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CAIRO — A Scottish racist has been released after threatening to kill Muslims until all mosques in the European country are demolished.
"We are calling for consistency,” Asif Ahmed, chairman of the Scottish Islamic Foundation (SIF), told The Scotsman.
A Glasgow Sheriff Court on Friday released Neil MacGregor, 36, after he threatened to kill Muslims until all mosques in the country are demolished.
The Court only placed the Scottish racist on three years’ probation despite his anti-Muslim threats.
"I'm a proud racist and National Front member,” MacGregor said in an e-mail sent to Strathclyde Police.
"We as an organisation have decided to deal with the current threat from Muslims in our own British way, like our proud ancestors.
"Our demands are very small. Close all mosques in Scotland,” he said.
"If our demands aren't met by next Friday, we'll kidnap one Muslim and execute him or her on the internet, just like they did to our Ken Bigley."
The racist Scot also telephoned police, threatening to blow up Glasgow’s Central Mosque.
MacGregor was arrested last year over the anti-Muslim threats.
Instead of being tried by a high court judge on terrorism offences, he was only tried by a sheriff and indicted on a charge of breach of the peace, aggravated by racial hatred.
Double-standards
Scottish Muslims accused the Scottish legal system of applying “double-standards”.
“The authorities have got to explain the apparent discrepancy," Ahmed said.
The SIF chairman said that a Muslim had made similar threats, he would have been dealt with far harsher punishment.
He cited the case of Mohammed Atif Siddique, a student who was jailed for eight years for internet-related terror offences.
The lenient ruling also drew fire from human rights lawyers.
"If a member of a far-Right organisation threatens to murder or cause mayhem, then they are dealt under ancient legislation and existing common law powers,” lawyer Aamer Anwar said.
“If you happen to have a beard and are dark-skinned, then you will be prosecuted under the Terrorism Act.”
Anwar, who represented Siddique, said that there is a perception that the Scottish legal system is applying double standards in prosecuting such cases.
"There is real anger in the community."
There are more than 50,000 Muslims making up less than one percent of the Scottish population, according to the Scottish Islamic Foundation.
Muslims are the second largest religious group in Scotland, which has thirty mosques, including twelve in Glasgow.
A recent government poll found that half of Scots see Muslims as a threat to the country's culture and identity.
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