Muslim council warns against banning groups

Tuesday, 9 August 2005 12:00 AM

Banning extremist Islamic groups will only drive the problem underground, the head of the Muslim Council of Britain has said.

Sir Iqbal Sacranie warned that outlawing extremists groups such as al-Muhajiroun and Hizb ut Tahrir would do little to solve the problem of extremism in Britain.

"In terms of banning groups like al-Muhajiroun, we felt that any organisation that is a known violent organisation - and let me be very clear, I have no truck with these kinds of organisations - we fundamentally disagree with their whole approach of not participating in the political process," Sir Iqbal told Channel Four News.

"The vast majority of Muslim organisations know that we really need to participate in the mainstream. But in banning organisations like this you are simply forcing them underground and at the end of the day they keep coming up in different forms and under different names."

He insisted it was better to be "able to confront them in a very positive way" and expressed concern that the measures, announced by Tony Blair last week, had not been discussed with the Muslim community beforehand.

However, Sir Iqbal welcomed news that Omar Bakri Mohammed, a firebrand cleric, has left the country amid suggestions he could be arrested for condoning the London suicide bombings.

"There can be a bit of a celebration and this is something that can bring some real joy and happiness into the community," he told the same programme.

The government is currently consulting on proposals to tighten its powers to deport those fostering hatred and advocating violence to further their beliefs, or those engaging with extremist bookshops, websites or organisations.

Mr Bakri Mohammed has since insisted he has only gone on holiday to Lebanon, telling Today: "I will come back after six weeks unless the government say, 'you are not welcome'."

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