London Islamist shuts down website
Saudi exile’s Internet page featured videotape of suicide bombings in Israel, Iraq
A Saudi exile under threat of expulsion from Britain for running a militant Islamic website said on Saturday that he had shut his Internet page down, claiming he acted on his own and that British authorities had not contacted him.
Mohammed al-Massari, the Saudi dissident whose website featured videotape of suicide bombings in Israel and Iraq and anti-Western and pro-al-Qaida propaganda, posted an Internet “obituary” announcing his site had been a victim of the “Murder of ‘freedom of opinion and expression’ by the oppressive regime lead by Tony Blair, the liar and well known war criminal.”
Al-Massari, 58, who took refuge in London more than 10 years ago, said his website had been “open to anyone who wanted to post a message,” suggesting in a telephone interview with The Associated Press from London that he did not necessarily endorse everything that appeared there.
'No contact from authorities'
The Islamic activist said he had temporarily shut the website while awaiting clarification on his status in Britain. Otherwise, he claimed to have had no contact from the authorities, just “media reports and noise” about his activities.
"Unfortunately, we had to suspend big parts of our electronic site until this inquisition blows over or until I move to a country that allows an acceptable degree of free speech,” al-Massari said in his Internet statement dated Thursday.
On Wednesday, the British government said it was prepared to act within days against “a number of names” to either deport or bar them from the country under new anti-terrorism measures aimed at extremists.
Foreigners who “seek to create fear, distrust and division” will no longer be welcome here, Home Secretary Charles Clarke said after publishing a list of criteria he will use to decide on whom is banned or deported as a result of last month’s transit bombings in London.
The measures were expected to be directed primarily against radical Islamic clerics and extremists who come to Britain and preach hatred.
