'If my son did what Michael Adebolajo did, I would be happy': Hate preacher Omar Bakri Muhammad says he is proud of Lee Rigby killer

Omar Bakri Muhammad said e would be 'happy' if son killed a soldier

Adebolajo spoke at radical group Al-Muhajiroun's demonstrations

Muhammad said he did not feel sympathy for Lee Rigby

A hate preacher says he would be 'proud' if his son killed a man like Lee Rigby's murderer Michael Adebolajo.



Omar Bakri Muhammad said if his son, who was sitting on his father's knee during the interview, grew up and killed a soldier he would be 'happy'.



Adebolajo attended and spoke at the radical group Al-Muhajiroun's demonstrations after joining the group in 2003. He also changed his name to Mujahid, meaning ‘one who engages in jihad’.

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'Proud': Omar Bakri Muhammad said if his son grew up and did what Adebolajo did he would be 'happy'

Hate preacher: Muhammad is living in Tripoli, Lebanon, because he believed he would be arrested in the UK

Over the following years he cropped up again and again at Islamist events.



Channel 4 News reports Omar Bakri Muhammad, the former leader of Al-Muhajiroun, said he was proud of the killer.

He said: 'I've got a son, if he did what Michael did I would be happy.'



Muhammad is living in Tripoli, Lebanon, after leaving the UK because he believed he would be arrested.



Son: Muhammad strokes his son's face as he talks about what he wants for his future

He said that Adebolajo, 29, was a 'quiet, shy person' looking for answers.



Muhammad said he did not feel sympathy for Lee Rigby and was 'proud' of what Adebolajo did.

The interview provoked criticism from people on Twitter who said Channel 4 should not be giving the preacher 'oxygen'.

Former MP Tony McNulty said: 'C4 interview with Omar Bakri Mohammed just disgraceful - why give this idiot any oxygen of publicity at all - total puff interview. Woeful.'

The journalist who recorded the interview, Paraic O'Brien, replied: 'Disagree. His inability to engage with LeeRigby as a human/Dad told us lots about the radical mindset.'

He also added: 'Thanks for all feedback.I know many disagree but I felt Bakri's inability to engage with personal tragedy & his online reach = newsworthy.'

As Adebolajo was convicted of murder, he refused to show any remorse.



During the trial, he told Lee Rigby’s family how he will never regret killing the fusilier because he is a ‘soldier of Allah’.

Omar Bakri Muhammad (right) said Adebolajo, who murdered soldier Lee Rigby (left), was a 'quiet, shy person' looking for answers. Muhammad said he did not feel sympathy for Lee Rigby and was 'proud' of Adebolajo

Michael Adebowale (left) and Michael Adebolajo (right) were convicted of the murder of Lee Rigby after a trial



Adebolajo kissed the Koran when he and Adebowale were convicted of murdering Fusilier Rigby at the end of an astonishing four-week Old Bailey trial.



The victim’s parents, estranged wife and fiancée were overcome with emotion as the jury of eight women and four men returned their verdicts in just 90 minutes.



His mother Lyn and sister Sara sobbed as others hugged.



Mr Justice Sweeney told of his gratitude and admiration for the soldier’s family who, he said, had shown great dignity throughout the most harrowing of evidence.













