Islamic fanatics due at 'evil rally'

A rally being held in London by extremist Muslim clerics to celebrate the first anniversary of the 11 September terror attacks has been branded "revolting, disgraceful and evil" - but police admit they are powerless to stop it.

About 1,000 Islamic fanatics are expected to attend the conference at Finsbury Park Mosque on Wednesday which is being staged at the same time as a memorial service at St Paul's Cathedral for those killed in the atrocities.

The day-long meeting will argue that the attacks were justified because Muslims must defend themselves against armed aggression. It will also launch the Islamic Council of Britain (ICB), which will aim to implement sharia law in Britain. Advertising posters showing planes crashing into the World Trade Center have been put up in Stepney, Blackburn and Birmingham.

Lord Janner, a barrister and former president of the Board of Deputies for British Jews, said:

"This meeting is revolting, disgraceful and evil but entirely to be expected from these people. In our decent country, we cannot ban it which seems to me to be an entirely ludicrous situation."

Roz Smith, who runs a memorial fund for Sussex-born Robert Eaton, 37, a Cantor Fitzgerald broker who died in the attacks, said: "Most people will find this abhorrent."

The conference will be co-chaired by Abu Hamza, a cleric at Finsbury Park mosque, who is wanted by the FBI in connection with attempting to set up a terrorist training camp in America. Abdullah el-Faisal, a sheikh awaiting trial for soliciting to commit murder, is also billed as a speaker, his first public appearance since he was granted bail three weeks ago. El-Faisal, who works at Edmonton mosque, allegedly preached that Muslims should kill Americans, Jews and non-Muslims.

Omar Bakri Mohammed, the leader of the Al-Muhajiroun group, whose members support suicide bombings against Israel, will address the meeting. He claimed the rally was a serious look at the aftermath, saying: "The people at the conference look at 11 September like a battle, as a great achievement by the Mujahideen."

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "Although you or I might find it distasteful, they are not doing anything illegal."