London: Islamic extremists, white supremacists and leaders of a Russian skinhead gang were among people barred from entering Britain on the grounds that they would promote hatred, terrorist violence or serious criminal activity, the government said on Tuesday.
In an unprecedented move, the Home Office published some of the names on Britain's list of "least wanted" people who have been banned from entry since October 2008.
"Naming them enables people to see the sorts of unacceptable behaviour we are not willing to have in this country," Home Secretary Jacqui Smith explained.
They include Yunis al-Astal, a lawmaker of Palestinian group Hamas, Jewish extremist Mike Guzovsky and US talk show host Michael Savage - real name Michael Weiner - whose views on immigration, Islam, rape and autism have caused outrage in the US.
Among those named on Smith's list are Fred Waldron Phelps, the US Baptist pastor who has railed against homosexuality, his daughter, Shirley Phelps-Roper and two leaders of a Russian skinhead gang, Stephen Donald Black and Erich Gliebe.
"Coming to this country is a privilege. We won't allow people into this country who are going to propagate the sort of views ... that fundamentally go against our values," Smith said.
The publication comes after a tightening of immigration rules last October which allows the government to issue a "presumption in favour of exclusion".
The list names 16 out of 22 people banned. Publication of the remainder would not have served the public interest, said Smith.
Comments
0 comment