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British Muslim Leader Denied U.S. Entry

Thursday July 14, 2005 7:46 PM


AP Photo LSD120

By ROBERT BARR

Associated Press Writer

LONDON (AP) - One of Britain's most senior Muslim leaders said Thursday that he was denied entry to the United States without explanation, nearly a week after the deadly subway and bus attacks in London.

Dr. Zaki Badawi, head of the Muslim College, had been invited to speak at the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, N.Y., where he planned to give a talk under the title ``The Law and Religion in Society.''

But Badawi told The Associated Press that he was detained for about six hours upon arrival Wednesday in New York and questioned.

``America is a lovely country. There is no reason why it should behave like that,'' Badawi said in a telephone interview.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement offices in Washington and New York City did not return calls seeking comment. The U.S. Embassy in London also did not respond to a request to discuss the case.

On Sunday, Badawi joined other British religious leaders in condemning the July 7 bombings that killed at least 53 people in London. He appeared with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, Free Churches Moderator David Coffey and Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks.

Azim Nanji, director of the Institute of Ismaili Studies in London and a participant in the Chatauqua conference, said he was ``deeply saddened'' by the exclusion of a ``moderate voice.''

``I felt it was very important that Americans should hear, particularly at this time, a voice from a leading British Muslim who is well respected by the British government, somebody they turn to for advice,'' Nanji said.

Badawi said authorities didn't give him a reason for denying him entry to the United States.

``The people I was speaking to were very junior people, and they are just executing things they were told,'' he said. ``They were very, very embarrassed, and I felt sorry for them.''

Badawi said he had visited the United States many times before, the last time in 2003. He also was given an honorary knighthood in Britain and in 2003 he was among the guests of Queen Elizabeth II at a state banquet for President Bush.

British police believe they have identified all four suicide bombers who carried out the attacks but were still trying to determine who organized the operation. Two militant Islamic groups purportedly have claimed responsibility.

Dr. Eboo Papel, founder and executive director of the Chicago-based Interfaith Youth Core, had come to the conference to hear Badawi. He said one of the major challenges for the U.S. is to create a multifaith society where people understand each other's religion.

``Inviting the Dr. Badawis of the world into that conversation is crucial,'' he said. ``It's clear that a large segment of the Muslim community wants to be in a positive relationship with Western societies.''

Tom Becker, president of the Chautauqua Institution, south of Buffalo in western New York state, said he didn't know why Badawi was barred. ``Whatever it was some kind of misinterpretation of something,'' he said.

In September, Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens, was ejected from the United States without explanation. Islam's flight from London was forced to make an emergency landing in Maine when U.S. authorities discovered he was aboard.