Islamic Movement head Salah arrested in Britain

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JERUSALEM (JTA) — The head of the Islamic Movement in Israel, Sheik Raed Salah, was arrested in London while on a speaking tour and will be deported.

Salah reportedly entered the country despite being banned from travel to Britain due to his anti-Semitic views.

Britain’s Home Office told reporters that a full investigation was launched to discover how Salah entered the country and that steps were being taken to deport him. 

"Since Salah received the invitation to come to Britain, the Jewish lobby went crazy and did everything in its power to prevent the visit, so that the Zionist narrative remains the only narrative," the Islamic Movement said in a statement.

British police reportedly arrested Salah late Tuesday night in London following a lecture. He was scheduled to speak Wednesday night at a program at the Houses of Parliament that had been widely advertised, according to Al Jazeera.

Salah was jailed in Israel in 2010 for spitting at an Israeli policeman. He also was detained last year after participating in the Gaza-bound flotilla.

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