Story perspectives

Archbishop Withdraws Hubert Walter Award After Bin Laden Praise

By Drooid · Sep 19, 2026, 2:21 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Mullally Withdraws Award

Archbishop Sarah Mullally withdrew the Hubert Walter Award from cleric Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi.
The award had been presented on 11 September 2026, the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
Lambeth Palace said the withdrawal followed resurfaced 2007 remarks in which Ashrafi praised Osama bin Laden.
Ashrafi’s spokesperson claimed the comments were taken out of context and not an endorsement.

Summary

Archbishop Rejects Medal

The Archbishop draped the interfaith medal over Ashrafi’s wife after he refused to wear it, calling women “unclean.”
Dame Sarah Mullally presented the award for the first time at Lambeth Palace.
Nick Timothy, shadow justice secretary, condemned the decision as “staggering naivety.”
Survivor Travis Frain called the honor a “grave misjudgment” because the cleric praised Bin Laden.
GB News aired Andy Jones’s critique, labeling the award “horrifying” and “obscene.”

History

Historical Context

After the September 2001 attacks that killed 2,977 people, hate crimes against Muslims rose 1,600 % and interfaith initiatives—from the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (2005) to dozens of new NGOs—sought to rebuild trust. The Church of England’s 2026 withdrawal of the Hubert Walter Award by Archbishop Sarah Mullally reflects ongoing pressure to tighten vetting and preserve that post-9/11 interfaith momentum.

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Mullally Withdraws Award

Archbishop Sarah Mullally withdrew the Hubert Walter Award from cleric Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi.
The award had been presented on 11 September 2026, the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
Lambeth Palace said the withdrawal followed resurfaced 2007 remarks in which Ashrafi praised Osama bin Laden.
Ashrafi’s spokesperson claimed the comments were taken out of context and not an endorsement.

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