Treason threat cleric leaves UK

BBC News reported A controversial Islamic cleric has left the UK for the Middle East, his spokesman has said, amid speculation he would be investigated for treason. Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammed - former head of radical group Al Muhajiroun - left on Saturday for Lebanon, his colleague Anjem Choudary told the BBC. Tony Blair had warned Mr Mohammed's organisation faced a potential ban under new anti-terrorism measures. Mr Choudary said the cleric believed "Britain had declared war on Muslims".

Actually Britain is still very tolerant of Muslims that don't want to kill other people.

The news came as it was revealed police and lawyers were to consider whether some outspoken Islamist radicals could face treason charges. The Crown Prosecution Service's head of anti-terrorism will meet Scotland Yard officers in the next few days.

Abu Izzadeen and Abu Uzair, along with Omar Bakri Mohammed, are expected to come under scrutiny. The crime of betraying one's country has long been regarded as one of the most serious of offences. The death penalty for the offence was abolished only in 1998 and it now carries a penalty of life imprisonment. Last week Mr Blair said Mr Mohammed's Al Muhajiroun or its successor organisations would be banned. The cleric last year announced he was disbanding the organisation - although its former members have been linked to two new radical bodies. Mainstream Muslim organisations have denounced the cleric's views, saying that he does not represent the true voice of Islam. Speaking to the BBC News Website, Mr Choudary - the former right hand man of Bakri Mohammed - said the cleric no longer believed Britain was a safe country for Muslims. "He flew out on Saturday and used a Lebanese passport that he recently got from the embassy." he said. "What he has done is made the 'hirja' to another place because he has felt that he has been unable to practice his religion. "He believes that war has been declared against Muslims in the country. He has decided to go elsewhere." The Arabic word 'hirja' commonly means to seek religious sanctuary and refers to an event in the early years of Islam's history.

I hope that all violent Islamofascists will decide to take the same hijra

Mr Choudary said that Bakri Mohammed's final destination was at present unclear. He had no intention of going to his home country of Syria but may end up in one of the Emirate countries, he said.