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An outspoken vicar who posting a link online claiming Israel was behind the September 11 attacks in the US has apologised.

The Reverend Dr Stephen Sizer posted a link on his Facebook page to an article entitled "9/11 Israel did it", sparking a backlash as it coincided with Holocaust Memorial Day and the 70th anniversary of liberation of Auschwitz.

Under the article from Wikispooks, which has Rev Dr Sizer now deleted from his timeline, he reportedly wrote: "Is this anti-Semitic? It raises so many questions."

Rev Dr Sizer, Vicar of Christ Church, in Virginia Water, Surrey, has apologised for his "insensitive and misguided" actions.

However, the Diocese of Guildford has launched a full investigation and said it is taking the matter "extremely seriously".

The Bishop of Dorking, The Right Rev Ian Brackley, said: "The Diocese of Guildford is aware of reports regarding Rev Dr Stephen Sizer and materials linked from his social media account, which have now been deleted.

"I want to reassure everyone that we are taking this complaint extremely seriously.

"Immediate steps are being taken to investigate and we are in contact with Dr Sizer as well as the Board of Deputies.

"The Diocese of Guildford is committed to building cohesive communities and fostering strong interfaith relations built on trust and respect."

Rev Sizer, 61, has released a statement on his blog apologising for the post and has been ordered to suspend his blogs and social media accounts until after the investigation.

"I very much regret and apologise for the distress caused by the sharing on Facebook of a link to an article about 9/11 from Wikispooks," he said.

"It was particularly insensitive in that last week coincided with Holocaust Memorial Day.

"I removed the link as soon as I received adverse feedback, and realised that offence had been caused."

"I have never believed Israel or any other country was complicit in the terrorist atrocity of 9/11, and my sharing of this material was ill-considered and misguided.

"At the request of the Diocese, I will be suspending my use of all social media and blogs with immediate effect and until further notice."

(Image: Getty)

The controversial vicar is an outspoken critic of Christian Zionism, claiming the return of the Jews to the Holy Land, and the establishment of the State of Israel has no historical or biblical precedent.

Rev Dr Sizer became a Christian whilst studying geography at Sussex University in the 1970s and was accepted at Trinity College Bristol to train as a minister in 1980, gaining a diploma in theology.