U.S. forbade UK Muslim leader the country

The U.S. continues applying double standard to those whom it considers dangerous just on the basis of their religion. Late June the Bush administration officials staged a meeting with the representative of the Uzbek opposition who is linked to terrorist organizations of radical Islam. But it didn't let one of Britain's most senior Muslim leaders enter the United States without explanation.

Dr. Zaki Badawi, head of the Muslim College, told The Associated Press he was denied entry when he arrived in New York on Wednesday.

He had been invited to speak at the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, New York, where he planned to give a talk under the title "The Law and Religion in Society."

No explanation was given for his exclusion, Badawi said in a telephone interview. "The people I was speaking to were very junior people, and they are just executing things they were told," Badawi said.

"They were very very embarrassed, and I felt sorry for them."

Badawi said he had visited the United States many times before, the last time in 2003.

On Sunday, Badawi joined other British religious leaders in condemning the bus and subway bombings.

Badawi was given an honorary knighthood and in 2003 he was among the guests of Queen Elizabeth II at a state banquet for U.S. President George W. Bush.

Badawi said he was detained for about six hours.

"America is a lovely country. There is no reason why it should behave like that," Badawi said.

It is noteworthy, that after 9/11 terrorist attacks in the U.S. Badawi in an interview to BBC condemned the attacks against "innocent people," and warned the U.S. against accusing the Muslims.