Whitehall prepares to expel radical cleric Abu Hamza

An attempt to expel the radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza under more stringent citizenship rules will begin within weeks, senior Whitehall officials said yesterday.

The fiery anti-Western preacher is likely to be one of the first targets of the powers introduced yesterday by David Blunkett, the Home Secretary.

Under the new measures, British citizenship can be stripped from immigrants deemed to "seriously prejudice" British interests. If no country can be persuaded to accept Mr Hamza, he could be detained indefinitely.

Although an attempt to remove him under the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act is unlikely to start this week, his case is being monitored by Whitehall officials.

Mr Hamza, 44, who has vocally supported Islamic fundamentalism, claimed the 11 September attacks were a Jewish plot. He said the space shuttle Columbia was destroyed by God because it was carrying an Israeli Jew, American Christians and an Indian-born Hindu.

The Egyptian-born cleric, who came to Britain in 1980 and was granted British citizenship after marrying an English national, denies involvement in terrorism but is wanted on terror charges in Yemen.

Andrew Dismore, Labour MP for Hendon, said: "He has done nothing but run down Britain ever since he got his nationality. Why does he want to stay here if Britain is such a horrible place to live?"

Mr Blunkett said: "If we are to welcome those that aspire to and qualify for British citizenship, we must ensure those who acquire it by deception or prove to be abusing the privilege of that citizenship by acting against the UK's vital interests are not able to retain it."

The Home Office refused to discuss Mr Hamza's case, but Beverley Hughes, a Home Office minister, confirmed in February that he was "being very, very closely monitored".

Mr Hamza has vowed to fight any attempt to remove him, claiming he was being persecuted for his religious views.