Islamic cleric says may leave Britain to avoid charges

London, England - An outspoken British-based Islamic cleric said he may leave the country to avoid facing possible charges, as London moves to ban two groups he founded, an Arabic Web site reported on Sunday.

Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammed said he may return to Lebanon to avoid "retroactive" charges under new anti-terrorism measures planned by the government after last month's attacks in London, according to the Web site of the daily Asharq al-Awsat.

"We were expelled from our country earlier and now we are being expelled from Britain. We prefer being evicted to a place where we can carry out our (Islamic) duties than abandoning our religion," Bakri, a Syrian-born cleric who also holds Lebanese citizenship, told the London-based newspaper.

Bakri denied having broken British laws or crossed any "red lines" in his sermons, which have included praise for al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

The cleric said he had issued a fatwa, or religious edict, banning Muslim youths from carrying out attacks in Britain.

He founded the British branch of Hizb ut-Tahrir, which describes itself as a non-violent political party dedicated to creating an Islamic caliphate centred on the Middle East.

But he split from the group and set up al Muhajiroun, which won notoriety in 2001 for celebrating the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

Prime Minister Tony Blair said on Friday Britain will ban the two radical groups from operating in the country as part of measures to be introduced following the July 7 bombings on London's transport system that killed more than 50 people.