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Abu Hamza vows to defy ban

Ian Burrell Home Affairs Correspondent
Wednesday 05 February 2003 01:00 GMT
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A Muslim preacher pledged yesterday to defy a decision by the Charity Commission banning him from a mosque in north London.

Abu Hamza al-Masri was banned from acting as an agent or officer of Finsbury Park mosque after complaints by its trustees. The chief charity commissioner, John Stoker, said Abu Hamza was preventing the mosque from being run as a charity.

The cleric accused Mr Stoker of taking a political decision and said the Charity Commission had ignored the wishes of worshippers. He said: "It's not part of his job to take political sides. This is an important part of my preaching, to join the realities of the time to the verses of the Koran." He said he would defy the ban and hold Friday prayers in the street outside the mosque.

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