Imam accused by Cameron of supporting ISIS: I wish I could sue him
Suliman Gani, the imam at the centre of a row between David Cameron and Sadiq Khan, has said he wishes he could sue the Prime Minister.
The south London cleric has dominated the London mayoral campaign. He was labelled an ISIS supporter by Cameron in an attempt to link Khan, Labour's candidate for London Mayor, to extremists.
At Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) on Wednesday, Cameron said: "He [Gani] describes women as subservient to men, he said that homosexuality was an unnatural act.
"He stood on a platform with people who wanted an Islamic state."
This followed another PMQs on April 20 where Cameron said: "This man [Gani] supports IS."
Gani responded by saying the allegations were "preposterous". In an embarrassing turn for Cameron it emerged Gani was a Conservative supporter who had previously been invited to an event encouraging Muslims to stand as Tory councillors.
He told ITV: "I do not [support Islamic State] and I categorically state that if the Prime Minister had to say those very same words outside parliament I would sue him.
"I have categorically condemned Islamic State."
He continued: "I'm really, really upset. I'm deeply shocked - I am gobsmacked. Why am I singled out given that I have a track record on showing peaceful co-existence?
"I have been working, engaging with all parliamentarians, cross party parliamentarians.
"Why am I being singled out to be labelled by Zac Goldsmith to be the most repellent figure in the UK?"
During the ITV interview Gani accepted he is unable to launch a libel case because of rules which safeguard MPs' freedom of speech.
The exchange at PMQs centred on allegations of anti-Semitism within the Labour party. Corbyn rebutted the accusations and told Cameron to reflect on the way Zac Goldsmith's campaign for London mayor smeared Labour candidate Sadiq Khan, who is a Muslim. He accused the Conservatives of running a "repulsive campaign of hate" against Khan.
Corbyn went on to say Labour has set up an inquiry into antisemitism and Cameron should follow suit and set up one into racism in the Tory party.
