Channel 4 Undercover Mosque – an apology

15 May 2008

On 8 August 2007 we published jointly with the West Midlands Police a press release relating to the Channel Four Dispatches programme "Undercover Mosque". This press release alleged that footage of the speakers shown in the programme had been so "heavily edited" and taken out of context that it had "completely distorted" their meaning. Reference was made to the CPS having been asked to consider (although advising against) instituting proceedings against those involved in making the programme for inciting racial hatred.

Following an independent investigation by the broadcasting regulator, Ofcom, we now accept that we were wrong to make these allegations. We now accept that there was no evidence that the broadcaster or programme makers had misled the audience or that the programme was likely to encourage or incite criminal activity. A review of the evidence (including untransmitted footage and scripts) by Ofcom demonstrated that the programme had accurately represented the material it had gathered and dealt with the subject matter responsibly and in context.

We accept, without reservation, the conclusions of Ofcom and apologise to the programme makers for the damage and distress caused by our original press release.