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January 11, 2006
UK: Muslim Council Leader Under Police Investigation
News from the BBC and from Pink News announces that Sir Iqbal Sacranie, who made controversial anti-gay comments on a BBC Radio 4 program on January 3, 2006, is currently the subject of a police investigation. The Metropolitan Police said that they were studying his remarks, to see if they constituted an offence under the Public Order Act.
Iqbal Sacranie (pictured) is the secretary general of the Muslim Council for Britain or MCB, an organisation which is not noted for its tolerance towards gay people in UK society. Its leaders have made statements which can only be construed as anti-semitic.
We reported extensively on the initial comments, and subsequent reactions, so I will not reiterate more than to say Sacranie claimed homosexuality was "unacceptable", that it spread disease, and was "harmful".
The reasons for the police investigation were given in a statement by Scotland Yard, which said it had "received a report of comments made in a radio interview which the complainant believed were homophobic in nature and asked us to investigate."
The UK Telegraph has a few more details. Peter Rippon, the editor of the BBC radio show PM, which broadcast the comments, was telephoned by an officer at West End Central police station, who said he was investigating a "homophobic incident under section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986."
The Telegraph explains that a person is committing an offense by using "threatening, abusive or insulting words" which can be heard by "a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress" as a result.
For a case to stick, it must also be established that the words were deliberately intended to be threatening, abusive or insulting, or that the person was aware that they may have been threatening, etc. The maximum penalty is a 1,000 pound fine ($1,800 US).
The Telegraph claims that the investigation was sparked by the publication of a letter in their newspaper. This correspondence pointed out that Christians had been investigated by police for possible hate crimes for similar comments, and had been contacted by police who warned them of their behaviour. Neil Addison, the author of the letter, claimed that Sacranie should not be treated any differently.
Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at January 11, 2006 8:27 PM
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