US blocks entry to leading moderate British Muslim

Reuters, 14 Jul 2005 22:28:12 GMT

LONDON, July 14 (Reuters) - One of Britain's leading Muslim theologians has been refused entry into the United States just days after joining the chorus of religious leaders in condemning last week's London bombs that killed 54 people.
Zaki Badawi, the founder of the Muslim College in London and the unofficial leader of the country's Muslims, was refused entry at New York's JFK airport when he arrived on Wednesday and, after hours of fruitless talks, returned to England.
Customs and Border Protection spokeswoman Leah Yoon told Reuters in New York that Badawi was detained for questioning and told he would not be allowed to enter the United States.
"He voluntarily withdrew his application for entry to the United States after being presented with his options," Yoon said.
Yoon would not explain what those options were and would not say why Badawi was being refused entry.