A £1.7million family home linked to hook-handed cleric Abu Hamza is set to receive a £70,000 refurbishment funded by taxpayers, sparking anger from local politicians.
The five-bedroom Edwardian council property in Shepherd’s Bush, West London, is due to have new windows and doors installed, along with solar panels and loft insulation.
The work is planned while Hamza, 68, remains imprisoned in the United States.
The windows and doors are described as being “supplied by craftsmen”, with the planned improvements forming part of wider works being carried out by Hammersmith and Fulham Council.
‘A disgusting waste of public money’
Hamza’s wife, Najat Chaffe, 67, is the only person registered as living at the property, which sits inside a conservation area.
She moved into the home in 1995 after claiming she and Hamza had separated.
A lifetime tenancy means she cannot simply be removed from the property and requires the Labour-run Hammersmith and Fulham Council to maintain the home.
Council Conservative opposition leader Jose Afonso criticised the planned spending.
“This is a disgusting waste of public money,” he said.
“Residents will be appalled to know that not only are we housing the families of terrorists, we are doing so in five-bedroom houses and paying for extensive upgrades.”
A woman wearing a burka was also seen putting recycling out at the property.
Hamza’s family and criminal history
Hamza never officially lived at the address, although he was reportedly seen there several times before his first arrest in 2004.
His eight children were brought up at the property, and three of his sons later received prison sentences for offences involving drugs, money laundering and fraud.
The Egypt-born cleric became notorious as a preacher at Finsbury Park Mosque and was jailed in Britain in 2006 for inciting racial hatred and soliciting murder.
He had also publicly rejoiced in the September 11 attacks.
In 2007, a court ruled that Hamza secretly owned a £220,000 property in Greenford, West London, and had paid private school fees for his children.
After being ordered to pay £1million in legal aid costs, Hamza claimed he had no assets and never paid the money.
Life sentence in the US
Hamza was later extradited to the United States.
In 2014, a New York court sentenced him to life without parole after finding him guilty of plotting the kidnapping of 16 tourists in Yemen, a scheme that resulted in the deaths of four hostages.
He had also plotted to establish a terrorist training camp in Oregon.
Hamza is now held in a maximum-security prison in Colorado.
Council says upgrades are required by law
Hammersmith and Fulham Council said it was legally required to carry out upgrades to around 1,000 properties.
Planning permission has been submitted for the work at the Shepherd’s Bush property, although it has not yet been approved.
The planned improvements are expected to be completed before the end of the decade.