Updated on Wednesday, July 20, 2005, 00:00 IST

London, July 20: A hardline Muslim cleric based in Qatar has scrapped plans to speak to Muslims in Britain following an outcry in the wake of the July 7 London terror attacks, a newspaper reported.

Qatar-based Sheikh Yussef al-Qaradawi, a prominent member of the Muslim brotherhood, dropped plans to visit Manchester next month, the Daily Express reported.

It said the cleric's office in Qatar confirmed yesterday that he would not attend a Muslim unity convention organized by the Ramadhan Foundation, a British-Islamic education group, on August 7.

It attributed his decision to a campaign led by the newspaper against his visit.

Organizers claimed the invitation sent in January was still open and they had not heard from the Egyptian-born Qaradawi.

Prime Minister Tony Blair's government is considering new anti-terrorist measures, including strengthening procedures to exclude or deport people who incite religious hatred.

Qaradawi, who has condoned Palestinian suicide bombings in Israel, was viewed as a test case for the measure.

Bureau Report