Archbishop of Canterbury revokes award for Islamic cleric who praised 9/11 mastermind Osama Bin Laden

The office of the Archbishop of Canterbury has revoked an award to an Islamic cleric who praised 9/11 mastermind Osama Bin Laden.

Dame Sarah Mullally bestowed the honour on Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi last Friday, on the atrocity's 25th anniversary.

In 2007, as head of the Pakistan Ulema Council group of Islamic clerics and scholars, the cleric gave the terrorist a title of "Saifullah" for "serving Muslims by waging jihad against infidels".

Earlier today, the office said it was "urgently reviewing" the award before withdrawing the honour altogether.

A caption with a picture of Mr Ashrafi accepting the award said he was being praised for his "outstanding work as an ambassador of interfaith harmony in Pakistan".

The National Secular Society (NSS) hit out at the award presentation, calling it "obscene, and almost beyond parody".

Lambeth Palace said: "Previous comments made by Imam Ashrafi have come to light that have led Lambeth Palace to reconsider this award and we can now confirm today that the award has been withdrawn."

In a statement, a spokesman for Mr Ashrafi said his remarks were being reported "without their proper context".

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