ABSTRACT
The term, ‘preachers of hate’, has become associated with the extremist views of a number of high-profile individuals in Western Europe who have delivered messages to their followers which are said to have inspired violence in a minority of their followers. One prominent exponent is Abu Hamza, whose curriculum vitae includes a conviction for incitement to murder in the UK, 1 protracted extradition proceedings, 2 and latterly his conviction in a US Federal court for involvement in terrorism. 3 On a global perspective, these preachers of hate are not confined to those with long beards who seek to peddle a particular brand of jihadi rhetoric. In March 2014, Fred Phelps, of the Westboro Baptist Church, died after a long career of infusing his family and followers with rabid and hateful views about a variety of social and political issues. 4 But Western states have mainly concentrated on the expression of jihadi extremism as being the most threatening, hoping that the likes of Phelps and other fascists will turn out to be less inclined or competent at violence, even though there are instances such as the killing in 2011 of 77 Norwegians by Anders Breivik that prove otherwise. 5
