Posted on 04/05/2003 8:35:46 AM PST by dennisw
Muslim cleric citizenship revoked From PA News
David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, today confirmed that he has written to radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza revoking his British citizenship. Mr Blunkett said he had taken the action under the new Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act, which came into effect earlier this week.
The Act allows the Government to remove the UK citizenship of a holder of joint citizenship if it is believed their activities threaten the national interests of the country.
“I have sent him a letter withdrawing his citizenship,” Mr Blunkett told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
A spokesman for the one-eyed cleric, who has been barred from preaching at the Finsbury Park mosque in north London, last night denied reports that Home Office papers stripping him of his citizenship had been delivered by motorbike courier yesterday.
The Home Office would not confirm or deny the reports and said it could not comment on individual cases because it could prejudice future legal proceedings.
“These are very serious powers and can’t be used just because we don’t like what somebody has to say,” a spokeswoman said.
But Mr Blunkett today indicated that security and intelligence information had persuaded him to sign papers for the first time under the new Act, which came into effect on Tuesday.
He told Today that the action against Hamza did not herald a series of expulsions of radical Islamists.
Asked if he planned to strip any other radical Islamists of their citizenship, he said: “I am certainly not speculating on that. We are not starting a hunt for people with dual citizenship.”
Mr Blunkett insisted that the action against Hamza was due to his having urged followers to attack British interests abroad, and not simply because he was an outspoken critic of the UK Government.
“We are not talking about a bigmouth shouting off,” he said. “Irritating though that is, they have the right to do so.”
He added: “The evidence that would have to be adduced if this man appeals and his lawyers decide to challenge us would be about the way in which people are encouraged to take part in jihad and are encouraged to fight us overseas and issues of that sort .
“If you encourage, support, advise, help people to take up training, if you facilitate them, then of course that takes you right over the boundary.”
Yesterday, Hamza, 44, addressed about 100 of his followers on the pavement outside Finsbury Park mosque.
The Egyptian-born cleric has courted controversy for his outbursts against Britain, America and Jews.
During yesterday’s 10-minute sermon, Hamza described George Bush as “the Ghengis Khan of this century” and Tony Blair as “his chambermaid".
“The Ghengis Khans of the west are Tony Blair and George Bush. We are just wondering when our blood is going to be shed,” he told those gathered to listen.
He also said that Muslim governments who supported the West were puppets.
Andrew Dismore, Labour MP for Hendon, called for Hamza to be deported under the new powers earlier this week.
Hamza has been criticised for abusing his British citizenship to “bite the hand that feeds him” after coming to the UK in 1980.
He lost one eye and his hands through clearing landmines in Afghanistan following the war with the Soviet Union, he claims.
He is wanted by the authorities in Yemen over suspected terrorism.
"Actually, I only lost the hand in the accident. But then I tried to pick my nose..."
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