The Channel 4 Dispatches program "Undercover Mosque", broadcast in January, purported to feature "chilling sermons" from Muslim preachers which "reveals how a message of hatred and segregation is being spread throughout the UK," the program's Web site said.
After an investigation, British police found no reason to charge any of the preachers, and instead turned their attention to whether the program-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".
"It's a green light to any xenophobic, neo-fascist, racist who wants to go out and make their disgusting statements," MP Roger Godsiff told Reuters.
Abu Usamah, one of the preachers featured in the program, said the mosque had a tradition of teaching a moderate view of Islam.
"To try and demonize the efforts of these people by taking their comments out of context was shocking," he told the BBC.
The dispute is the latest controversy to have embroiled the publicly-owned broadcaster.
In May, it was severely criticized by Ofcom for "serious editorial misjudgment" over its handling of a racism row on last year's "Celebrity Big Brother" show. |
