Turned away: Dutch MP deported by Britain over anti-Islamic film

Geert Wilders, who is facing prosecution in Holland for his anti-Islam views, was detained on landing at Heathrow airport and sent back to the Netherlands just over three hours later.

*** VIDEO: JUDGE GEERT WILDERS FOR YOURSELF... ***

He had been invited by a British peer to show his controversial 17-minute film Fitna, which criticises the Koran as a “fascist book”, in the House of Lords.

But on Tuesday he received a letter from the Home Office saying he was unwelcome because his opinions “would threaten community security and therefore public security” in the UK.

Mr Wilders, 45, a member of Holland’s Freedom Party, vowed to defy the ban and make the trip anyway.

He flew into Heathrow’s Terminal 1 at 2pm and was taken into a side room by immigration officials, who removed his passport and told him he would be returned home.

Speaking from the airport while he waited to be removed, Mr Wilders branded Prime Minister Gordon Brown the “biggest coward in Europe” and said Britain’s freedom of speech had been “set back centuries”.

He told the BBC: “We should have a public debate, we should have freedom of speech. It’s very easy to invite people who agree with you.

“I think that a discussion is always better than barring people or turning people away.”

He was put on a flight back to Amsterdam and took off from British soil at about 5.30pm.

Two screenings of Fitna were going ahead tonight in Westminster without the Dutch politician.

UK Independence Party peer Lord Pearson, who invited Mr Wilders to Britain, said he did not agree with all his views but strongly defended his right to express them.

“We are coming at this from the angle of free speech. This man must be allowed to say what he wants and then answer questions about it,” he said.

“I think this man is raising one of the most important issues of our time, which is Islamic militarism, which is a violent jihad.

“That’s the issue that this man is raising, and I think that should be discussed much more, particularly amongst the vast majority of the mild Muslim community.”

Mr Wilders has urged the Dutch government to ban the Koran and warned of a “tsunami” of Islam swamping the Netherlands.

His film sparked violent protests around the Muslim world last year for linking verses in the religious text with footage of terrorist attacks, including the July 7 London bombings.

He has launched an appeal against an Amsterdam court’s order that he should be prosecuted for inciting hatred and discriminating against Muslims and their religion.

The Dutch government has expressed “deep regret” at Britain’s decision to refuse him entry, and the country’s ambassador to Britain was at Heathrow today to offer assistance.

Netherlands Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen said: “It is highly regrettable that a Dutch MP should be denied entry to another EU country.”

The Home Office said in a statement: “The Government opposes extremism in all its forms.

“It will stop those who want to spread extremism, hatred and violent messages in our communities from coming to our country, and that was the driving force behind tighter rules on exclusions for unacceptable behaviour that the Home Secretary announced in October last year.”

A spokeswoman for the ministry added: “Freedom of speech is a fundamental right, but one that must be used responsibly and not as a cover for causing offence or division.”

Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne backed the Government’s stance.

“Freedom of speech is our most precious freedom of all, because all the other freedoms depend on it,” he said.

“But there is a line to be drawn even with freedom of speech, and that is where it is likely to incite violence or hatred against someone or some group.”

The Conservatives pointed out that other people with controversial opinions had not been banned from Britain and said the criteria governing entry had to be applied consistently.

Muslim groups welcomed Mr Wilders being barred from entering the UK.

A Muslim Council of Britain spokesman said: “Mr Wilders’ xenophobic views have been identified as repugnant by a

Dutch court, and is now confirmed by his official exclusion from the United Kingdom.

“It is now time to ask why peers of the realm who promote such demagogues without any censure are allowed to be regarded as mainstream, responsible leaders in our community.”

But National Secular Society president Terry Sanderson wrote to Home Secretary Jacqui Smith arguing that she had made a mistake.

He said: “It may be a controversial opinion but he is entitled to express it.

“We think that the wrong people are being targeted here because the reason they have given for refusing him entry is that it may result in some kind of public disturbance.

“We think that is not a good enough reason. It’s very disturbing that they are prepared to do this just on the basis that somebody might object.”

Meanwhile, the Government was accused of “appeasement” in the House of Lords today.

Lord Pearson asked Home Office minister Lord West of Spithead: “Do you think this situation would occur if Mr Wilders had said ban the Bible?”

He replied: “I certainly don’t think we are guilty of appeasement in any way whatsoever. I don’t want to go down the route of discussing a hypothetical case of what if he talked about this, what if he talked about that.”

He told peers: “The Government and I are great believers in freedom of expression. This is based not purely on Fitna, on that particular film.

“It is based on a range of factors, including prosecution in the Netherlands for incitement and discrimination and for other statements as well.”