Archbishop of Canterbury Revokes Award After Cleric’s Praise for Bin Laden

Archbishop revokes award given to cleric who praised Osama bin Laden. Details on the controversy and backlash.

September 18, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — London, United Kingdom — The Archbishop of Canterbury has rescinded an interfaith honor awarded to a Muslim cleric following revelations about his past remarks supporting al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

The decision came after public outcry over Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi’s prior statement expressing support for the 9/11 mastermind. The Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation was originally presented by Dame Sarah Mullally last Friday, marking the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks.

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The office of the Archbishop of Canterbury confirmed the revocation on Thursday, citing the cleric’s controversial past statements as the reason for the action. The move reflects growing scrutiny over figures associated with extremist ideologies, even when their current activities appear to align with interfaith dialogue.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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