Defence Secretary Fallon Apologies, Pays Damages to Tooting’s Imam Suliman Gani

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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The Defence Secretary, Michael Fallon, has issued another apology and offered to pay legal costs and compensation after causing “distress” to Imam Suliman Gani when he alleged him to be a supporter of Islamic State. During his campaign for the Mayor of London, David Cameron and defence secretary Michael Fallon linked the Tooting Islamic leader to the extremist group Daesh. However, the Imam denied the claim vigorously.

According to the statement issued by Mr Fallon June 23, he mentioned that “on May 7, 2016 I was interviewed on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme,” and “during that interview I described you as a supporter of Daesh/Islamic State – something that is entirely untrue.” He explained that “when I did this I knew that it had been said on a BBC Television programme some weeks earlier but I was unaware that the BBC had corrected that statement and had apologised to you. Had I known of that correction and apology I would not have repeated the statement.” Furthermore, he elucidated that “I was made aware of the BBC’s correction and apology a few hours after the broadcast and immediately issued a statement in an effort to put the record straight. I issued a further statement to the same effect on 11 May 2016, which included my apology to you for repeating the untrue statement.”

In his remarks, Mr Fallon also stated that “I accept that you are entirely opposed to Daesh/Islamic State, that you regard it as incompatible with your religious and moral beliefs, and that you have spoken out publicly against it,” adding that “I repeat my apology for the error that I made and for the distress that it caused to you and your family. In recognition of that distress I have agreed to make a payment of compensation and to meet your reasonable legal costs.”