All we can say is ‘what took ya so long?’

From the Telegraph (UK):

Extremists banned from Britain named by Home Office

By Richard Edwards, Crime Correspondent

A total of 101 individuals - including dozens of radical Muslim clerics, such as Omar Bakri - have been excluded in the past four years, using new powers introduced after the July 7 bombings in 2005.

Two thirds of them have been banned for “fomenting, justifying or glorifying terrorist violence” and provoking others to carry out terrorist atrocities.

The 16 named today, who have been excluded in the past six months, include six militant Muslims, four men who front Neo-Nazi groups, a Sri-Lankan Tamil Tiger leader, a former member of the Palestine Liberation Front and a right-wing American radio chat show host. Six others banned since October are not named because it is not considered “in the public interest”.

After years of criticism, the tougher exclusions policy is an attempt to take “stronger action against those we suspect of stirring up tensions”, the Home Office said. More than five “promoters of hate” are being excluded a month.

However while the strict measures ban extremists from entering Britain, questions are being asked about the continued “threat from within”.

Jacqui Smith has faced repeated calls to ban the Hizb ut-Tahrir group, and the successor organisation of al-Muhajiroun, both of which Tony Blair promised to proscribe in 2005.

They insist they are non-violent, however the organisations, which have thrived on university campuses, are accused of providing a gateway to more extremist groups - a claim they deny.

Two months ago The Daily Telegraph disclosed that the Home Office had also failed to shut down a single terrorist website, despite a similar pledge by the former Prime Minister four years ago.

The individuals concerned include animal rights extremists, right to life extremists, homophobe extremists, far right extremists, as well as advocates of hatred and violence in support of their religious beliefs.

Those banned on grounds of their “unacceptable behaviour” include preachers Abdullah Qadri Al Ahdal, Wadgy Mohamed Ghoneim and Yunis Al Astal. All of them are considered to “foment, justify or glorify terrorist violence”.

Also excluded is Michael Savage, a right-wing American talk radio host with eight million listeners a week, who describes his own style as “explosive” and liberalism as a “mental disorder”.

He once asked whether President Barack “Madrasah” Obama was a “so-called friendly Muslim” or one more “radical”.

The Home Office said that Mr Savage was “considered to be engaging in unacceptable behaviour by seeking to provoke others to serious criminal acts and fostering hatred which might lead to inter-community violence”.

Miss Smith, Home Secretary, said: “Coming to the UK is a privilege and I refuse to extend that privilege to individuals who abuse our standards and values to undermine our way of life. Therefore, 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.

“The Government opposes extremism in all its forms and I am determined to stop those who want to spread extremism, hatred and violent messages in our communities from coming to our country. This is the driving force behind tighter rules on exclusions for unacceptable behaviour”.

Also from the Telegraph (UK):

16 extremists banned from Britain

By Richard Edwards, Crime Correspondent

Abdullah Qadri Al Ahdal - Muslim extremist preacher

Yunis Al Astal - Muslim cleric and Hamas member of the Palestinian parliament

Stephen Black - founder of neo-Nazi website Stormfront

Wadgy Mohamed Ghoneim - Muslim preacher

Eric Gliebe - American neo-Nazi web-radio broadcaster

Mike Guzovsky - leader of fundamentalist Kahane faction in Israel

Safwat Hijazi - Muslim extremist preacher who broadcasts on Egyptian television.

Nasr Javed - trainer of Tamil Tiger suicide bombers

Abdul Ali Musa - American Muslim activist

Fred Waldron Phelps Snr and Shirley Phelps-Roper - leaders of far-right Westboro Baptist Church in America.

Samir Al Quntar - Lebanese militant and a former member of the Palestine Liberation Front

Artur Ryno and Pavel Skachevsky - Russian student members of far-right gang

Amir Siddique - Muslim extremist preacher

Michael Savage - right-wing radio host in America.