Ban to stop Islamist hate group can only go so far

12 April 2012

Today's ban on Islam4UK and its offshoots is certain to be widely welcomed but its impact is likely to be limited.

The reality is that Anjem Choudary, a lawyer proficient at staying in the bounds of legality, will continue to propagate his extremist message and, if anything, attract even greater attention because of the increased notoriety.

The previous ban on The Saved Sect and Al Ghurabaa was unable to prevent him and his followers reorganising under a different guise, and the same will almost certainly happen this time.

There is also the wider question of whether such an order is proper in a democracy. If extremists' views, however abhorrent, do not breach laws such as those against incitement to murder and racial hatred, instead of seeking to stifle them it might be better to ignore them — rather than generating yet more publicity.

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