Muslim Council spokesman wins payout over Mail on Sunday claims

Associated Newspapers today agreed to pay out libel damages to Inayat Bunglawala, a spokesman at the Muslim Council of Britain, over an inaccurate claim in the Mail on Sunday that he supported al-Qaida. Bunglawala sued the paper over an article published in March last year that alleged he was suspected of unlawfully stabbing a man at his home, and that he supported the controversial cleric Abu Qatada and al-Qaida. His solicitor, Stevie Loughrey, told the high court in London that his client did not support or condone the views or objectives of Abu Qatada or al-Qaida and had gone on the record many times to criticise and condemn al-Qaida. He added that the newspaper had accepted the allegations were false, apologised and agreed to pay substantial damages and Bunglawala's costs. Loughrey said Bunglawala – who was appointed to advise the government on combating extremism among young Muslims in 2005 – did not commit any criminal act in the incident in December 2008. He was forced to act in self-defence to protect himself and his family against an intruder, who it later turned out was so drunk he had no recollection of the incident, as Mail on Sunday publisher Associated Newspapers accepted. The day after the Mail on Sunday published the article, the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed it would be taking no action against Bunglawala. • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email [email protected] or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. • If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".