Angry listeners have today questioned why BBC bosses chose to give hate preacher Anjem Choudary the prime interview slot on the Today programme after two Muslim converts were found guilty of hacking a British solider to death.
The radical Islamist appeared on the corporation's Radio 4 show where he refused to condemn the horrific murder of Lee Rigby on the streets of London, despite repeated calls from presenter John Humphreys to do so.
Muslim converts Michael Adebolajo, 29, and Michael Adebowale, 22, were yesterday convicted of the young soldier’s brutal murder.
The pair were told they face life behind bars and will be sentenced in the new year.
Radical preacher Anjem Choudary, pictured here at a rally outside Paddington police station with Michael Adebojalo, who was convicted of the brutal murder of British soldier Lee Rigby in Woolwich
Listeners took to Twitter to air their disgust at the BBC's decision to give radical preacher Anjem Choudary air time
Anjem Choudary was allowed to rant on air as he repeatedly blamed British foreign policy for the death of Fusilier Lee Rigby on May 22. He said: 'I believe the cause of this was David Cameron and his foreign policy'
But the 45-year-old former leader of Islam4UK, a banned Islamist group, refused to condemn their actions, instead blaming the barbaric murder on British foreign policy.
As the interview aired at 8.10am, listeners immediately took to Twitter to share their disgust.
Mr Choudary said: 'I think that to talk about condemnation or to talk about how we feel is not the most important question now, and I'm not going to go down that road.
'I think that what is important is to learn lessons from what has taken place.
Whether you agree or disagree with what took place, you cannot predict the actions of one individual among a population of 60 million when the Government is clearly at war in Muslim countries.
'I condemn those who have caused what has taken place on the streets of London, and I believe that the cause of this is David Cameron and his foreign policy.'
Reacting to Mr Choudary's comments the Muslim Council of Britain said the BBC was 'unwise' to give him airtime.
A spokesman said their condemnation of Lee Rigby's murder comes from a 'deeply held belief in Islam and the premium it places on the right to life'.
He told MailOnline: 'The murder of Drummer Lee Rigby was truly a barbaric act. Muslim communities then, as now, were united in their condemnation of this crime.
'This was a dishonourable act and no cause justifies cold-blooded murder.
Fusilier Lee Rigby was 'mutilated, almost decapitated and murdered' by Adebowale and Adebolajo, who ambushed him outside his barracks in Woolwich, South East London on May 22
'Mr Choudary is a self-serving publicity seeker and the BBC was unwise to give him so much airtime, unchallenged.
'He relies on the oxygen of publicity to influence impressionable young people at the margins of society.
'It is unfortunate that Lord Carlile feels the mainstream Muslim community is not doing enough to condemn Mr Choudary's views, but if this morning's Today programme is anything to go by, our community remains voiceless compared to the coverage Mr Choudary enjoys.'
He added: 'Our condemnation of the Woolwich murder and the extremism and terrorism it represents comes from our deeply held belief in Islam and the premium it places on the right to life.'
David Cameron slammed Mr Choudray's views as 'absolutely despicable and appalling', and described him as 'a minority of a minority of a minority' who did not represent the mainstream of British Muslims.
His 'poisonous narrative' should be 'trashed', said the Prime Minister.
Mr Cameron, speaking at the end of an EU summit in Brussels, said: 'This is an absolutely classic case of that poisonous narrative of extremism and violence. We must defeat it by demonstrating what a minority view it is.'
Asked about whether Mr Choudray should have been interviewed on the Today programme, he said that was a matter for the BBC.
'It is actually important that we make sure these views are properly examined and then properly trashed for all to see. He is a minority of a minority of a minority and should be treated as such.'
In the backlash that followed, broadcasting regulator Ofcom confirmed they have received a complaint from a listener who was 'offended by the comments' made on the show.
Taking to Twitter listeners wasted no time in sharing their scathing opinions of the BBC's decision.
Labour MP Diane Abbott wrote: 'I am a big believer in free speech. Opposed the war in Iraq etc But WHY give airtime to Anjem Choudary!'
Dorcas Eatch wrote: 'Think Chaudary (sic) has had enough air time thank you Radio 4.'
Fatima Manji added: 'When did Radio 4 replace Today with the Ankum Chaudry (sic) show?! This has been going on for ages.'
Gary Bills said: '@BBCBreaking pointless airtime on Radio 4, is it about you thinking you can get one over, stupid to grant him favour.'
Dr Aisha K Gill branded the BBC's decision offensive, adding: 'I am disgusted that Radio 4 has given air time to Anjem Choudary #offensive! Inciting hate is wholly unacceptable.'
Also speaking on the show was Lord Carlile, the former Government anti-terror adviser, who urged the Muslim community to publicly speak out against Mr Choudary's views and actions.
Muslim converts Michael Adebowale, left and Michael Adebolajo, right, have been convicted of the murder of soldier Lee Rigby
The preacher, who calls for Sharia law to be introduced in Britain, advertised his slot on the show to his 6,601 followers on Twitter
Listeners described the interview on the Today programme as 'jaw dropping', calling for him to be taken off the air
The Muslim Council for Britain said Mr Choudary's views are not shared by their community, adding the Muslim community are united in their condemnation of the murder of Lee Rigby
He said: 'Mr Choudary is a demagogue, he does not like the United Kingdom, he does not believe in democracy.
'He is an outrageously bad influence on young Muslims and he offends the law abiding Muslim community who are proud to be British.
'We now need to hear much more from the young leaders of the Muslim community about how they condemn his actions.
OFCOM INVESTIGATES THE BBC
In July broadcasting regulator Ofcom had launched an investigation into the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 over their decision to give airtime to Anjem Choudary after soldier Lee Rigby’s murder.
Shocked viewers complained when the radical cleric refused to condemn the killing in Woolwich in interviews with Channel 4 News, BBC2’s Newsnight and ITV’s Daybreak following Fusilier Rigby’s death on May 22.
Conservative peer Baroness Warsi said at the time that hate preachers who are ‘idiots and nutters’ should not be put on air.
She added she was ‘really angry’ that broadcasters were ‘giving a platform to one appalling man who represents nobody’.
After receiving 22 complaints from viewers, Ofcom has launched an official probe.
The watchdog said there were grounds to look at whether the programmes met ‘acceptable standards’.
Choudary appeared on Channel 4 News and Newsnight on May 23. He told Kirsty Wark on the BBC2 show he was ‘shocked’ by the murder but did not ‘abhor’ it.
Home Secretary Theresa May said the Government had to look at ‘whether we’ve got the right processes, the right rules in place in relation to what is being beamed into people’s homes’.
'I think British imams should be more ready than they are to preach the antidote to people like Mr Choudary from their pulpits, which in my view unfortunately they don't.
'I think that there is a great need for the Muslim religious community in the United Kingdom to realise how serious the challenge made by Mr Choudary is, which runs the risk of criminalising a small number, but a very important small number, of Muslims in the UK.
'Very few Muslim leaders agree with him. The public listening should be disgusted Mr Choudary will not condemn the hacking to death with a meat cleaver of an innocent British solider.'
Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick told last night's Panorama that the police regard Mr Choudary as 'a very bad influence on people' and looked forward to the day when he could be successfully prosecuted.
'When he is not committing a crime, but simply speaking in a way that is allowed by the law, clearly that's not a job for the police,' she said.
But asked if the Met would be keeping close watch on him, she said: 'We absolutely are and we have been and we look forward to the day when we can bring him to justice.'
A spokesman for the BBC said the corporation had carefully considered their coverage of Fusilier Rigby's murder and added the views of Mr Choudary were 'robustly' challenged by presenter John Humphreys and Lord Carlile.
He said: 'We have given great consideration to our reporting of the Woolwich murder and the subsequent trial, and carried a wide range of views from across the political and religious spectrums.
'We have a responsibility to both report on the story and try to shed light on why it happened. We believe it is important to reflect the fact that such opinions exist and feel that Choudary’s comments may offer some insight into how this crime came about.
'His views were robustly challenged by both the presenter, John Humphrys and by Lord Carlile, the government’s former anti-terrorism adviser.'
Met Police assistant commander Cressida Dick said she 'looks forward to the day' the force can bring Mr Choudary to justice
During his rant on the show, Mr Choudary, the former leading member of banned extremist organisation Al-Muhajiroun said he was 'very proud' of killer Michael Adebolajo as 'a practising Muslim and a family man', but 'differed' with him about the interpretation of Islam which he used to justify the murder.
Formerly a Christian, Adebolajo converted to Islam and became a member of Al-Muhajiroun, taking on the name Brother Mujahid.
BBC1's Panorama broadcast interviews with acquaintances who said he was heavily influenced by Mr Choudary's preaching.
One former friend told the programme: 'We saw videos of him. He went to his lectures.
He would talk about him with respect, that he admires the person.
'He said he is a very good influence and we should also go to his lectures and follow him.'
Asked about comments by Al-Muhajiroun founder Omar Bakri Mohammed, who said he was 'proud' of Adebolajo, Mr Choudary said: 'He was talking about Brother Mujahid in terms of the fact that he has been invited into Islam, he is a practising Muslim, he is a family man and by all accounts I'm very proud of him as well, but as for the incident we are talking about something where we differ about the Islamic opinion that he adopts.
'I can't control what the youth do.
The sad reality is that people have cut off individuals like Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammed, Sheikh Abu Qatada and myself, they ban organisations who are in fact channeling the energy of the youth through demonstrations and processions.
'These people are now going online, finding al-Qaida, swallowing that narrative and seeing Britain as a battlefield.'
REGULATOR CLEARS BBC OVER GRAPHIC FOOTAGE OF LEE RIGBY'S MURDER
Broadcasters including the BBC and ITV have been cleared of breaking TV regulations by airing graphic footage of soldier Lee Rigby's murder, according to reports.
TV watchdog Ofcom launched an investigation over the decision by the companies to air footage before the watershed from the scene of the murder in south east London.
Michael Adebowale, 22, and Michael Adebolajo, 29, were found guilty at the Old Bailey yesterday of murdering the young soldier near Woolwich Barracks on May 22.
The pair were told they face life behind bars and will be sentenced in the new year.
Ofcom investigated broadcasters including BBC News, 5 News, ITV News, Channel 4 News and Sky News following a number of complaints about footage obtained by a bystander on a mobile phone but it is understood they will be found not to have breached the broadcasting code.
A spokeswoman for the watchdog said: 'Ofcom plans to publish the outcome of its investigations into the broadcast coverage of the murder of Lee Rigby in its regular Broadcast Bulletin early in the new year.'
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