A British Islamic group said it is planning an anti-war march through Wootton Bassett — a town that has become famous for honoring dead British soldiers as they are repatriated from Afghanistan.
Islam4UK — a group that refers to itself as a platform for the now-disbanded radical Islamist group al-Muhajiroun — posted a notice on its Web site calling for supporters to march in memory of Muslims killed in the Afghanistan conflict. It said the march would take place in a few weeks.
Wootton Bassett, 120km west of London, has become well-known in Britain for its quiet repatriation ceremonies for British soldiers killed in Afghanistan. The town’s residents join the families of the dead and war veterans to line the streets and watch servicemen’s bodies being driven through from a nearby air base.
Islam4UK’s leader Anjem Choudary said he expected about 500 people to take part in the protest and said marchers would carry “symbolic coffins” to honor the Muslim dead.
He said the march would not coincide with the town’s repatriation ceremonies.
Islam4UK calls itself a platform for the now-banned radical Islamist group al-Muhajiroun, which gained notoriety for praising the Sept. 11, 2001, hijackers in the US.
Wiltshire Police said on Saturday that they had not been contacted by Islam4UK or any other group wishing to arrange such a march in Wootton Bassett. Organizers of any protest march in Britain would have to obtain permission from the local police force.
Local lawmaker James Gray said he did not believe the march would go ahead.
“I’ve seen in the past assorted groups threaten to march, but they don’t actually do it,” Gray said.
“I wouldn’t think they’d get permission from the police,” he said.
Some 245 British military personal have lost their lives in Afghanistan since the start of the war there in October 2001.
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