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Update to All: The Mayor Of London speaks:

Red Ken's U-Turn Over Hamza's Son - UK News Headlines

Red Ken's U-Turn Over Hamza's Son

Tuesday, 31st October 2006, 17:18
Category: Crime and Punishment

London Mayor "Red" Ken Livingstone was left red-faced today after making an embarrassing U-turn over the terrorist son of jailed preacher of hate Abu Hamza.

Speaking at his weekly press conference at City Hall this morning Livingstone said he would be "happy" to have Mohammed Kamel Mostafa working on the underground.

Mostafa was reportedly given a security pass to work for contractors on the tube network before bosses learned of his background.

When it was pointed out to Mr Livingstone during his press conference that 25-year-old Mostafa, the eldest son of jailed hook-handed cleric Hamza, had a terrorist conviction overseas he launched into a tirade and said: "We are happy to have him work here for us."

However, within hours of the press conference the Mayor's office issued a press release in which Mr Livingstone stated it had been "correct to dismiss him."

Mostafa has a conviction in Yemen for plotting to blow up British and US targets, and has recorded rap songs glorifying holy war and suicide attacks like those in London last July.

The Mayor - dubbed Red Ken for his support of leftist causes - said during the press conference there was no reason Mostafa should not be allowed to work on the underground system.

Challenged on the security breach, Mr Livingstone said: "No-one should be blamed for what their parents do.

"You wouldn't say to someone 'you can't work on the tube because your mum is the editor of The Sun.'"

When it was pointed out that Mostafa was a convicted terrorist, the Mayor replied: "I wouldn't be at all surprised if MI6 was working with him to try to overthrow the regime in Yemen.

"Has he been convicted of any offence in Britain? The answer is no. We are happy to have him work here for us."

However, in a statement issued six hours later by the Mayor's press office Mr Livingstone said: "In this country a person cannot be sacked for what their parents do. It is the actions of Mohammed Kamel Mostafa himself which are relevant.

"However, Mr Mostafa has convictions in Yemen. These must be taken into account. They should have been brought to light by those doing the security checks, the failure to do so must be investigated. As he failed to declare these to the subcontractor they are correct to dismiss him."

UPDATE 2 to All:

Livingstone backs terrorist's Tube job News This is London

Excerpt:

"He was employed by a sub-contractor working for Tube Lines, the private sector consortia which looks after the Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines.

The Jubilee line serves Westminster, the most politically sensitive station on the Underground and where security is supposed to be at its highest level.

Working as a labourer on the Jubilee line would have given Mostafa - jailed in Yemen in 1999 for plotting to kill Western tourists - access to the labyrinth of tunnels at Westminster and where the Tube runs virtually under Parliament."