British mosque leader praises religious extremist killer who was hanged for murdering politician

Imam Habib Ur Rehman of the Glasgow Central Mosque

The leader of one of Britain's biggest mosques has voiced his praise for a religious extremist who was executed for murdering a politician.

Imam Maulana Habib Ur Rehman of the Glasgow Central Mosque - the largest in Scotland - supported killer Mumtaz Qadri in a series of WhatsApp messages.

Qadri was hanged in Pakistan in February after he gunned down a politician who opposed the country's strict blasphemy laws.

The messages, seen by the BBC, detail how the Imam was "disturbed" to hear of his death and gave him the religious blessing usually reserved for devout Muslims.

Imam Maulana Habib Ur Rehman said he is "disturbed" and "upset", before writing "rahmatullahi alai", meaning may God's mercy be upon him.

Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri

In another message, he wrote: "I cannot hide my pain today. A true Muslim was punished for doing which [sic] the collective will of the nation failed to carry out."

The imam claimed the messages were taken out of context and that he was expressing his opposition to capital punishment.

He told the BBC: "The assassination of Salman Taseer is widely condemned.

"Whether I agree or disagree with the views he expressed, as an Imam and as a human being I express abhorrence at the manner in which he was executed.

"The execution was not in accordance with Islamic teachings and principles."

Mumtaz Qadri at his funeral after he was hanged for murder

Qadri killed Salman Taseer, the governor of Punjab, Pakistan, after the politician voiced his criticism for the blasphemy law.

The extremist was working as a bodyguard for Mr Taseer when he pulled out a gun and shot him nine times.

Later, he reportedly said he was "proud" to have killed a "blasphemer".

More than 100,000 people attended his funeral last month.