Muslim peer’s ‘£10m to put Blair on trial’

BRITAIN’S first Muslim peer has offered to set up a £10million legal fund to bring Tony Blair before the International Court of Justice in the Hague.

It had been reported initially that Lord Ahmed of Rotherham put up the cash as a ‘bounty’ for the capture of U.S. president Barack Obama.

But a video of his speech at a reception in Pakistan last Friday suggests his remarks concerned the former prime minister as well as Mr Obama’s predecessor, George W Bush.

He is heard saying in Urdu: ‘Even if I have to beg in Haripur, Pakistan, the U.S. or Britain, even if I have to beg, I am willing to raise and offer £10million so that George W Bush and Tony Blair can be brought to the International Court of Justice on war crimes charges.’

Pakistan’s Express Tribune newspaper said the peer was responding to an American reward for the capture of a prominent Pakistani radical, Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, who has been linked to the Mumbai terror attacks of 2008.

Labour chiefs suspended Lord Ahmed on the basis of the Obama claims.

Party leader Ed Miliband said: ‘We need to know if his comments were accurate and that’s what we’re investigating.’

The peer, who was born in Pakistan, said he was shocked to hear the allegations.

He said party officials should have spoken to him before announcing the move.

Respect MP George Galloway said Labour’s decision to suspend Lord Ahmed was ‘suicide’. He suggested the peer should defect to his party.