MP urges Scotland Yard to probe McDonnell row website

A complaint was sent to police today asking them to investigate whether a website shadow chancellor John McDonnell linked to had broken laws banning the glorification of terrorism.

The letter focuses on Innovative Minds, a website that in the past published articles paying “tribute” to suicide bombers.

Evening Standard has revealed how Mr McDonnell redirected readers of his website to Innovative Minds in a 2014 post, but removed the link when contacted about the historic content, which he said he was unaware of.

In a letter to Met Chief Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, Bromley and Chislehurst MP Bob Neill wrote: “Innovative Minds explicitly glorifies terrorism, celebrates violence and incites anti-Semitism. I therefore believe there is a clear case to investigate this website and I urge you to do so.”

A 2001 piece on Innovative Minds about Saeed Hotari, who blew himself up outside a Tel Aviv disco, killing 19 Israelis, quotes his father saying: “When martyrs blow themselves up, then the Jews and Americans listen to us.”

A Innovative Minds spokesman said the articles had been taken out of context and added: “Innovative Minds is an anti-racist organisation that abhors all form of prejudice.”

A spokesman for McDonnell said he had a “zero tolerance approach to anti-Semitism”.