DAR AL HARB - U.K.: ALL NON-MOSLEM BRITONS ARE UNCLEAR & DIRTY

Islamic extremist free to spread hate
By Kevin Barnes

An Islamic extremist who gained notoriety by describing all non-Muslim Britons as unclean and dirty is free to preach again in Sutton.

Abdul Lateef was suspended from prayer meetings for four months while Sutton Council investigated claims he incited racial hatred on its property.

This week the authority said it was taking no further action against Mr Lateef, even though he had breached its religious discrimination policy.

The suspension was imposed after the Daily Mail forwarded transcripts of the radical addressing the Muslim Cultural and Welfare Association of Sutton (MCWAS).

In January the newspaper reported how Mr Lateef told a crowd of about 100 that Tony Blair was a murderer and every British soldier should be killed.

He also allegedly said non-Muslims in Britain "never wash their hands and become ill because of their own sexual promiscuity".

Having taken several days to review tapes of his speeches at the sports hall in Robin Hood Lane, Sutton Council said it was satisfied with the initial disciplinary action.

A spokesman said: "A four month period of suspension was considered proportionate to breaching a policy, which helps to treat all people with dignity and respect and which values the diversity of all."

The council attracted some criticism for using guidance from the Standards Board for England and Wales to set the suspension.

The guidance relates to councillors making addresses in similar circumstances.

Paul Scully, leader of the Conservative group, called for a stronger line on religious intolerance and "inflammatory" messages.

He said: "Any repetition of this kind of behaviour, by anyone using council premises should now be dealt with a much longer, if not a permanent ban."

Margaret Williams, a resident who has written to the council seeking clarification on its decision, was more scathing.

"The other day on the news it was reported that a Muslim who called for British soldiers to come home in body bags was found guilty of inciting murder," she said.

"Is there some semantic difference in his and Mr Lateef's outburst?"

Although he is now powerless to stop Mr Lateef attending prayer meetings Lal Hussain, secretary of MCWAS, said the extremist would be denied a platform to speak.

The council has asked Mr Lateef, who claims his comments were taken out of context, to respect its equality and diversity policy now his suspension has been lifted.



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1) Islamic extremist free to spread hate