ACCUSED WORLDWIDE OF TERROR LINKS, ZAKIR NAIK NOW SAYS HIS OSAMA SPEECH MADE IN S'PORE WAS 'DOCTORED'

KUALA LUMPUR - Muslim preacher Dr Zakir Nakir claimed that a video of him backing al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was fake, after social media links to a terrorist involved in a deadly attack in Bangladesh renewed attention on the cleric’s alleged support for terrorism.

The controversial preacher said in an interview with India news broadcaster News 18 that the video circulating on social media was fabricated and that he did not make the remarks contained.

“My speech on Osama Bin Laden made in Singapore was doctored. I never asked to support Osama Bin Laden.

“I didn't call Osama either a terrorist or a saint. I don’t even know him,” News 18 quotes him as saying.

He explained that he has always maintained that any Muslim who commits violence on another person would “go to hell.”

He also insisted that his speeches did not promote terrorism and welcomed India’s authorities to investigate him.

“It is totally illogical to say that I promote terrorism. Not a single investigative agency says Dr Zakir Naik promotes terrorism. The Home Ministry is most welcome to go through all my speeches,” he said.

He added that there may be people who are doctoring his pictures and footage in a bid to discredit him due to his popularity.

Bangladesh’s English-language newspaper The Daily Star reported Monday that one of the Dhaka attackers, Rohan Imtiaz, had posted on Facebook last year quoting Dr Zakir as “urging all Muslims to be terrorists”.

In 2013, Malaysia awarded Dr Zakir the “Tokoh Maal Hijrah” award for his contributions to Islam.

He conducted a lecture series in Malaysia in April, triggering uproar among local religious groups who urged Malaysia not to associate itself with the preacher seen as supporting terrorism.

The Islamic Research Foundation president had been denied entry to Canada and United Kingdom in 2012 after he reportedly expressed his support of terrorist group al-Qaeda.

Last Friday, five gunmen laid siege to a restaurant in Dhaka, Bangladesh that ended in 22 deaths.

The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the incident, although the Bangladeshi authorities have rejected their claim, blaming it instead of a domestic militant group.

Malaysian police have confirmed that two people featured in photos on the attack previously studied at Monash University’s campus here.

- Malay Mail