Ajmal Masroor: At least 10 more British Muslims denied entry to the US, says imam

'If America is going to develop zero Muslim tolerance, it’s a very worrying disposition,' says prominent imam

A US Customs and Immigration officer (Reuters)

At least 10 more British Muslims have been denied entry to the US but are too scared to speak out in case they are never allowed into the country, it has been claimed.

Prominent imam Ajmal Masroor had his US visa revoked on December 17 just after checking in for a Virgin Atlantic flight at Heathrow Airport.

And – speaking after an MP said Prime Minister David Cameron should challenge the US over a family prevented from boarding a flight to the country - he said he had been made aware of at least 10 other similar cases.

The 44-year-old said those affected were “very afraid they’ll never be able to visit America again” if they speak publicly about the issue.

“I don’t care - I’m not afraid to speak the truth,” he said.

“This worrying trend of racial profiling and poor immigration policy is out of control, and must be stopped. They have no right to racially profile anyone.”

Writing on Facebook, he described how he was waiting at his boarding gate at Heathrow when a man who identified himself as staff from the US embassy came to inform him he would be unable to travel to the US.


 Ajmal Masroor
 (Ajmal Masroor/Twitter)

Mr Masroor, who has spoken out against Islamist extremism, said no reason was given at the time, and the man was “cold, calculated, unhelpful”.

He said was invited to the US embassy on Tuesday to speak about the matter but was still not given a reason, nor an apology.

US embassy officials expressed their sympathies and said they would investigate the matter, he said.

But he said he believed Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s anti-Muslim statements were poisoning the country’s approach to followers of the religion.

Describing the US Department of State that deals with international relations as “very jittery”, Mr Masroor said: “Trump’s rhetoric is dangerous, and is influencing foreign affairs between the US and other countries.

“If America is going to develop zero Muslim tolerance, it’s a very worrying disposition.

“[Their] immigration policy stinks - it is not doing anything to win the hearts and minds of the people. It is not fair.

“Muslims are not responsible for all the atrocities in the world. I would tell Barack Obama, if he were here, that it’s about being fair.”

It comes after a British Muslim family of 11 were denied travel to Disneyland in Los Angeles without any explanation.

Stella Creasy, Labour MP for Walthamstow, where the family is from, has written a letter to Mr Cameron urging him to press American officials for answers.