Great Britain: Imams who praise terrorism to face deportation

The Telegraph (U.K.) ^ | July 21, 2005 | Philip Johnston, Home Affairs Editor

[Stoat]

Imams who praise terrorism to face deportation

By Philip Johnston, Home Affairs Editor
(Filed: 21/07/2005)

Extremist Islamic preachers who glorify terrorism at home and abroad will be subject to new restrictions, deportations and banning orders, Charles Clarke, the Home Secretary, said yesterday.

A day after the Government and mainstream Muslim leaders agreed the need for tougher action against fundamentalist imams who foment hatred of the West, Mr Clarke told MPs he was drawing up a list of "unacceptable" activities.

	Abu Qatada, a Jordanian citizen

They would include preaching holy war messages, writing inflammatory articles or running a jihadist website.

They could lead to the ejection or exclusion of firebrand clerics. The Foreign Office also announced a deal with Jordan to allow the repatriation of British-based fanatics.

The agreement could involve the removal of Abu Qatada, a Jordanian citizen. He was described by the Home Office as the most significant Islamic fundamentalist in Britain and an "inspiration for terrorists both here and abroad... often providing the religious 'legitimacy' for the atrocities that are planned or committed".

Qatada, who arrived in Britain on a forged passport in 1993, was convicted in absentia in Jordan and sentenced to life imprisonment for his involvement in terrorist attacks there in 1998 and for a Millennium bomb plot.

Britain wanted to throw him out after the September 11 attacks in America but human rights laws meant that he could not be sent back to a country where he might be ill-treated.

Instead, Abu Qatada, who has been called "Osama bin Laden's ambassador in Europe", was held in Belmarsh jail, south-east London, for more than three years until the House of Lords said that he and a dozen other suspected foreign terrorists were being detained unlawfully.

He was then released and is currently subject to a control order at an undisclosed address.

Under the agreement, Jordan has given assurances about the treatment of deported individuals, who could also include Mahmood Abu Rideh, another terror suspect subject to a control order.

But while it may be possible to expand the number of extremists excluded from the country, dealing with those already here will inevitably be subject to lengthy legal challenges.

Mr Clarke said the time had come for a more aggressive approach towards people already in the country, often as asylum seekers, who may be judged to have given succour to terrorists.

He specifically named Omar Bakri Mohammed, the so-called "Tottenham Ayatollah", who this week blamed the Government and British voters for the London Tube and bus suicide attacks, in which 56 people died.

However, he is a Syrian and while he could be stripped of his leave to remain in Britain, there is no prospect of his being deported to his native land without a similar arrangement to that agreed with Jordan.

He could, however, face prosecution under proposed new laws targeting those who incite, glorify or condone terrorist acts.

Mr Clarke also singled out Sheikh Yussuf al-Qaradawi, the Qatar-based cleric who was due to speak at a rally in Manchester next month but who has apparently called off the trip. He made clear he would consider using his powers to ban the imam from the country.

Another emigre who will come under the spotlight is Mohammed al-Massari, a Saudi dissident who the Home Office unsuccessfully tried to eject 10 years ago and who now lives in north London as a political refugee. In an interview for a BBC programme, The New Al-Qa'eda, to be screened next week, he defends posting on his Tajdeed website videos of beheadings and suicide bombings together with an online terror training manual.

Underpinning the new clampdown will be a database containing the names of foreign individuals whose presence in Britain would not be welcome.

Any individuals on the index seeking to enter the country will have their cases referred to ministers with a view to possible exclusion.

Mr Clarke said his existing powers to exclude people from Britain would be used "more widely and systematically", both for foreign visitors and people already living here, including asylum applicants and political refugees.

He added: "In the circumstances we now face, I've decided that it is right to broaden the use of these powers to deal with those who foment terrorism or seek to provoke others to terrorist acts." Last year, around 50 individuals seeking entry to Britain were banned because their presence was not conducive to the public interest or they presented a risk to national security or public order.

A further 14 already in the country were ejected, 12 on national security grounds.

At the final Commons question time before the summer recess yesterday, Tony Blair said he was considering hosting a conference to bring together all countries affected by Islamist extremism "to try to take concerted action across the world to try to root out this type of extremist teaching".

He also told MPs he was "satisfied" that the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre was doing "everything that is possible to protect our country" despite concluding shortly before the July 7 bombings that no terror groups had the capability or intention to attack Britain.

 

15 July 2005: Extremist clerics will be barred from Britain under new anti-terrorism law

12 March 2005: Eight foreign terror suspects released on bail

 

[Stoat]

	Boris Johnson: Islamophobia's a laugh
	Matthew d'Ancona: Ken's fantasy
	200 arrested in crackdown
	Bomber idolised bin Laden
	Two names complete tragedy
	London terror factfile

Home Secretary's response to the review of the operation of the Terrorism Act 2000 in 2004, by Lord Carlile of Berriew QC [20 Jul '05] - Home Office

[queenkathy]

Why can't we do the same here?

[rod1]

Maybe they can ship out the London Mayor while they are at it. He seems about as bad given his retoric.

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

Sanity would assume that you deport everyone who attends the congregation also.

[the invisib1e hand]

Maybe they can ship out the London Mayor while they are at it. He seems about as bad given his retoric.

My thoughts exactly -- and I am not even kidding. He should face an inquiry for those remarks and, if he stands by them, relinquish his office and his citizenship.

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

Why can't we do the same here?

One FReeper on another thread suggested declaring Islam a crimminal organization instead of a religion. I thought the idea was brilliant...

We should and use the RICO Act to seize mosques, prosecute Imams for crimminal conspiracy and jail or deport anyone who gets in the way...

[Americanexpat]

"Why can't we do the same here?"

We should be doing it here too. Some, if not most of these Imams are not even US citizens. Pull their Visas and kick them out of the country and that goes for naturalized citizens. Then imprison the rest for sedition.

[Walkingfeather]

Instead, Abu Qatada, who has been called "Osama bin Laden's ambassador in Europe", was held in Belmarsh jail, south-east London, for more than three years until the House of Lords said that he and a dozen other suspected foreign terrorists were being detained unlawfully.

Here again we see a man using the very umbrella of protection the country and the law provides to position himself and others to destroy that very country and set of laws. Amazing the blindness of political correctness.

[browardchad]

Why can't we do the same here?

The following is taken from a Muslim website (which in itself makes the figures most likely exaggerated), but it is fact that there have been many deportations from the U.S.since 9/11. What Britain is doing -- no, what they are "considering" doing -- is long overdue, but I doubt much will come of it, considering how hog-tied they are by their legalized worship of tolerance:

-----------------------------------------------------

"Because of government secrecy, the full extent to which people have been affected must be extrapolated from media accounts and from projections based on available government reports. These extrapolations are based on the informed opinions of Muslim community leaders, human rights organizations, peace groups, and lawyers' groups. They are shown below under the column of estimates."

Population Estimates of Virtual Internment Camp

Government Action	Government Admissions	Conservative Estimates
FBI: interviewed/interrogated investigated/questioned/raided	27,000	90,000
detained or arrested	6,483	15,000
Deported	3,208	3,208
in process of deportation	13,434	13,434
undergoing voluntary deportation	n/a	unknown
Fled the country in fear	n/a	50,000
subpoenas/search warrants	18,000	18,000
NSEERS: special registration/interviewed/ fingerprinted/photographed	144,513	144,513
under surveillance through libraries	n/a	unknown
electronic surveillance	n/a	100,000
gone underground	n/a	unknown
Total	212,638	434,155

[The Sons of Liberty]

Better idea: Just turn them over to the soccer hooligans.

[Luigi Vasellini]

Wussy's put some fear into them and execute them as spys and traitors!

[Milligan]

I'm really baffled!

We're going to get murdered by our own political correctness! It's too mean to be critical of another religion because they are spouting hate. Civil Rights groups will protect them even if it kills us in the process.

Tell me...our foreign policies are causing the terrorist attacks? Which one? Saving their butts from the Soviet Union who don't cherish any freedoms? Maybe these nut cases are still angry over the fall of the Ottoman Empire?

What type of foreign policy do they want us to have?

[river rat]

The assholes are deported!
Why not charge, convict and prosecute?

Or --- Shoot.

Semper Fi

[combat_boots]

So, where do they go? France? The Netherlands? Iraq? Here?

Aren't these people just recycled in other countries? Do we really think we can smack them on the hand or shoo them away today and we'll be all right tomorrow?

[combat_boots]

Hooah.