An Islamist hate preacher known as the 'Tottenham Ayatollah' has been told his bid to return to the UK will fail after he was banned from Britain nearly 10 years ago.
Omar Bakri Mohammad, who was born in Syria and blamed Britain for the 7/7 London bombings, is believed to be planning an asylum bid to return to the UK on humanitarian grounds.
The radical cleric fled Britain to Lebanon in 2005 as he faced the prospect of a police investigation. He became a hate figure after backing terror attacks in the UK and saying after the 9/11 attacks: "Why [would] I condemn Osama Bin Laden for? I condemn Tony Blair. I condemn George Bush. I would never condemn Osama Bin Laden or any Muslims."
Bakri's family now claim he has been subjected to torture while being held in a Lebanese prison, where it was reported he could face a death sentence for running a terror cell.
It is believed the former leader of banned Islamist group Al-Muhajiroun, later credited with playing a key role in the radicalisation of Lee Rigby killer Michael Adebolajo, is aiming to return to Britain as an asylum seeker.
But a spokesman for the Home Office told The Times: "An individual must be physically present in the UK in order to make a claim for asylum.
"Omar Bakri Muhammad was permanently excluded from the UK in 2005 on the grounds that his presence is not conducive to the public good.
"As Omar Bakri Muhammad is excluded from the UK, he will be unable to make a claim for asylum."
Bakri lived in Britain for around 20 years after leaving Syria, and has repeatedly been linked with Al-Qaida, claims which he denies.
