A lawyer for accused terrorist Abu Hamza says his client should not be extradited from Britain to the United States before he gets an MRI scan, after suffering several years of poor health.

Lawyer Alun Jones told a London court Tuesday that Abu Hamza's health is deteriorating and said it would be “oppressive” to send him to the U.S. to face terrorism charges if Abu Hamza is unfit to plead.

Last week a British court delayed Abu Hamza's extradition after he lodged a fresh appeal. He is in detention in Britain for inciting hate by encouraging young Muslims to launch a holy war against non-believers.

U.S. authorities have charged Abu Hamza with trying to set up a terrorist training camp in the northwestern U.S. state of Oregon, and helping al-Qaida seize hostages in Yemen.

The Egyptian-born Abu Hamza lost an eye and both hands fighting Soviet forces in Afghanistan in the 1980s.