{"id":188041,"date":"2016-02-08T15:24:54","date_gmt":"2016-02-08T15:24:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=188041"},"modified":"2016-02-08T15:24:54","modified_gmt":"2016-02-08T15:24:54","slug":"islamic-preacher-poses-no-threat-to-ghana-national-security","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2016\/02\/islamic-preacher-poses-no-threat-to-ghana-national-security\/","title":{"rendered":"Islamic preacher poses no threat to Ghana – National Security"},"content":{"rendered":"
Ghana\u2019s National Security Coordinator, Yaw Donkor, has sought to calm nerves over Islamic preacher, Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips’ presence in Ghana.<\/p>\n
A report about Dr Bilal Philips’ activities in Ghana has generated debate following revelations that he had been banned by the US, UK and Australia, claiming he preached extremism.<\/p>\n
He was deported from the Philippines in September 2014, Kenya in 2012, and Bangladesh in June 2014, where he had been invited to address an Islamic conference.<\/p>\n
Sheik Philips is said to have written: \u201cWestern culture, led by the United States, is the enemy of Islam.\u201d The US Government named him as an \u201cunindicted co-conspirator\u201d in the 1993 bombing that killed six people and injured 1,000. He was deported from the US in 2004 \u2013 [Quoted from the Sun Herald Newspaper in the UK].<\/p>\n
Sheik Philips\u2019 activities in Ghana as advertised on his official Facebook page, started from 4th February and ends on 12th February. His programmes have taken place in various parts of Accra and in Kumasi, specifically at the KNUST.<\/p>\n
He is expected to be in Tamale for another lecture at the Tamale Jubilee Park today [Monday] February 8, titled \u201cIslamic Identity Under Globalization\u201d between 8:00 and 11:00pm.<\/p>\n
At the Tamale UDS on the 9th, he will hold another lecture titled \u201cIslam and Media: Enemies or Foes\u201d from 10:00am-12:00pm. He has already delivered lectures on the theme \u201cInsurgency In God\u2019s Name: Revelation or Rebellion\u201d.<\/p>\n
Speaking to Graphic Online on his activities in the country, the National Security Coordinator, Yaw Donkor, said it was not sufficient enough for Ghana to deny him visa on the basis that some countries had banned him entry over unproven allegations.<\/p>\n
Mr. Donkor said: \u201cIf the one who sponsored him comes to ask us \u2018why are you refusing him Visa\u2019, what are we going to tell him? Are we going to tell him that because Czechoslovakia deported him, we don\u2019t want him to come to Ghana or because Germany says that the man has written a book that is talking about anti-Semitism, we don\u2019t want him to come [to Ghana]. How can you use that reason to refuse a visa to a sovereign country?\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr. Donkor however noted that the Islamic preacher was being monitored by security agents, and had so far, not said anything inflammatory or engaged in any diabolical activity in Ghana.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, as far as I\u2019m concerned, since he entered this country, he hasn\u2019t said anything that requires me to take any action against him,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
According to the National Security Coordinator, since Christian preachers had been allowed to visit Ghana and speak freely, it would have been unfair and dangerous to have prevented Dr. Philips from doing same.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe should be careful. He is not here on his own. Thirty percent of this country is listening to him or they think he came because of them. If you have no reason to throw him out, you are going to create a problem by your own action. So we should watch it that way,\u201d he told Graphic Online.<\/p>\n
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