Mosque plans on hold

Aug 12 2007

LEADERS of a Midland mosque at the centre of a controversial TV documentary about extremist preachers have put plans to sue on hold.

Undercover reporters from Channel 4's Dispatches secretly filmed cleric Abu Usamah At-Thahabi at Green Lane Mosque, in Small Heath, Birmingham.

The footage appeared to show him delivering lectures condemning Christians, Jews, women and non-believers.

The US-born Muslim convert was also taped calling for democracy to be torn down and replaced with an Islamic state, and the murder of homosexuals.

The documentary caused outrage, including eight complaints from MPs, when it was aired in January.

It sparked a six-month investigation by West Midlands Police and the Crown Prosecution Service, who studied 56 hours of footage.

They decided that programme makers 'appeared to have completely distorted' the cleric's speeches - a claim rejected by Channel 4.

The police lodged a complaint with the watchdog Ofcom and mosque leaders announced they were considering taking legal action against Channel 4.

But Green Lane Mosque leaders have decided they will wait for the results of the Ofcom report before proceeding.