Hate preachers face new bar from entering Britain

TOUGHER rules that will prevent preachers of hate and other dangerous extremists from entering Britain were announced today by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith.

Under the new system, any foreign citizen whose arrival here is deemed to be undesirable will be barred from entering unless they can demonstrate why it would be safe to allow them into the country.

Those excluded will be placed on an official list of banned individuals which will be published and updated every three months and their details will also be circulated to other countries.

One of the main targets of the crackdown will be militant Muslim extremists, such as the radical preacher Omar Bakri Mohammed who is already banned from returning to Britain under existing rules.

The curbs could also apply to extremists from other religions as well as neo-Nazis, animal rights activists and those with virulently anti-homosexual views whose inflammatory words might incite violence.

Opposition politicians warned that the plans were inadequate because they do not cover those using the internet to spread hate or militants who are already living in the UK.

Ms Smith will insist today, however, that the tougher rules which replace a previous system whose legal rules made it more difficult for the Government to justify a barring order would be a valuable step forward towards curbing the spread of dangerous extremist ideas

One official added: "Coming to the UK is a privilege. We don't want people abusing that by stirring up tensions."

A total of 230 people have been barred since 2005, but their identities have only become known when they have publicly complained about the decision against them.

Mr Mohammed was banned from the UK, where he had previously lived, after moving to Beirut in the wake of the 7/7 terror attacks in London in 2005 and has since failed to gain re-admittance. He sought re-entry during last year's war between Israel and Lebanon claiming it had placed him in danger.