LONDON, May 27 (Xinhuanet) -- Radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri, who was arrested early Thursday morning on an extradition warrant at the request of the US authorities, is facing 11 terror-related charges in the United States, local media reported.

    US Attorney General John Ashcroft announced the charges in New York later on the day as the 47-year-old preacher appeared in a British court to face extradition proceedings.

    A Scotland Yard spokesman said anti-terrorist police, citing the Extradition Act 2003, searched Abu Hamza's home in west London and arrested him at 0200 GMT on Thursday.

    The US authorities accused Abu Hamza of being involved in an attack killing four hostages in Yemen in 1998. Other charges accused him of providing support and resources for terrorists, particularly al Qaeda and of setting up a terror training camp in Oregon.

    Ashcroft was quoted by reports reaching here as saying that the cleric could face the death penalty or life imprisonment if found guilty.

    However, under current British and European laws, Britain must ask the United States to pledge they will not apply the death penalty before any possible extradition could get the go-ahead, according to a BBC report.

    It is also likely to be several months before a formal committal hearing at which a district judge will look at the evidence and decide whether it is strong enough for him to be extradited.

    The Egyptian-born cleric, who is one of Britain's best known Islamic radicals, is already at the center of deportation battle with the British Home Office, which wants to remove his UK citizenship gained through marriage in 1981.

    His lawyer has argued that stripping him of citizenship would leave him stateless and would be a breach of his human rights.

    The cleric, who also is wanted in Yemen on charges of orchestrating terrorism there from Britain, denies any involvementin violence and says he is only a spokesman for political causes. Enditem