Muslim peer: Silence 'loudmouths'

A leadingMuslim peer today put pressure on the Government to end the "free rein" given to socalled preachers of hate.

Lord Ahmed's high-profile intervention comes amid a growing backlash among Muslims against terrorism and fundamentalism in their own community.

The country's first Muslim peer was asking questions in the House of Lords about why police are not dealing with radical preachers including Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammad and Abu Hamza.

It comes after the Muslim Council wrote to every mosque in Britain urging community leaders to speak out against fundamentalism and to tell worshippers at Friday prayers they had a duty to inform the police if they knew anything suspicious.

Lord Ahmed said groups such as al-Muhajiroun, led by Omar Bakri, were damaging the Muslim community's reputation.

"The question we should be asking is who is al-Muhajiroun, who are people like Abu Qatada [now detained without trial] and Abu Hamza, and why are they being allowed to say what they want?" said Lord Ahmed. "The answer is they are nothing but loudmouths, who are damaging the image of Muslims in this country and who are not welcome here."

Omar Bakri has admitted knowing at least four bomb plot suspects now being questioned, but claimed they split from his group because it was not radical enough.

Muslim Council secretary-general Iqbal Sacranie said there had been a "change of emphasis" in the wake of the Madrid attacks.

"We have to face the fact that there are these hotheads ... praying outside mosques, giving inflammatory statements."