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A MOSQUE whose imam praised the murder of a politician who promoted Christian rights last night issued an apology.

But the Glasgow Central Mosque said comments made by their main spiritual leader Habib Ur-Rahman had been taken “out of ­context”.

Rahman described killer Mumtaz Qadri as a “true Muslim” after he was ­executed in February for murdering politician ­Salman Taseer, who ­raised questions over Christians being persecuted by Pakistan’s blasphemy laws.

Using messaging service Whatsapp, Rahman wrote: “A true Muslim was ­punished for doing that which the ­collective will of the nation failed to carry out.”

Mosque leaders last night said in a statement: ­“Community leaders, including Imam Habib Ur-Rahman, have in the past consistently spoken out to condemn in the strongest terms, radicalisation, extremism and terrorism in all shapes and forms and will continue to do so in the future.”

The apology came after Muslim leaders held ­emergency talks.

The statement added: “His comments were never intended to condone violence but were intended to refer to resolution by passive means involving due process.”