UK police go to TV watchdog over mosque documentary

LONDON, Aug 8 (Reuters) British police said today they had made an official complaint to the country's television regulator saying a documentary alleging Saudi-inspired extremism in British mosques had contained misleading footage.

The Channel 4 Dispatches programme ''Undercover Mosque'', broadcast in January, purported to feature ''chilling sermons'' from Saudi-trained preachers which were secretly recorded by an undercover reporter.

''Dispatches reveals how a message of hatred and segregation is being spread throughout the UK and examines how it is influenced by the religious establishment of Saudi Arabia,'' the programme's Web site said.

The claims were investigated by West Midlands police officers who found there was insufficient evidence to bring charges against speakers featured in the documentary even though they said some of the speeches might be considered ''offensive''.

Instead, prosecutors said the footage, which provoked anger among Britain's 1.7 million Muslims, had been ''heavily edited'' and the speeches appeared to be ''taken out of context''.

''The splicing together of extracts from longer speeches appears to have completely distorted what the speakers were saying,'' said Crown Prosecution Service lawyer Bethan David.

After their initial investigation, police turned their attention to whether the programme-makers themselves were guilty of inciting racial hatred.

However, detectives concluded there was not enough evidence available and instead have made a formal complaint to Ofcom, the television watchdog.

Channel 4 denied any wrongdoing, saying the police had no evidence for their allegations and that it was confident of defending itself against any complaint of unfairness.

''We believe the comments made in the film speak for themselves -- several speakers were clearly shown making abhorrent and extreme comments,'' said Kevin Sutcliffe, Commissioning Editor for Dispatches.

A lawmaker whose constituency covers one of the mosques implicated in the documentary, Green Lane Mosque in Birmingham, central England, called the decision not to prosecute the speakers as ''gutless, spineless and a cop out''.

''I am incredulous that the Crown Prosecution Service alleged that there is insufficient evidence to pursue a prosecution,'' MP Roger Godsiff told Reuters.

''It's a green light to any xenophobic, neo-fascist, racist who wants to go out and make their disgusting statements.'' However Abu Usamah, one of the preachers featured in the programme, said the mosque had a tradition of teaching a moderate view of Islam.

''To try and demonise the efforts of these people by taking their comments out of context was shocking,'' he told the BBC.

The row is the latest controversy to have embroiled the publicly-owned broadcaster.

In May, it was severely criticised by Ofcom for ''serious editorial misjudgement'' over its handling of a racism row on last year's ''Celebrity Big Brother'' show.

In July, premium phone regulator ICSTIS imposed a record 150,000 pound fine on Channel 4 over a show which asked viewers to telephone to take part in a quiz even though winners had already been chosen.

REUTERS GT VC2002