Britain’s welcome for devil: Fury as anti-Jewish cleric arrives
By Trevor Kavanagh, Political Editor
The Sun, 7 July 2004
A RANTING Islamic rabble-rouser who supports suicide bombings by children and brutal punishment of gays was being welcomed to Britain last night.
Hardline Yusuf al-Qaradawi, banned from the US on suspicion of terror links, is to be allowed to preach evil views on issues such as “treacherous” Middle East peace moves.
In a recent tirade the cleric stormed: “Israelis might have nuclear bombs but we have the children bomb and these human bombs must continue until liberation.”
Al-Qaradawi is a leader of the extremist Muslim Brotherhood and the al-Taqwa Bank. The latter is suspected of being part of al-Qaeda’s fund-raising network.
The cleric has ATTACKED global brand names such as McDonald’s, Pizza Hut and KFC as part of a “Jewish conspiracy”.
And he has DENOUNCED Palestinian moves towards Middle East peace as “treason”.
The Egyptian-born sheik, right, who now lives in Qatar, has also supported the EXECUTION of gays.
He says: “While such punishments may seem cruel, they have been suggested to maintain the purity of Islamic society and to keep it clean of perverted elements.”
The sheik has also said husbands can BEAT disobedient wives but must avoid “her face and other sensitive parts”.
And al-Qaradawi seemed to back the beheading of American Nicholas Berg in Iraq – citing mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners by US servicemen as justification.
The cleric will appear at two events hosted by London mayor Ken Livingstone, now back in the Labour Party fold.
One is to promote the wearing of veils by Muslim women.
It was to have been attended by Home Office minister Fiona Mactaggart until a row flared over her participation.
Ms Mactaggart has already shared a platform with hardline Islamic cleric Sheik Abdal-Rahman al-Sudais who has called for Jews to be slaughtered.
Lord Janner, vice president of the World Jewish Congress, said: “I greatly hope that the mayor will not attend this meeting. Al-Qaradawi has openly promoted suicide bombing.”
Shadow Home Secretary David Davis blasted Mr Livingstone for giving the cleric the “oxygen of publicity”.
But the Home Office said: “We don’t jump to the conclusion that because someone’s views are abhorrent they are automatically a security threat.”