Britain on Friday banned from entering the country an Indian preacher who has expressed radical views about Islam, including some that appear to justify acts of terrorism.
Conservative Home Secretary (interior minister) Theresa May said she had barred Zakir Naik, a 44-year-old television preacher based in Mumbai, for inflammatory remarks he was known to have made in the past.
Naik had been due to give a series of lectures in London and the city of Sheffield in northern England.
"Numerous comments made by Dr Naik are evidence to me of his unacceptable behavior," May said in a statement, without elaborating.
The Daily Telegraph on Friday reported Interior Ministry sources saying that 2006 website footage had shown Naik telling Muslims it was acceptable to embrace terrorism in certain instances.
According to the paper, Naik said Muslims should beware of people saying Osama bin Laden was right or wrong, adding: "If you ask my view, if given the truth, if he is fighting the enemies of Islam, I am for him.
"If he is terrorizing the terrorists, if he is terrorizing America the terrorist, the biggest terrorist, every Muslim should be a terrorist."
He is also reported by the paper to have suggested Western women make themselves "more susceptible to rape" by wearing revealing clothing.
"Western society has actually degraded (women) to the status of concubines, mistresses and social butterflies, who are mere tools in the hands of pleasure seekers and sex marketeers," the paper quoted him as saying.
May said: "Coming to the UK is a privilege not a right and I am not willing to allow those who might not be conducive to the public good to enter."...
A Home Office spokesman said the powers were used if an individual expressed views that "foment, justify or glorify terrorist violence in furtherance of particular beliefs" or "seek to provoke others to terrorist acts."
Muslim Council of Britain condemns ban on Islamic hate preacher entering the U.K.
Let's revisit some sayings of the quotable Zakir Naik:
"People who change their religion should face the death penalty"
"If he [Osama Bin Laden] is terrorising the terrorists, if he is terrorising America the terrorist ... I am with him. Every Muslim should be a terrorist."
And he has said western women make themselves "more susceptible to rape" by wearing "revealing" clothing.
Clearly, this man is a moderate, persecuted by a rabid band of Islamophobes! Er, wait... An update on this story.
The Muslim Council of Britain has denounced the decision to ban Dr Zakir Naik from the UK ahead of a peace conference in Wembley.
Dr Nair [sic] was yesterday banned from entering the country by Home Secretary Theresa May because of what she called "unacceptable behaviour", just over a week before he was due to address the Al-Khair Peace Conference at Wembley Arena.
In a statement, the council, a leading voice in the Islamic community, said it "deplores" Mrs May's decision and described Dr Naik as a "renowned Indian mainstream Islamic scholar".
It said: "The Home Secretary's action serves to demonise the very voices within the world ready for debate and discussion.
"The tour would have been a golden opportunity for young Muslims who are eager to hear the true messages of Islam which promote understanding between communities."
Really?
The council also accused Mrs May of succumbing to what it described as a "recent campaign of vilification against the scholar" in some media outlets.
Dr Naik has been quoted as saying "all Muslims should be terrorists", but he argues these comments from a 1996 lecture have been taken out of context.
But, of course.
He has issued a statement in line of his ban from the UK saying he is "disappointed" and restating that he aims to dispel myths surrounding his religion in his talks.
Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, said: "This exclusion order demonstrates the double standards practiced by the government concerning freedom of speech.
"While preachers of hate such as Geert Wilders are free to promote their bigotry in this country, respected Muslim scholars such as Dr Naik are refused entry to the UK under false pretenses.
Mind you, what Geert Wilders' Fitna did was quote from the Qur'an.
"It is deeply regrettable this is likely to cause serious damage to community cohesion in our country."
A protest by the English Defence League and a counter demonstration by Unite Against Fascism, planned for the day of the Wembley Arena conference, are now in doubt following Dr Naik's ban.
It is still unclear whether the conference will take place at all, or whether Dr Naik will be able to appear via a videolink.
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