Manchester Central Mosque held a funeral for Munir Farooqi, a convicted terrorist and former Taliban fighter, months after Andy Burnham visited the building and praised its sense of community.
Farooqi died in prison at the end of September, aged 69. The Pakistan-born extremist was sentenced to four life terms in 2011 after being convicted of preparing terrorist acts, soliciting murder and disseminating terrorist literature.
Footage shows the mosque hosting his janazah, or Muslim funeral, on 30 September. More than 100 people are reported to have attended, including members of Farooqi’s family.
A hardline Islamist news outlet reported that his family still considered him a martyr who had died doing what he loved.
Farooqi had fought for the Taliban after the 11 September attacks before returning to Manchester, where he ran what prosecutors described as a recruitment centre. He sought to persuade British extremists to “fight, kill and die” in Afghanistan.
Mr Burnham visited Manchester Central Mosque in February, when he was mayor of the city, and shared an Iftar meal with worshippers during Ramadan.
He was accompanied by Labour MPs Debbie Abrahams and Afzal Khan, Greater Manchester mayor Bev Craig and Labour’s candidate for the Gorton and Denton by-election, which the party lost to the Greens.
During the visit, footage showed Mr Burnham praising the mosque’s “togetherness”. He said: “We’re not about allowing any room for the politics of division in Greater Manchester and creating a climate where that can advance.”
The visit came shortly after two men allegedly entered the mosque during Ramadan carrying weapons including an axe, a hammer and a knife. Both were arrested; one was charged with possessing an offensive weapon and class B drugs, while the other faced no further action.
In a statement outside the mosque at the time, Mr Burnham said people of all faiths should be able to worship without fear. He added that the authorities were working with Greater Manchester Police to strengthen security at places of worship.
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said Mr Burnham should apologise if it was true that he had attended a mosque which later held a funeral for a convicted terrorist and former Taliban fighter.
“Islamist extremism is the biggest threat facing our society, and we must do everything in our power to combat it rather than pander to those proliferating it,” Mr Philp said.
He added: “It is deeply concerning the Labour Government does not have the backbone to confront this reality.”
Downing Street and Manchester Central Mosque were approached for comment.
