Italy 'racist' says deported imam

Fall Mamour said Osama Bin Laden was a good man

Deported Senegalese Imam Mamour Fall has accused the Italian government of racism.

The controversial cleric, who lived in Italy for 11 years, told the BBC he felt victimised for being an African.

The Italian Interior Ministry deported Imam Fall for supporting Osama Bin Laden after he predicted more attacks on Italians in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Nineteen Italian soldiers died in a southern Iraq bomb attack, sparking a crackdown on Muslim militants in Italy.

The 39-year-old imam said Italy's troops would be targeted because they were aiding the US-led coalition, adding that further strikes would then follow on Italian soil.

People know I do not have the courage to kill a rat, how can I kill human beings Imam Fall

Six Moroccans and one Algerian were deported following the crackdown and authorities said they did it "for grave reasons concerning state security and public order".

The ministry said some of them had received training in paramilitary camps and two have them had links with militants captured by US troops in Afghanistan.

No terrorist

But Imam Mamour Fall has denied having links with terrorists or supporting their activities.

"People know I do not have the courage to kill a rat, how can I kill human beings, am not a terrorist" he told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme.

The imam however confirmed having met Osama bin Laden between '93 and '96 in Sudan and described him as a very good man. He has not seen him since.

Mr Mamour had several aliases and was best known as the "imam of Carmagnola" - a suburb of the northern city of Turin.