One of the most popular Imams in the UK, who commands a following of hundreds of thousands, has praised the killer of a moderate Pakistani politician who defended murdered christians, declaring him a “martyr” who “did what he did in honour of the Prophet”.

It is five years since Salmaan Taseer, a liberal muslim who spoke out after the killing of Shahbaz Bhatti, Pakistan’s minorities minister who was the only Christian in the government, was assassinated by the Pakistani Taliban. His killer, Mumtaz Qadri, was hanged this week.

Both Mr. Bhatti and Mr. Tasseer were opponents of the country’s blasphemy laws, which are routinely used to target Christian’s. Speaking out for freedom in the Muslim majority nation is incredibly dangerous, however, as demonstrated by the shocking spectacle of a 100,000 people attended the murder’s funeral to celebrate his crimes this week.

This bloodthirsty attitude is not restricted to Pakistan, however.

A dark day in the history of Pakistan; the day Ghazi Mumtaz was wrongfully executed and martyred in the way of… https://t.co/xauSzvE8MO — Imam Muhammed Asim (@ImamAsimH) February 29, 2016

To honour the Prophet ﷺ is the greatest of acts, to dishonour him ﷺ is the worst of acts; honour means honouring everything to do with him ﷺ — Imam Muhammed Asim (@ImamAsimH) February 29, 2016

“A dark day in the history of Pakistan; the day Ghazi Mumtaz was wrongfully executed and martyred in the way of Allah, when he did what he did in honour of the Propher”, wrote Imam Muhammed Asim Hussain on Facbook below a photo of the “martyr”.

“Allah raise the ranks of this true servant of Allah and lion of the Ahl ul-Sunnah wal Jama’at. Allah guide the leadership in our Muslim countries”, he added.

Mr. Hussain is an exceptionally well known Bradford based religious figure. He regularly appears on the UK based Ummah TV Channel and has more that 136,000 Facebook followers and millions of hits on Youtube.

He was the head Imam of Al Madina Masjid in Barking, London for several years and currently preaches at Manchester Central mosque, as well “tirelessly travel[ing] throughout the UK to inspire the youth to the way of Islam”.

His post praising the murderer received over 4000 “likes” and more than 700 shares. Not all of his Muslim followers were impressed with his support of murder, however.

“He wasn’t wrongfully executed. He was executed because he murdered someone who criticized the blasphemy laws in Pakistan. He wasn’t martyred”, responded an American Muslim called Omer Imtiaz Khan.

“Why don’t you go to war for all the cartoons drawn in Denmark? O that’s right, you can’t because you enjoy freedoms in Europe which allow you to criticize as you please without being shot dead”, he added.