Police and CPS statement in full

Here is the full statement about the Abu Hamza al-Masri case, issued by the head of counter-terrorism division of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Sue Hemming, and the head of Anti-Terrorist Branch Metropolitan Police, Peter Clarke:

The police and CPS work closely together during the investigation and prosecution process and we will always prosecute wherever the evidence allows and it is in the public interest.

In the case of Abu Hamza, the police, following detailed and thorough investigations, made three formal submissions of evidence to the CPS.

Two of these were in relation to potential offences committed in the Yemen, the second also included evidence relating to a website.

This week's conviction was the successful outcome of close and painstaking joint police and CPS work

The third submission was in relation to this trial.

The submissions relating to the Yemeni and website allegations were carefully and thoroughly reviewed by experienced, senior prosecutors and in both these cases there was clearly insufficient evidence for a prosecution.

On the third occasion there was sufficient evidence and the case has been prosecuted successfully.

The key evidence for the recent trial was the result of three police seizures of evidence; two in 2003 relating to other anti-terrorist investigations by two separate police forces and the third in May 2004 from Abu Hamza's own address.

The overwhelming bulk of the evidence in the trial came from the May 2004 seizure.

Only one tape from the seizures in 2003 was the subject of counts on the indictment.

The decision to prosecute was taken by the CPS in October 2004.

This week's conviction was the successful outcome of close and painstaking joint police and CPS work which has resulted in the prosecution of Abu Hamza for 11 serious criminal charges.