Imam's son embraces rap

2006-02-28 08:06

London - The son of jailed radical Islamist imam Abu Hamza al-Masri is embracing rap music to sing the praises of Hezbollah and Hamas, the Sun newspaper reported on Tuesday.

The best-selling daily said it sent reporters under cover to meet Mohammed Kamel Mostafa - who goes by stage name Al-Ansary in the rap duo Lionz of Da Dezert - in a recording studio in north London.

"I want to put out an album for the mainstream market, then make a CD featuring hardcore lyrics," the British-born 24-year-old was quoted as saying, adding that he can "easily make more than a million" pounds.

In one of his songs, The Sun said, Mostafa raps: "I was born to be a soldier/Kalashnikov in my shoulder/peace to Hamasa and Hezbollah/that's the way of the lord Allah ... we're jihad through/defend my religion with the holy sword".

Hamza, 47, best known as the hook-handed imam of Finsbury Park mosque in north London, was sentenced on February 7 to seven years in prison after he was found guilty in London of incitement of racial hatred and soliciting murder.

- AFP