacks.
Through his lawyer, Issac has said his bag contained a mixture of flour and a liquid hair product and that the attack was not meant to kill.
The failed attacks came two weeks after suicide bombings on London’s transport system killed 52 people and the four bombers.
