Raad Salah was excluded from the UK last week by Home Secretary Theresa May, on the grounds that he holds hard-line anti-semitic views.
But when the political firebrand travelled here at the weekend, border guards, who are supposed to check all passengers against watchlists of fanatics, failed to spot him or turn him away.
But when the political firebrand travelled here at the weekend, border guards, who are supposed to check all passengers against watchlists of fanatics, failed to spot him or turn him away.
Officials face a race against time to stop him making a speech to MPs this week. Left-wing Labour MPs have invited him to give a talk on the Israel-Palestine conflict – an event the Government fears will be a major embarrassment.
Whitehall sources say the Home Secretary, who is determined to take a tough stand against extremists views, is furious at the blunder.
Earlier this month, she unveiled the Prevent strategy which said ministers would no longer tolerate those who hold forth on views likely to foster hatred or division.
One possibility is that the UK BorderAgency failed to serve papers on Salah informing him that he had been excluded – effectively a travel ban designed to keep him out of the UK.
This could mean he did not know he wasn’t meant to travel. Alternatively, he may have used another name which officials failed to spot.
Either way, it is another massive blow to the reputation of UKBA, long derided as a shambles by MPs. Keeping out terror suspects and extremists on Government watch lists is one of its most vital jobs.
One source said: ‘This is a total disaster. It’s probably the first test of the new Prevent strategy and UKBA has failed it spectacularly.’
Urgent legal advice is being sought by the Home Office to see on what grounds – if any – he can be prevented from speaking to MPs.
In 2008, Salah was charged with incitement to violence and racism by a Jerusalem court over a speech in which he invoked what is known as the ‘blood libel’ – a notorious anti-semitic slur.
In the speech, delivered in February 2007, he was said to have accused Jewish people of using children’s blood to bake bread. Afterwards, the 1,000 strong crowd began rioting.
Prosecutors said the speech amounted to ‘call to commit acts of violence and encouragement of acts of violence’ and anti-semitism.
Salah was released from prison in 2005, after serving two years for raising millions of pounds for Palestinian terror group Hamas and for having contact with an Iranian intelligence agent.
He was again arrested in 2009 for incitement after calling on Palestinians to defend a holy site.
Mrs May was asked about the case yesterday in the Commons. Tory MP Mike Freer, who represents Finchley and Golders Green, in North London, asked her: ‘The Home Secretary will be aware that Mr Raad Salah has been invited to speak in the palace precincts.
Given this man’s history of virulent anti-Semitism, will the Home Secretary ban him from entering the UK?’
On account of protocol, she replied: ‘The Home Office does not routinely comment on individual cases.
‘I will seek to exclude an individual if I consider that his or her presence in the UK is not conducive to the public good, and the Government make no apologies for refusing people access to the UK if we believe that they might seek to undermine our society.’
What a surprise! Now hate preacher cites his human rights to fight deportation
What a surprise! Now hate preacher cites his human rights to fight deportation
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