Northern Irish pastor investigated for hate speech

The Belfast Telegraph follows up reports of a police investigation into the remarks of a Northern Irish pastor who described Islam as ‘a doctrine spawned in hell’, with news that a fellow evangelical pastor has expressed support for the views as well as adding disparaging comments of his own.

Pastor James McConnell, addressing his congregation at the Whitewell Metropolitan Tabernacle Church last Sunday, said in relation to Islam that “a new evil had arisen”. He went on to elaborate by saying, “Islam is heathen, Islam is satanic, Islam is a doctrine spawned in hell.”

McConnell praised the former minister Enoch Powell, calling him ‘a prophet’ adding, “he [Powell] called it that blood would flow on the streets and it has happened.”

“Fifteen years ago Britain was concerned of IRA cells right throughout the nation. They done a deal with the IRA because they were frightened of being bombed.

“Today a new evil has arisen. There are cells of Muslims right throughout Britain, can I hear an Amen, right throughout Britain, and this nation is going to enter into a great tribulation, a great trial,” he said.

McConnell is being investigated by Northern Ireland police for ‘a hate crime motive’ according to BBC News while the Belfast Telegraph reports that a fellow Pastor, Paul Burns, called the paper to express support for McConnell saying he was “not building up hatred against Muslim people” but merely reflecting the “teaching of Islam”.

Burns told the local paper: “The Koran teaches that all infidels who do not convert to Islamic teaching, then it is correct to be able to kill all those who oppose the teaching of the Koran.

“When Pastor McConnell is talking about it as a direct teaching of Satan – it is.

“Hitler murdered over six-and-a-half million Jewish people. I would class him as Satanic. The people who are blowing up buses are told in the teaching of the Koran they are going to have 75 virgins who are going to wait upon them, whom he would have total control over.”

Burns also weighed in with comments about the easy availability of halal meat saying “Halal meat had been coming across into the UK, into our schools where Muslim clerics have prayed over the food that is actually being given to our children, who are of a Christian nation”.