fred waldron phelps

fred waldron phelps

The names of some of the people barred from entering the UK for fostering extremism or hatred have been published for the first time.

Islamic extremists, white supremacists and an American radio host are among 16 people excluded in the five months to March. Six others have not been named.

Since 2005, the UK has been able to ban people who promote hatred, terrorist violence or serious criminal activity.Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said "the public interest was against naming" the remaining six, for example, on the grounds it could reveal the type of information being held about them.

The Muslim Council of Britain says the UK government should not act against people - whatever their views - unless they have broken the law.However, Ms Smith said granting free speech did not provide a licence to preach hatred and that those banned had "clearly overstepped the mark" with the attitudes they had expressed.

"[Naming them] enables people to see the sorts of unacceptable behaviour we are not willing to have in this country. "We won't allow people into this country who are going to propagate the sort of views ... that fundamentally go against our values."

On the list of those banned between October and March are Hamas MP Yunis Al-Astal and Jewish extremist Mike Guzovsky. Also excluded are two leaders of a violent Russian skinhead gang, ex-Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard Stephen 'Don' Black and neo-Nazi Erich Gliebe.

Fred Waldron Phelps Snr, a 79-year-old American Baptist pastor, and his daughter Shirley Phelps-Roper are barred for their anti-gay comments. Both have picketed the funerals of Aids victims and celebrated the deaths of US soldiers as "punishment" for US tolerance of homosexuality.

Talk show host Michael Savage - real name Michael Weiner - is also excluded. His views on immigration, Islam, rape and autism have caused great offence in the US. Inayat Bunglawala, of the Muslim Council of Britain, told BBC Radio 5 Live that people should be free to enter the country, regardless of their views.

"If they step over the line and break the law, it's at that moment the law should be enacted, not beforehand.

"If people are keeping their odious views to themselves, that's their business. We should not be in the business of policing people's minds."

He added that internet broadcasts meant that speeches could be screened from abroad into UK meetings anyway.