A highly controversial Muslim leader, banned from the US and Britain, will hold a five-day conference in Dublin on Islamic issues.

Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi is named by the Irish Examiner as the head of the European Council for Fatwah and Research (ECFR). He is based in Qatar and has an estimated 40 million followers. His advocates say he is a moderate.

The sheikh, aged 84, has publicly stated  in public that Israeli women, even those pregnant are legitimate targets for suicide bombers.“‘Israeli women are not like our women. Israel is a militarised society, all young people do military service, therefore they are legitimate targets’." he has been quoted as saying.

He has also professed approval for Adolf Hitler and his treatment of Jews

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“Throughout history, Allah has imposed upon the Jews people who would punish them for their corruption...The last punishment was carried out by [Adolf] Hitler. By means of all the things he did to them – even though they exaggerated this issue – he managed to put them in their place. This was divine punishment for them...Allah willing, the next time will be at the hand of the believers.
He is also violently anti-homosexual and has said it should be punishable by killing.
He has also made clear very controversial remarks on rape and domestic violence.

On wife beating he stated it was “ not obligatory nor desirable" but that he "accepts it as a method of last resort – though only lightly"

Usama Hasan, an influential  Imam in Britain where the Sheikh is banned stated  Sheikh al-Qaradawi was "massively influential and probably the number one scholar in the Arab world".
he described him as a "very complex" character and described him as a "fundamentalist, but a progressive fundamentalist".

The Dublin conference is being heavily covered  by the Arab press as it is considered a very influential body.

A recent Wikileaks document showed the US Embassy worried that the Sheikh had a major influence on Muslims in ireland