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| C4 'distorted' mosque programme | C4 'distorted' mosque programme |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Police are reporting Channel 4 to the media regulator Ofcom over the way an undercover programme was edited. | |
| But charges will not be brought against preachers featured in Dispatches, which tackled claims of Islamic extremism. | But charges will not be brought against preachers featured in Dispatches, which tackled claims of Islamic extremism. |
| West Midlands Police carried out its own inquiry into three speakers in the Undercover Mosque broadcast, and then into the programme-makers themselves. | West Midlands Police carried out its own inquiry into three speakers in the Undercover Mosque broadcast, and then into the programme-makers themselves. |
| The Crown Prosecution Service said the show "completely distorted" what the trio said, a claim Channel 4 rejects. | The Crown Prosecution Service said the show "completely distorted" what the trio said, a claim Channel 4 rejects. |
| Kevin Sutcliffe, commissioning editor for Dispatches, said West Midlands police had produced no evidence to support their claims. | Kevin Sutcliffe, commissioning editor for Dispatches, said West Midlands police had produced no evidence to support their claims. |
| "We find it extraordinary that they have gone public on these concerns without discussing them with us first," he said. | "We find it extraordinary that they have gone public on these concerns without discussing them with us first," he said. |
| To try and demonise the efforts of these people by taking their comments out of context was shocking Abu UsamahGreen Lane Mosque preacher | To try and demonise the efforts of these people by taking their comments out of context was shocking Abu UsamahGreen Lane Mosque preacher |
| "We believe the comments made in the film speak for themselves - several speakers were clearly shown making abhorrent and extreme comments." | |
| He said the one-hour documentary, which was made over a nine-month period and broadcast in January, allowed comment to be seen in a fuller context. | |
| "All the speakers featured in the film were offered a right to reply and none denied making these comments, nor have any of them complained to Ofcom to our knowledge." | "All the speakers featured in the film were offered a right to reply and none denied making these comments, nor have any of them complained to Ofcom to our knowledge." |
| Bombings 'justified' | |
| The Metropolitan Police said on Wednesday that a second Dispatches programme was also being investigated. | |
| Britain Under Attack featured a man known as "Abu Mohammed". | |
| He disguised his face with a scarf in the programme, which was shown on Monday, and said British Muslims were in "a state of war" and the 7 July bombings were "justified". | |
| A Met spokesman said: "We are assessing the content of a Dispatches programme broadcast on Monday 6 August to determine if any offences may have been disclosed." | |
| The spokesman said it was too early to say whether officers were investigating the people shown in the broadcast or the programme-makers. | |
| The January programme infiltrated a number of mosques, one of which was Green Lane Mosque in Small Heath, Birmingham. | |
| 'Moderate tradition' | 'Moderate tradition' |
| It investigated mosques run by organisations claiming to be dedicated to moderation. | |
| Abu Usamah, one of the preachers from Green Lane Mosque featured in the programme, said he was shocked when he saw himself depicted. | Abu Usamah, one of the preachers from Green Lane Mosque featured in the programme, said he was shocked when he saw himself depicted. |
| "It was the fact that Green Lane Mosque has a 33-year-old tradition of preaching and teaching the moderate version of Islam. | "It was the fact that Green Lane Mosque has a 33-year-old tradition of preaching and teaching the moderate version of Islam. |
| In this case we have been dealing with a heavily-edited television programme Bethan David, CPS lawyer | In this case we have been dealing with a heavily-edited television programme Bethan David, CPS lawyer |
| "To try and demonise the efforts of these people by taking their comments out of context was shocking." | "To try and demonise the efforts of these people by taking their comments out of context was shocking." |
| Mr Usamah said he had been featured as saying homosexuals should be thrown from a mountain when in fact he was explaining it was an opinion featured in some books, which was not one he believed. | Mr Usamah said he had been featured as saying homosexuals should be thrown from a mountain when in fact he was explaining it was an opinion featured in some books, which was not one he believed. |
| An undercover reporter claimed to provide evidence that certain speakers preached messages of religious bigotry and extremism. | An undercover reporter claimed to provide evidence that certain speakers preached messages of religious bigotry and extremism. |
| In a piece about the programme, the Channel 4 Dispatches website said a reporter had attended talks at mosques and found preachers "condemning the idea of integration into British society, condemning British democracy as un-Islamic and praising the Taliban for killing British soldiers". | In a piece about the programme, the Channel 4 Dispatches website said a reporter had attended talks at mosques and found preachers "condemning the idea of integration into British society, condemning British democracy as un-Islamic and praising the Taliban for killing British soldiers". |
| Police said they acknowledged some parts of the programme may have been considered offensive, but, when analysed in full context, there was not enough evidence to bring charges. | Police said they acknowledged some parts of the programme may have been considered offensive, but, when analysed in full context, there was not enough evidence to bring charges. |
| 'Completely distorted' | 'Completely distorted' |
| The police investigation was extended to include looking at issues relating to the editing of the programme. | |
| Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) lawyer Bethan David scrutinised 56 hours of media footage, only some of which was used in the broadcast. | |
| She said: "The splicing together of extracts from longer speeches appears to have completely distorted what the speakers were saying. | She said: "The splicing together of extracts from longer speeches appears to have completely distorted what the speakers were saying. |
| "The CPS has demonstrated it will not hesitate to prosecute those responsible for criminal incitement. | "The CPS has demonstrated it will not hesitate to prosecute those responsible for criminal incitement. |
| "But in this case we have been dealing with a heavily-edited television programme, apparently taking out of context aspects of speeches which in their totality could never provide a realistic prospect of any convictions." | "But in this case we have been dealing with a heavily-edited television programme, apparently taking out of context aspects of speeches which in their totality could never provide a realistic prospect of any convictions." |
| Police asked the CPS to consider a prosecution of Channel 4 under the Public Order Act 1986 for showing material likely to stir up racial hatred, but they were advised there was insufficient evidence. |