Nothing more to say on pastor verdict '“ Belfast Islamic Centre

When contacted this week, project co-ordinator Anwar Mady said that the executive committee of the centre had decided it did not wish to put members up for interview.

Instead, he referred the News Letter to a statement issued shortly after the pastor was acquitted of allegedly making “grossly offensive” remarks in an anti-Islamic sermon.

In its statement, the centre said: “We Muslims believe in the freedom of expression.

“However, freedom of expression doesn’t justify offending and insulting others’ faith and beliefs that in its turn leads to an unhealthy atmosphere of disunity and mistrust.

“We Muslims, as part of the Northern Irish wider society, are looking forward to achieving and maintaining the values of co-existence and diversity.

“In doing so we are mindful of some voices trying to push towards disintegration and isolation of some religious and ethnic minorities.”

The centre disagreed with the verdict, adding that “nevertheless we have always been ready to implement the values of forgiveness and pardon as a way forward to continue building our relations with different communities based on mutual love and respect.”

The pastor’s comments had been referred to police by Dr Raied al-Wazzan.

He had been part of the Islamic Centre’s executive committee, but resigned in February 2015.

It followed controversy over remarks he had made on BBC Radio Ulster, where he said the Islamic State group (which had captured his hometown of Mosul in northern Iraq) were “less evil than the Iraqi government”, and that since the takeover it was “the most peaceful city in the world”.

Afterwards, he apologised for the offence caused, and said: “We need to condemn violence, whatever side it’s come from. That’s what I wanted to say. But unfortunately it didn’t come out very clear.”

Asked if Dr al-Wazzan should have been questioned for the remarks, Pastor McConnell had told the News Letter: “I should never have been questioned. And I don’t think he should really be questioned. Because we’re living in a country of free speech.”

Dr al-Wazzan had also told BBC Radio he would favour the use of Sharia law in the UK if it had widespread support.

Asked on Wednesday what Sharia would look like in the UK, he replied: “I am not a cleric, you could find better people to comment than me. It depends what you are talking about.

“There are hundreds of books on Sharia law and my own interpretation may be different to someone else’s.”

‘Liberals who back Sharia law would be its first victims’