Jewish Leaders Demand Police Action Against Islamic Cleric

July 9, 2004

Source: BBC News

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3879127.stm

On July 9, 2004 the BBC News reported, "Jewish community leaders are pressuring the police to act against controversial Islamic cleric Yusuf Al-Qaradawi. The Board of Deputies of British Jews has met senior Scotland Yard officers to present a 'dossier' of alleged comments by the sheikh. They say the Egyptian-born cleric is a threat to race relations because he has defended Palestinian suicide bombings in Israel. But his supporters say his views are being totally distorted. On Friday, it emerged that Henry Grunwald QC, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, had met senior officers at Scotland Yard to present a 'dossier' of comments allegedly made by the Sheikh. Jerry Lewis, deputy president of the board, said the community was concerned the cleric's comments could incite Islamist extremists to acts of violence. He said Jews were particularly concerned because two British men had last year become the first non-Palestinian suicide bombers...Sheikh Al-Qaradawi, a respected thinker in the Middle East, is in London for a series of conferences, including an event looking at how to improve the integration of Muslims in Europe."