The Home Office measures on banning individuals to the UK require clarification and discussion and the MCB will be seeking information from the government before making further comment.

In this context, the MCB notes the Home Secretary's commitment for "on-going engagement with interested parties in order to strike the appropriate balance and ensure we protect public safety and vital national interests here and abroad. The Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain, Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari said: "We hope that the government engages in positive dialogue with all sections of society, before implementing these plans and when any measures are put in place, they should be applied without fear or favour."

The Muslim Council of Britain has always supported measures that have the real potential to address the scourge of terrorism. The MCB would expect decisions on excluding people from the UK to be based on objective and solid evidence rather than perceptions and rumours from divisive people who have no interest in community cohesion.

ENDS

1. The Muslim Council of Britain is an umbrella body of over 500 mosques and Islamic associations.
2. MCB's stance on terrorism can be found at: http://www.mcb.org.uk/article_detail.php?article=announcement-656