An extremist Islamic group which claimed Tony Blair was a legitimate assassination target has shut down.
Al-Muhajiroun, which boasts 700 members in the UK, said there was a 'new reality' in the Muslim world which meant its existence was no longer necessary.
The Sunday Mercury exposed the group's leader, Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammed, five years ago, when he visited supporters in Birmingham.
In a chilling warning the man branded the 'Tottenham Mullah' told our reporter: "If Tony Blair visits a Muslim state, he will be a legitimate target for assassination and I would not condemn his killers.'
Now, in an unexpected move, Al-Muhajiroun has decided to end its fundamentalist campaigning - but is calling on Muslims to come together to face 'the evil forces of the West.'
Last week, Sheikh Mohammed said: "It's an era of crisis. In this time, as Muslims, we are obliged to dismantle any groups and unite until the crisis is solved."
Al-Muhajiroun has also closed down its website, which controversially denounced Muslims who did not accept terrorism as part of their religion.
The group, which had strong followings in both Birmingham and Derby, frequently caused controversy by glorifying the September 11 hijackers.
It distributed fliers throughout the Midlands depicting them as the 'Magnificent 19', in a mock-up of classic Western film The Magnificent Seven. Three years ago we revealed how Al-Muhajiroun's fixer was former Wolverhampton University student Hassan Butt.
Butt's job was to lure young Muslims from the streets of the Midlands to fight for the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.
"We can help recruits with their air fares to Pakistan and in some cases we will even look after the families they have left behind," he boasted.
"There are many professional people in the Muslim community who have highly-paid jobs.
"These people, like doctors, chemists and engineers, are happy to make large private donations to help the holy war.
"Al-Muhajiroun does not recruit fighters as such. We only give advice to potential fighters through personal contacts, and not as an organisation as a whole.
"Our ultimate goal is a political one which is to create a Khilafah (a worldwide Islamic state)."
He added the group would not rest until its members had "planted the flag of Islam in Downing Street."
Sheikh Ibrahim Mogra, a Leicestershire imam, said: "At least there's one less troublemaker for the peace-loving Muslims in the country. They won't be missed." ..SUPL:
