Hate preacher who defended jihad as part of Islamic teaching is allowed into Britain

• Islamic preacher Sheikh Ebrahim Bham is to speak at Palestine Expo in London 
• Online videos allegedly show him saying women should stay in the home 
• Communities Minister Sajid Javid previously considering cancelling the event amid concerns organisers have expressed support for Hamas group

The Government faced a furious backlash after a controversial Islamic scholar was allowed into Britain.

South African Ebrahim Bham was preparing to speak this weekend at a huge pro-Palestine event in the shadow of the Houses of Parliament.

The firebrand preacher is accused of anti-Semitism as well as describing sexual equality as 'absurd' and defending jihad as 'part and parcel' of Islamic teaching. 

Sheikh Ebrahim Bham (pictured), an Islamic preacher from South Africa, is billed as a 'special guest' speaking at this weekend's Palestine Expo in central London

Despite this, Bham was able to travel to Britain where he prayed at Finsbury Park Mosque and was given top billing at Palestine Expo.

The event has been cleared to go ahead despite concerns over links between organisers and banned terror group Hamas.

Billed as the 'biggest social, cultural and entertainment event on Palestine to ever take place in Europe', it is supported by leading trade unions.  

But one of its 'star' performers, due to speak on two days, is accused of expressing 'virulently anti-Semitic views'.

Gideon Falter, of the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism, said he wrote to the Government last week urging them to block Bham from entering the country. 

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Just two weeks ago the Department for Communities and Local Government wrote to the organisers saying secretary of state Sajid Javid was considering cancelling the event

He said: 'We find it incomprehensible that despite the intelligence we have provided, the Government is permitting extremism to flourish.'

Campaigners passed a dossier of evidence to officials outlining Bham's abhorrent views on religion, equality and jihad. 

It includes one online lecture in which he said the 'modern notions of equal rights for women are actually manifestly absurd', before claiming that the 'jihad of the woman is to look after the home'.

Justifying jihad, Bham adds in a further lecture: 'Now, jihad is a tower in the castle of Islam. We can never, ever deny the aspect of jihad.

'Jihad is something that is part and parcel of Islamic teachings. Islam makes no hypocritical apology that there is sometimes a need to go for war.'

The conference follows the controversial Muslim Al-Quds march through central London last month. Participants attacked the activities of the Israeli state. 

Bham has been witnessed describing sexual equality as 'absurd' and defending jihad as 'part and parcel' of Islamic teaching 

One speaker claimed Zionists were to blame for the Grenfell Tower disaster and police investigated claims flags of banned terror group Hezbollah were flown.

Last month Communities Secretary Sajid Javid wrote to Friends of Al-Aqsa, who organise the event, to outline concerns about its support for Hamas.

Mr Falter added: 'He will openly address a ticketed audience in the Government's very own convention centre opposite Parliament.

'Rather than merely stepping up the rhetoric against extremism, we need to see concrete action.

'If Britain is to protect its Jewish citizens and indeed all of society, then its Government cannot continue to be outwitted by extremists and terrorist sympathisers.'

Jennifer Gerber, Labour Friends of Israel director, hit out at the three trade unions supporting Palestine Expo.

She said: 'The values of peace, anti-racism and equality which Unite, the NUT, Public and Commercial Services Union and NUS claim to defend seem sadly absent from Mr Bham's speeches.'

• An earlier version of this article stated that Sheikh Ebrahim Bham 'compared Jews to fleas'. This information, provided by the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism, was based on a lecture given by Bham in which he paraphrased words originally published by Joseph Goebbels. We have since been made aware that this speech cited Goebbels as part of a broader argument intended to compare the treatment of modern-day Palestinians by Israel with that of the Jewish people by the Nazis. This reference has been removed from the article.