Monitored Islamist group shuts down

Al-Muhajiroun has announced it is dissolving and ceasing activities, after the radical group called for an Islamic state in Britain and glorified the September 11 hijackers as "the magnificent 19".

The group, which claims to have 700 UK members, said there was a "new reality" in the post-September 11 world, and Muslim groups had to be united to face "the evil forces" of the west.

Its leader, Sheikh Omar Bakri Muhammed, told the Guardian: "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."

The organisation has had a high profile in the tabloid press and on TV. Its stance, denouncing as unbelievers anyone who denies terrorism is part of Islam, has earned it enemies, although the group has a presence in many cities.

Last week, it shut its website and posted an announcement: "In light of the new reality after the blessed 9/11, the evil forces having united against the Ummah and Islam ... there is nothing left except that the sincere Muslims [unite]."

There have been reports of complaints against the group, but Scotland Yard and the Met's anti-terrorist branch would not comment. The home secretary, David Blunkett, in a written answer to parliament last month, said "every word and statement" its representatives made was monitored.

It is unclear what will happen to those who follow the charismatic Mr Bakri. The leader of the group's Luton branch, using the pseudonym Saif al-Islam, suggested the dissolution would lead to members going "freelance".

Sheikh Ibrahim Mogra, a Leicester imam, said the news brought relief: "At least there's one less troublemaker - in inverted commas - for the peace-loving Muslims in the country ... I won't miss them. A lot of people don't have the time of day for them."

The Muslim Council of Britain also said it would not be missed.