(KUNA) -- British Home Secretary Theresa May said Sunday she was "actively" considering whether to ban a controversial US pastor from entering Britain to share his views on Islam with far-right activists.Terry Jones sparked condemnation around the world when he threatened to burn the Koran on the anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks.
He intends to preach "against the evils and destructiveness of Islam" at an English Defence League (EDL) rally in Luton, Bedfordshire, on February 5.
May told Sky News' Sunday Live: "Of course the home secretary has the right to exclude people who are not conducive to public good or on national security grounds.
"Pastor Terry Jones has been on my radar for a few months now.
"It wasn't clear that he was definitely coming to the UK but if it is now clear that he's definitely coming to the UK, then of course this is a case that I will be actively looking at." A statement on the pastor's website said: "During the protest, Dr Terry Jones will speak against the evils and destructiveness of Islam in support of the continued fight against the Islamification of England and Europe." Anti-extremist group "Hope not Hate" condemned the move and launched a petition calling for Jones to be banned from the UK.
Its director Nick Lowles said: "Pastor Jones should not be allowed to set foot in the United Kingdom. Only snuffies will benefit from his visit and, as we know, extremism breeds hatred and hatred breeds violence.
"It is yet another example of how the EDL exists only to sow the seeds of intimidation and division." Weyman Bennett, joint national secretary of Unite Against Fascism, accused Jones of coming to Britain to "whip up Islamophobia and racism." He said: "We intend on calling a mass demonstration where everyone can oppose the growth of racism and fascism in this country." George Readings, a front man for counter-extremism think tank Quilliam, said the EDL's protests had a "track record of degenerating into violence".
He added: "This suggests that his (Jones') presence in the UK will not be conducive to the public good. The EDL has only invited him here to stir up trouble." Interviewed on Sky News, Jones said he would "respect the laws" of any country he visited.
"I would by no means advocate something, preach something, speak something that will cause that type of riot or disturbance," he added.
There are around 1.6 million Mohammedans in the UK, the majority from India and Pakistain.
... out of a population of 61,838,154, or about 2.5 percent, which seems like disproportionate damage...