Islamic TV channel apologises for ‘anti-Semitic’ lectures as Ofcom ponders action

An Islamic TV channel has apologised profusely for broadcasting “anti-Semitic” lectures last year, as British media watchdog Ofcom considers sanctions, writes  Stephen Oryszczuk

Peace TV Urdu was wrapped for “serious breaches” in September last year, following its coverage of hate-speech by the late Dr Israr Ahmed, who said Jews were “a cancer”.

Ahmed, who died in 2010, also implied that Jews were responsible for the Holocaust because they “do not take advantage of the opportunity to repent”.

A spokesman for Peace TV Urdu said: “We bitterly regret that we transmitted this item and apologise for doing so. Steps have been made to ensure there will be no repeat.”

Ahmad was speaking about the history of the Jewish people when he referred to Jews as a “cursed race,” adding: “They are clever, although they expend most of their energy hatching conspiracies – evil genius.”

He added: “On both sides [in the First World War] there were Jewish bankers lending money to both, and they would demand interest at exorbitant rates, and in this way throughout Europe they lay down their roots like a cancer, and cancer when it enters one part of the body it spreads to other parts as well. In this way they took the whole of Europe in their grip.”

An Ofcom spokeswoman said: “We found the channel broke broadcasting rules by promoting highly negative and anti-Semitic views.”

She added: “In two broadcast lectures, Dr Israr Ahmad discussed the role and actions of Jewish people through history, and repeatedly portrayed them in overwhelmingly negative and stereotypical terms. These breaches are serious and we are considering a statutory sanction.”

The offensive remarks were picked up by “routine monitoring,” a process by which Ofcom translates random samples of foreign-language broadcasting.