Original version

BBC World Service News Internet

Migrated podcast image for: Outlook

Outlook

Factual: Life Stories

True stories of ordinary people and the extraordinary events that have shaped their lives.

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

BBC World Service East Asia

Outlook: My pen pal Abu Hamza

Magazines & Reviews

Abu Hamza al-Masri addresses followers in north London (March 2004) (credit: ODD ANDERSEN/AFP/Getty Images)

20/02/2019 GMT

My pen pal Abu Hamza

BBC World Service - Outlook, My pen pal Abu Hamza

London vicar Stephen Coles on his correspondence with the radical cleric Abu Hamza

Reverend Stephen Coles is a vicar from north London, where he met radical cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri before his arrest in 2004. They have been pen pals since.

Reverend Stephen Coles is a vicar in the London neighbourhood of Finsbury Park. In 2001 he met extremist Abu Hamza al-Masri, who was then an imam at the local mosque. Abu Hamza is currently serving a life sentence in the US on terrorism-related charges. Reverend Coles has been corresponding with the radical cleric since his arrest in 2004.

In Fiji, most villages have a local chief. They act as a local government, raise money for the village and resolve disputes. The chief is usually a man, but there is a woman who is changing this tradition. Her name is Iva Batiki and Outlook's Katie Edwards went to meet her.

Jasmin Paris is an ultrarunner from the UK. She recently became the first woman to win the Montane Spine Race - dubbed "Britain's most brutal race" – and she even beat the record by 12 hours. It took Jasmin four days to complete the 268 mile course – with only seven hours of rest time, during which she had to eat, sleep and express breast milk. You can find more information about the race here: www.thespinerace.com.  

Image: Abu Hamza al-Masri addresses followers in north London, 2004
Credit: ODD ANDERSEN/AFP/Getty Images

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Outlook

My pen pal Abu Hamza

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service News Internet

About BBC World Service