Islamic group defends UK march plan
Head of organization planning to march through town renowned for honoring British troops killed in Afghanistan writes open letter to families of dead soldiers
Anjem Choudary said his organization Islam4UK intended to hold a procession in the Wiltshire town of Wootton Bassett to highlight the deaths of "innocent Muslim men, women and children" who had been killed in the conflict.
But Prime Minister Gordon Brown warned that anything that offended the families of dead soldiers would be unacceptable.
Wootton Bassett has become famous for holding public processions in memory of many of the 246 British soldiers who have been killed in Afghanistan since the invasion to oust the Taliban in 2001.
Procession in memory of killed British soldier, last week (Photo: AP)
In his letter, Choudary, who calls himself the UK head of al-Muhajiroun, said he wanted to explain to family and friends of dead soldiers that the proposed march was not "merely an act of incitement or provocation."
"The procession in Wootton Basset (sic) is therefore an attempt to engage the British public's minds on the real reasons why their soldiers are returning home in body bags and the real cost of the war," the letter says.
"The parades, the speeches about soldiers doing their duty and the feeling of patriotism has obfuscated the reality of the conflict and the murderous crimes being committed by the occupiers and their agents."
Brown: Protest 'completely inappropriate'
The group's website gave no indication of when the march would take place. A protest by Choudary's supporters in Luton last March against soldiers returning from Iraq led to widespread condemnation.
A Facebook page set up to condemn the planned procession has already attracted almost 180,000 supporters and former mayor of Wootton Bassett Chris Wannell said Islam 4Uk should reconsider.
"I know we still have freedom of speech and freedom of movement but I think that Mr Choudary has made a bad choice and I would hope he would examine himself and say, 'no I'm doing the wrong thing here', and go somewhere else," he told the BBC.
"I think if Mr Choudary has any decency about him he will not march in Wootton Bassett."
Downing Street warned that the protest could be unacceptable.
"Anything which is considered to be offensive to or of concern to families of troops either wounded or killed in Afghanistan would be completely inappropriate," Brown's spokesman told reporters.
