A computer expert from South London who is wanted in America for running a cluster of websites that allegedly supported terrorism and attacks on US servicemen is to be extradited, Charles Clarke, the Home Secretary, has decided.

Babar Ahmad, 31, from Tooting, was arrested in August 2004 on an American extradition warrant. In October last year, the US Justice Department indicted him for using the internet to support the Taleban and Chechen jihadists, money-laundering and conspiring to kill persons in a foreign country.

Mr Ahmad has always protested his innocence and his supporters have conducted a vociferous campaign in his defence. In May, Mr Ahmad, who is in custody at Woodhill high security prison near Milton Keynes, ran for parliament in the Labour constituency of Brent North, winning 685 votes.

But today the Home Office confirmed that he would be extradited to face trial in Connecticut, where he faces life imprisonment if convicted of any of the charges against him. One of the internet service providers used by Mr Ahmad was headquartered in the state.

"There have been a couple of extensions in this case and having looked carefully at all the representations, the Home Secretary decided there aren’t any bars to this extradition," said a Home Office spokeswoman this morning.

In May, Bow Street Magistrates' Court approved Mr Ahmad's extradition after receiving assurances from US authorities that they would not seek the death penalty, torture him in a third country or declare him an "enemy combatant" and imprison him at Guantanamo Bay on Cuba.

But in his ruling, Judge Timothy Workman said that Mr Ahmad's case raised complicated issues that should be explored by the High Court. Since 2003, American authorities have been able to request the extradition of British citizens without having to present any evidence in court.

Mr Ahmad's campaign reacted with dismay to today's news, promising to challenge the Home Secretary's decision in the High Court. If necessary, Mr Ahmad can take his case to the House of Lords.

Speaking from prison, Mr Ahmad said: "This decision should only come as a surprise to those who thought that there was still justice for Muslims in Britain. I entrust my affairs to Allah and His Words from the Koran."

MPs also expressed reservations about Mr Clarke's decision to extradite Mr Ahmad.

Sir Menzies Campbell, the Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman, complained that Britain's extradition treaty with America allows US authorities to request the extradition of British citizens without presenting any evidence of their guilt, whereas "there is a constitutional right on the part of American citizens not to be extradited in the same way".

"It is a treaty which does not have reciprocity," Sir Menzies told the ITV News Channel. "It is even worse than that, because we have ratified the treaty in this country, we have changed our domestic legislation to conform to it, but the United States Senate has still failed to ratify the treaty."

Mr Ahmad's local MP, Sadiq Khan, the Labour member for Tooting, said that he should be tried in Britain: "The allegations are that Babar Ahmad committed these criminal offences whilst in the UK, whilst a British citizen, and whilst in London," he told BBC Radio. "If that be the case the obvious question is why can’t and why shouldn’t he be tried in the UK?"

First arrested by British police in December 2003 but released without charge, Mr Ahmad is accused of running a network of websites from 1997 to 2004 that supported "terrorist causes" in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

On www.azzam.com, a website he allegedly ran from an address in Fountain Road, Tooting, Mr Ahmad told readers that: "Muslims must use every means at their disposal to undertake military and physical training for jihad."

The US Government alleges that Mr Ahmad posted firearms training and travel advice for young Muslims seeking to fight in Chechnya and Afghanistan and sought to raise money for the Taleban and Chechen rebel groups. He is also accused of distributing CDs and videos glorifying jihad.

According to his indictment, e-mails from Mr Ahmad's accounts included "discussions regarding donations; shipments of gas masks; procurement of night vision goggles; safe routes into Afghanistan and the type of personnel needed to support the jihad".

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