This is a cross-post from Howie’s Corner
There was an unexpected news item in The Times this morning which reported that:
The leader of of the British National Party, Nick Griffin, has travelled to Lebanon to the dismay of observers in the Arab world.
The MEP announced on twitter yesterday that he had arrived in the capital of the fractured Middle Eastern state where tensions are running high over the conflict in neighbouring Syria. So far he has described Beirut as “less alien than the streets of London” and praised the militant group Hezbollah.
He went on to claim that the Syrian army (and its allies) were
doing a better job than the met dealing with the “British” jihadi cut-throats.
The visit has apparently led to claims that he is in Lebanon at the behest of Hezbollah itself as he wandered into their stronghold in the Bekaa Valley. According to The Times he has denied this but the paper reports that Simon Darby, a BNP spokesman has refused to say why his Fuhrer has turned up in Lebanon.
Since Griffin has declared himself in the past to be a “supporter of Israel” his sudden support for Hezbollah is baffling to say the least. According to The Times the BNP’s policy in the Middle East was one of “non-interference”. Go figure.
The situation has become more baffling as the Executive Magazine reports today that:
A British far-right leader is in Syria with the government, his party has confirmed. Nick Griffin, leader of the controversial British National Party, travelled to Damascus from Lebanon on Tuesday on what he described on his Twitter feed as a “fact-finding mission”.
A spokesperson for Griffin, who once said Islam was a “wicked, vicious faith,” and accused Muslims of trying to conquer Britain, said he was researching Islamic fundamentalists fighting the Syrian government.
On his Twitter feed Griffin said he was in the capital Damascus and that, despite “occasional explosions,” the country was calm.
He accused the British government, which has thrown its weight behind rebels trying to oust Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, of provoking sectarianism
The article also states somewhat astonishingly that:
The BNP spokesman confirmed he was travelling with the Syrian government and said he would be visiting other parts of Syria in the coming days.
What on earth does the Syrian Government hope to achieve by taking BNP leader Griffin around their country? Are they that desperate for friends they would seek support from an isolated neo-nazi group which is barely functioning in the UK?
Surely they must be aware of his inherent “Islamophobia”?
WTF is going on here?
Gene adds: Shades of David Duke.
Alec adds: Japan one time, Syria another.
