Clarke bans radical cleric
Radical cleric Omar Bakri Mohammed has had his right to remain in Britain revoked by the Home Office.
The Syrian-born preacher left the country last week after it was revealed that the government was considering prosecuting him among other radicals under the law of treason.
He was arrested in Lebanon yesterday – he has now been released – but was believed to be planning to return to the UK. When he left, he said he would return within a month to six weeks.
However, a statement from the Home Office today says Mr Bakri Mohammed will not be allowed to return to Britain, although this is not thought to affect his family living here.
“The home secretary has issued an order revoking Omar Bakri Mohammed’s indefinite leave to remain to exclude him from the UK on the grounds that his presence is not conducive to the public good,” the statement said.
The news comes the day after home secretary Charles Clarke announced that ten foreign nationals would be deported from Britain in the interests of national security.
Tony Blair said last week that he was strengthening the government’s deportation policy in the wake of the London bombings, saying it was no longer acceptable for people to take advantage of Britain’s tolerance to preach hatred and violence.
Mr Bakri Mohammed implicitly condoned the July 7th attacks in the capital by describing the suicide bombers as “the fantastic four”. He also said he would not tell the police if he knew Muslims were planning terror attacks, citing prohibitions under Islamic law.
The cleric, who holds joint Syrian Lebanese citizenship and has lived in Britain for 20 years, is currently being interrogated by police in Lebanon.
