Britain Bars Militant Muslim Cleric From Returning (NYT)

NYT ^ | Aug 12, 2005 | Sarah Lyall

[summer]

Sheik Mohammed has been portrayed in British newspapers as an incarnation of malice, suggesting he fled Britain in haste as the new restrictions closed in on him.

LONDON, Aug. 12 - Britain said today that it would bar Sheik Omar Bakri Mohammed, a London-based Syrian cleric, from returning to the country from Lebanon. Sheik Mohammed, known for his incendiary anti-Western views, was granted asylum by Britain some 20 years ago and has lived here ever since....

Human-rights groups and British Muslims have attacked the move to deport the 10 foreigners, saying they feared they would be sent to countries where they faced abuse, torture and death sentences, in contravention of European human-rights laws. But today, Lord Falconer, the lord chancellor and Britain's highest judicial official, defended the planned deportations, saying that the risk of deportees' being abused abroad had to be weighed against the possible threat they posed to Britain....

Sheik Mohammed, the founder and vociferous leader of the British branch of the radical group Al Muhajiroun, drew the attention of the British authorities after delivering sermons praising the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States and calling for British Muslims to join an anti-West Islamic jihad....

A spokesman for Sheik Mohammed said the British move was "completely outrageous" and a violation of free speech. But Inayat Bunglawala, a spokesman for the Muslim Council of Britain, said Sheik Mohammed was "unlikely to be missed by the vast majority of British Muslims."

"He is someone who for 20 years was given shelter by this country and he has spent almost all that time vilifying this country and its values," Mr. Bungalawala told the BBC. "With his often very offensive remarks, he has contributed toward the demonization of British Muslims."

[summer]

Well, good for the UK for taking a hard line here!

[summer]

BTW, this news was just recently posted on the NYT online, today at 9:15AM EST.

[sinanju]

I don't think even Lloyd's of London could be persuaded into insuring al Bakri's life at this point. It's one heckuvva lot more dangerous being an Islamist firebrand in Araby than in soft, gentle Old Europe.

Londonistan must be reeking of flop-sweat right about now.

[BunnySlippers]

This means his welfare checks stop NOW (I hope).

[marlon]

Yes but I'm sure PIAPS will welcome to NY and be happy to put him on the welfare roles. He can socialize with her freed FALN terroists.

[dila813]

"move to deport the 10 foreigner"

time for Israel to do the same again, and tell the UN to butt out.

[dennisw]

Is he still getting his 6 months of welfare payments? One article said he would get them even in Lebanon.

[BayouCoyote]

Pig in a blanket alert!

[dennisw]

This means his welfare checks stop NOW (I hope).

Allegedly he was to keep getting them while in Lebanon

Bakri to have heart op on NHS- Plus gets 6 more months welfare payments while abroad ^

[bella1]

Tony Blair for President!

[goldstategop]

I'm amused by all this in view of the UK and the West's sanctimonious high umbrage against Israel over deporting terrorists. Which was very effective until the gutless Rabin stopped the practice under American pressure. You don't have the right to preach incitement and promote violence. Any one in Britain who doesn't intend to abide by British law ought to be summarily deported. It ought to dry the country's pool of would be jihadi terrorists.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[Dark Skies]

A spokesman for Sheik Mohammed said the British move was "completely outrageous" and a violation of free speech.

Buh Byeeeee!

[Dallas59]

LIGHT BULBS!!!!

[cloud8]

> Tony Blair for President!

Blair at least gets the point. When are we going to deport the Mohammedan zealots? Who would be responsible for such a policy? Not Congress. The President only needs to give the order to...DOJ? Homeland Security?

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Cut his head off.

[angkor]

It's one heckuvva lot more dangerous being an Islamist firebrand in Araby than in soft, gentle Old Europe.

He was expelled from Syria (by the Baathists), left for Lebanon, was later expelled from Saudi Arabia, and has been sentenced to life in prison for terrorism in Jordan.

This is the kind of "refugee" that Amnesty International has been supporting.

[RoseofTexas]

Too late!! He already has his terrorist cell set up in the UK! CBN had an excellent report on him and the danger it would posed on London for sheltering him there many years. And how the govt. never came down on him for spewing his terrorist antics against the western world and Londoners. CBN's report was broadcasted a few years back, even before 9-11! The UK was warned of this evil mad man! They ignored it at there peril, the writing was on the wall!

[RoseofTexas]

ooops...Their not there...:)

[WVNan]

Maybe I missed it, but where did he go?

[johnnyBbad]

This whole situation is a perfect example of how these scum use our freedoms against us.

Bastard's on welfare and his supporters regularly refer to his "free speech" rights.

Can you imagine fighting any other war like this?