Britain publishes list of people banned from entry
Last Updated: Tuesday, May 5, 2009 | 12:07 PM ET
CBC News
Britain on Tuesday published a list to "name and shame" those barred from entering the country for allegedly fostering extremism or hatred.
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said she decided to publish the list to show what type of behaviour the government will not tolerate.
The list includes the names of 16 of 22 people barred from entry into the U.K. between October 2008-March 2009. The other six names were not made public "for public interest reasons," she said.
"Coming to the U.K. is a privilege and I refuse to extend that privilege to individuals who abuse our standards and values to undermine our way of life," she said on the website of the Home Office.
"I will not hesitate to name and shame those who foster extremist views as I want them to know that they are not welcome here."
Names on the list include:
- Michael Savage (also known as Michael Weiner) – U.S. talk radio host from San Francisco who has called the Qur’an a "book of hate."
- Stephen 'Don' Black – founder of a Florida-based white supremacist website.
- Fred Phelps – anti-gay preacher at Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan., church.
- Shirley Phelps-Roper – daughter of Fred Phelps. The pair have picketed the funerals of AIDS victims and said the deaths of U.S. soldiers in Iraq is punishment for tolerance of homosexuality.
- Yunis Al-Astal – Hamas lawmaker in Gaza.
- Safwat Hijazi – Egyptian cleric and television preacher.
- Artur Ryno & Pavel Skachevsky – Russian gang leaders.
- Mike Guzovsky – An Israeli settler allegedly involved with military training camps.
Under its new policy, which comes into effect on June 1, the government says it will ban any foreigners who have expressed views that justify or glorify terrorism, encourage others to participate in terrorism, foster hatred which could lead to violence, or engage in serious criminal activity.
The views can be expressed through written material; preaching in public; running a website; or a position of responsibility, such as a teacher or youth leader, said the government.
With files from The Associated Press
