alexz
07-19-2005, 04:13 PM
By SUN ONLINE REPORTER
A CONTROVERSIAL Muslim cleric who was invited to speak at a conference in Britain is not coming, Mayor of London Ken Livingstone said today.
Egyptian-born scholar Yusuf al-Qaradawi, 79, who has praised suicide bombings by Palestinians, was expected to speak at the Muslim Unity Convention in Manchester next month.
But Mr Livingstone, who has welcomed al-Qaradawi on previous trips to London, said today that the cleric was not even aware he had been invited.
The mayor’s office telephoned al-Qaradawi’s office with an Arabic speaker and were told that he is not coming to Britain.
Mr Livingstone said: “Not only is he not coming (to Britain), he was not aware that he was invited."
Although al-Qaradawi distanced himself from suicide attacks in the West, he defended suicide attacks against Israelis and is banned from entering the US. He has also been jailed in Egypt.
Speaking on the BBC programme Newsnight about suicide bombings last year, he said: "It’s not suicide, it is martyrdom in the name of God."
He added that it did not matter if women and children were the victims of such attacks.
"Israeli women are not like women in our society because Israeli women are militarised,” he said.
"I consider this type of martyrdom operation as indication of justice of
Allah almighty.
"Allah is just. Through his infinite wisdom he has given the weak what the strong do not possess and that is the ability to turn their bodies into bombs like the Palestinians do."
But al-Qaradawi was one of the first to condemn the September 11 attacks on the US, and according to Mr Livingstone he has condemned the London bombings.
Mr Livingstone said: "He remains, in the eyes of all leading academics on Islam, a leading progressive Muslim."
The mayor’s comments came as the storm over al-Qaradawi’s proposed visit to the UK continued to rage.
Al-Qaradawi, who has lived in Qatar since 1963, was invited to speak at Bridgewater Hall in Manchester on August 7 by the Ramadhan Foundation.
Ramadhan Foundation spokesman Mohammed Shafiq said: "He has been invited but his visit has not been confirmed. We hope he will be able to come and speak."
Mr Shafiq added: "He is a moderate. He is a respected figure in the Muslim community and that is why he has been invited, to help promote cultural and religious diversity."
Al-Qaradawi’s trip to London last year sparked protests from Jewish groups and gay people, whom he has also criticised.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2005330313,00.html
A CONTROVERSIAL Muslim cleric who was invited to speak at a conference in Britain is not coming, Mayor of London Ken Livingstone said today.
Egyptian-born scholar Yusuf al-Qaradawi, 79, who has praised suicide bombings by Palestinians, was expected to speak at the Muslim Unity Convention in Manchester next month.
But Mr Livingstone, who has welcomed al-Qaradawi on previous trips to London, said today that the cleric was not even aware he had been invited.
The mayor’s office telephoned al-Qaradawi’s office with an Arabic speaker and were told that he is not coming to Britain.
Mr Livingstone said: “Not only is he not coming (to Britain), he was not aware that he was invited."
Although al-Qaradawi distanced himself from suicide attacks in the West, he defended suicide attacks against Israelis and is banned from entering the US. He has also been jailed in Egypt.
Speaking on the BBC programme Newsnight about suicide bombings last year, he said: "It’s not suicide, it is martyrdom in the name of God."
He added that it did not matter if women and children were the victims of such attacks.
"Israeli women are not like women in our society because Israeli women are militarised,” he said.
"I consider this type of martyrdom operation as indication of justice of
Allah almighty.
"Allah is just. Through his infinite wisdom he has given the weak what the strong do not possess and that is the ability to turn their bodies into bombs like the Palestinians do."
But al-Qaradawi was one of the first to condemn the September 11 attacks on the US, and according to Mr Livingstone he has condemned the London bombings.
Mr Livingstone said: "He remains, in the eyes of all leading academics on Islam, a leading progressive Muslim."
The mayor’s comments came as the storm over al-Qaradawi’s proposed visit to the UK continued to rage.
Al-Qaradawi, who has lived in Qatar since 1963, was invited to speak at Bridgewater Hall in Manchester on August 7 by the Ramadhan Foundation.
Ramadhan Foundation spokesman Mohammed Shafiq said: "He has been invited but his visit has not been confirmed. We hope he will be able to come and speak."
Mr Shafiq added: "He is a moderate. He is a respected figure in the Muslim community and that is why he has been invited, to help promote cultural and religious diversity."
Al-Qaradawi’s trip to London last year sparked protests from Jewish groups and gay people, whom he has also criticised.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2005330313,00.html