LONDON, Jan. 10 (UPI) -- Muslims in Britain must either leave the country or take up jihad, a key Islamic figure has urged.
Sheikh Omar Bakir Muhammed, leader of militant group Al-Muhajiroun, told UPI the actions of the British government against Muslims -- anti-terror legislation and indefinite detention of terror suspects -- has broken the covenant of security under which Muslims in Britain previously lived. Muslims are therefore now at war with the government, he said.
Al-Muhajiroun, which states as an aim the establishment of an Islamic state in Britain, was officially disbanded in October 2004. Sheikh Omar told UPI the Muslim community would now unite in support of al-Qaida and Osama bin Laden.
However at a meeting of some 600 Muslim men, women and children in London Saturday, ostensibly organized by Women's Dawah U.K., the influence of Al-Muhajiroun was clear.
All of the speakers, headed by Sheikh Omar, were known members of the group, and a moderate Muslim source told UPI the group was behind the meeting.
The attendees shouted "Allahu Akhbar (God is great)" while watching videos of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and U.S. soldiers dying in Iraq, and unanimously pledging allegiance to bin Laden.
