Thursday, June 30, 2011

Britain to deport Israeli Islamic leader Sheikh Raed Salah

NAZARETH // Efforts were under way by the British government yesterday to deport the leader of Israel's largest Islamic group after he was arrested on charges of entering the country illegally.


Sheikh Raed Salah, head of the Islamic Movement and a vocal critic of Israeli policies, was detained at his London hotel on Tuesday.

His arrest came as he was preparing to address a meeting yesterday in the British parliament attended by several MPs.

Sheikh Salah arrived in Britain on Saturday, clearing border checks, despite a reported exclusion order issued by the British home secretary, Theresa May, last week.

Yesterday, Mrs May said steps were being taken to remove Sheikh Salah from Britain. "A full investigation is now taking place into how he was able to enter," she said.

The Home Office said his presence was "not conducive to the public good".The government's hard line against Sheikh Salah follows a campaign by pro-Israel groups in Britain, backed by right-wing newspapers, alleging he had a history of making anti-Semitic statements. Full Article >>>

Location: Cayman Islands