Mayor to prosecute over 'illegal' rally

Sheikh Abu Hamza spoke to the group

A radical Islamic group is to be prosecuted over a rally held in London's Trafalgar Square in August.

The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, has been taking legal advice following the rally which attracted some Al Muhajiroun supporters as well as hundreds of protesters from extreme right wing and communist groups.

Mainstream Muslim groups say the radical views of the group, which has called for a British Islamic State, do not represent the views of the majority of British Muslims.

Organisers were denied permission to hold the rally by the Greater London Authority (GLA) because it had received complaints accusing the fringe group of anti-Semitism and homophobia.

This group's views are rejected by the vast majority of Muslims in Britain

Ken Livingstone

Court proceedings against organisers were authorised on Wednesday and lawyers are preparing papers to be served on Al Muhajiroun.

Mr Livingstone said: "This group poses as an Islamic organisation but its views are rejected by the vast majority of Muslims in Britain.

"At the time I gave a commitment that if they went ahead with the rally I would seek to prosecute, and I have today instructed our lawyers that as the group were in breach of our by-laws, summonses should be served."

The rally was addressed by radical group leader Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammed, who has warned the UK of terrorist attacks if it joined military action against Iraq.

One of the rally's organisers, Jim Choudhury, told BBC Radio 5 Live the group "had a right" to stage the rally and denied it was anti-Semitic or homophobic.