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Evangelicals accuse Blunkett of terror slur
By Jonathan Petre, Religion Correspondent
THE TELEGRAPH
9/07/2004
Evangelical Christians yesterday demanded that David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, withdraw "outrageous" comments that appeared to equate them with terrorists.
Mr Blunkett said on Wednesday that a new law to criminalise the inciting of religious hatred would apply to far-Right evangelicals as much as to Islamist extremists who preached violence against other religions.
He said that society needed to take on those who "would take our lives because they would reject our faith".
A number of evangelicals complained yesterday that his comments implied that they had been stirring up hatred of non-Christians.
Colin Hart, the director of the Christian Institute, a conservative pressure group, said: "To equate evangelicals with terrorists is an outrage."
The Home Office said that Mr Hart's accusations were "mischievous at best. This law will benefit Christians who for the first time will receive protection from attack or hatred based on their religion".
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