This just pinched with apologies from gay.com 12.7.04

From the Evening Standard 12th July 2004:

"Ken: cleric is welcome back
12 July 2004
Ken Livingstone has created a fresh round of controversy over controversial Muslim cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi by inviting him back to Britain.

Ignoring the growing outrage over Dr al-Qaradawi's presence, Labour's London Mayor hugged him and offered a personal invitation to return for a three-day conference in October, saying it would be an "honour".

And in angry defiance he rounded on opposition leader Michael Howard and the press claiming they have helped stoke up the alarm over the cleric's London talks with Britain's Muslim community

Ignorance and political point-scoring have fuelled the damning "hysteria", Mr Livingstone insisted.

Dr al-Qaradawi has been heavily criticised after describing suicide bombers as "martyrs" and for his views on homosexuals and women.

The pair were sharing a platform at a City Hall conference on an Islamic woman's right to wear the hijab head-dress. More than 250 European Muslim delegates broke into applause at the invitation and its provisional acceptance.

Dr al-Qaradawi said he "welcomed" the invitation to attend the European Social Forum, a collection of thousands of voluntary and faith groups from across Europe, at Alexander Palace.

Speaking through an interpreter he said: "I would like this invitation. I would hope to meet him (Mr Livingstone) again."

Mr Livingstone said: "On behalf of the people of London, I would like to apologise to the Sheikh for the outburst of xenophobia in sections of the media.

"It is not the first time it has happened. Many of us have been victims of this in the past when the press write speeches that were not made from a meeting you never attended."

Mr Livingstone's vehement defence of Dr al-Qaradawi continued with an attack on Mr Howard.

He said: "The leader of the opposition, having been Home Secretary on the occasion when professor al-Qaradawi came to this country five times and did not see it was necessary to ban him then, suddenly has a knee-jerk reaction to ban him now that we have a Labour Government.

"Perhaps the people who told him that the Sheikh is not a threat to peace or tolerance are the same people who have said the same to our Home Secretary?
"The Sheikh is a moderate, held in respect throughout the world. He preaches moderation and tolerance to all faiths throughout the world."

Green MEP Jean Lambert pulled out of the conference - called Hijab, A Woman's Right to Choose - rather than share a platform with him. The day-long event, organised by the Muslim Women Society and the Muslim Association of Britain, launched an international pro-hijab campaign.

Gay rights campaigners stood outside City Hall holding banners declaring "Qaradawi endorses Stoning of Gays" and "Defend Muslims, Fight Muslim Homophobia".

Peter Tatchell, of gay rights group OutRage!, said: "He is not a fit and proper person to be invited here to City Hall as an honoured guest of the mayor.

"It is an insult to every man and woman in London that he has been given a platform.

"Ken Livingstone would not give a platform to the BNP. Why is he giving one to this man?"

Darren Johnson, a Green London Assembly member, joined the protest and said: "As an Assembly member, I am absolutely outraged that City Hall is being used as a platform for someone with such hateful views.

"Most Muslims in London are going to reject these hateful views."

Dr al-Qaradawi has been banned from the US since 1999.

His supporters say he is a well-respected and moderate scholar whose comments have been taken out of context by opponents.

But others, including Jewish groups, have described him as a "thoroughly unwelcome visitor" who should be thrown out of Britain.

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The campaign to get Ken to revoke the invite and or get the Government to ban any
future visits starts NOW I hope......