Exiled Islamic cleric Omar Bakri Mohammed is allegedly using a variety of pseudonyms to broadcast support for terrorist attacks, including Dublin airport, via the internet, it was claimed today.
Bakri, who was banned from the UK last August, apparently praised the July 7 bombers and, in a chatroom conversation, appeared to advocate an attack on Dublin airport, according to an investigation by the BBC.
Sheikh Omar Bakri Muhammad
In one recent broadcast, he said the 7/7 suicide bombers were "in paradise", the joint File On 4/ Newsnightinvestigation claimed.
He also reportedly said: "How can you condemn those great men — it's not something so bad, something so good.
"Something so good to be involved in."
The BBC said Bakri's chatroom had been infiltrated by a group called Vigil, including former police and security service personnel, which aims to disrupt extremist activity.
Asked by one of its undercover operatives whether Dublin Airport should be a terrorist target because US troops transit there on the way to Iraq, Bakri allegedly said in response: "Hit the target and hit it very hard, that issue should be understood.
"Your situation there is quite difficult therefore the answer lies in your question."
Fine Gael defence spokesperson, Billy Timmins, said the rports of threats from Islamic terrorists against Dublin Airport are so serious that further investigation from our security forces is now badly needed.
Mr Timmins added that necessary resources have not been made available to the Irish intelligence services to counter security threats and that the Minister for Defence must now appraise the Dáil as to how this latest menace will be investigated.
"It is frankly ridiculous that the Irish public is receiving vital information about threats against the State from media outlets instead of our own Government and intelligence services," he said.
Mr Timmins added that he did not believe the Irish Government has treated threats of Islamic terrorism with the importance they deserve and, "as a result, have not provided the necessary funding to our intelligence services . . . we cannot wait until there is an attack on Irish soil or, more likely, that Ireland is used as a base for an attack on neighbouring countries before action is taken."
Vigil claims in the programme that the UK authorities have been slow to deal with the broadcasts.
When contacted in Lebanon, Bakri said he had not been made aware of the BBC's allegations. He dismissed the programme's claims as "ludicrous" and "a fabrication".
"I do not advocate for any people to carry out any action against anybody," he insisted.
Bakri was barred from Britain last August after the then Home Secretary Charles Clarke ruled his presence was "not conducive to the public good".
Additional reporting PA