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Last update - 14:14 09/02/2009
Senior U.K. diplomat said arrested over anti-Semitic tirade
By Haaretz Service
Tags: Anti Semitism, Jewish World 

A senior diplomat in the British Foreign Office has been arrested for inciting religious hatred after he launched into an anti-Semitic tirade at a London gym, the Daily Mail reported on Monday.

Witnesses told the British newspaper they heard diplomat Rowan Laxton shouting "f**king Israelis, f**king Jews" while watching a TV report of Israel Defense Forces operations in Gaza from the seat of an exercise bike.

H
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e also reportedly shouted that IDF soldiers should be "wiped off the face of the Earth."


The Daily Mail said Laxton continued the tirade even after he was approached by other gym users.

A complaint was later filed to police and Laxton was arrested and charged with inciting religious hatred, which carries a maximum seven-year prison term. He has since been released on bail.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said in response to a query by Haaretz that, "We are aware that a complaint has been made to the Police about an alleged incident involving a member of our staff.

"The alleged incident was not in the course of his official duties. It is not appropriate to comment further until the Police have finished their enquiries."

Laxton is in charge of the South Asia Group at the Foreign office, where he is in charge of United Kingdom diplomacy for the region, according to the Daily Mail. His boss, Foreign Secretary David Miliband, is Jewish.

Laxton, who married a Muslim woman in 2000 and has lived in both Pakistan and Afghanistan, is considered an expert on the Middle East.

The British newspaper quotes Mark Gardner, deputy director of the Community Security Trust, a group that monitors anti-Semitism, as saying: "This alleged case is particularly shocking, given the position held by the civil servant in question."

The Daily Mail said that in response to a query on Monday, Laxton denied that his comments were anti-Semitic, but dodged answering whether they were anti-Israel.

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      1.   UK Diplomat- the norm ! 11:48  |  DT 09/02/09
      2.   F**king Laxton! 11:48  |  Steve 09/02/09
      3.   public servant 12:02  |  miguel 09/02/09
      4.   How much more will have to happen before we realise... 12:24  |  Dan 09/02/09
      5.   # 1 dt 12:28  |  Axel 09/02/09
      6.   The only thing f***ked ... 12:30  |  MarkC 09/02/09
      7.   Say What? 12:38  |  Hans 09/02/09
      8.   Laxton speaks for Britain 12:43  |  BDS 09/02/09
      9.   Well said that man! 13:06  |  esqueleto 09/02/09
      10.   why blame Laxton? 13:15  |  Andrew 09/02/09
      11.   abusive law in England 13:17  |  TimothyL 09/02/09
      12.   He shouldn`t have said fucking jews 13:23  |  Chris Linthwaite 09/02/09
      13.   anger at IDF slaughter 13:24  |  naomi 09/02/09
      14.   They should arrest a couple of billions 13:26  |  roy 09/02/09
      15.   # 4 dan 13:31  |  Axel 09/02/09
      16.   Say What # 9? 13:38  |  Hans 09/02/09
      17.   anti semitic tirade 13:43  |  Eric 09/02/09
      18.   being anti israeli 13:47  |  Joe 09/02/09
      19.   One Down, 50,000 to Go 13:50  |  Michael 09/02/09
      20.   Anyone arresting the `death to Arabs` crew in Israel? 13:52  |  Michael 09/02/09
      21.   #8 Indeed it shows how anti semitic the UK is 13:57  |  arthur 09/02/09
      22.   To Axel No 5. Milliband is a politician not a civil servant 13:59  |  richelle 09/02/09
      23.   #5 Axel 13:59  |  Joe W 09/02/09
      24.   The Undiplomatic Diplomat... 14:00  |  Michael J 09/02/09
      25.   Axel No. 5 UK foreign office officials are civil servants 14:01  |  richelle 09/02/09
      26.   Come on 14:03  |  spaceknife 09/02/09
      27.   #8 BDS "married to a Muslim woman" 14:06  |  Lynn 09/02/09
      28.   To number 1 14:06  |  Canadian 09/02/09
      29.   Potty-mouthed politicians revered by vulgar-minded humans! Ugggh! 14:06  |  Tim 09/02/09
      30.   Anger 14:11  |  J. Silence 09/02/09
      31.   Excellent opportunity for England to look in the mirror 14:20  |  dnh 09/02/09
      32.   Hardly top news but, still, it`s unacceptable. 14:22  |  Johnboy 09/02/09
      33.   How Israel is viewed 14:35  |  Masterman 09/02/09
      34.   anti-Jews are a dime a dozen nowadays 14:46  |  Avi 09/02/09
      35.   being anti israeli is not being ant semite 14:47  |  George 09/02/09
      36.   Thatcher vs Laxton UK double standards 14:54  |  GSW 09/02/09
      37.   The point is he`s a diplomat 14:57  |  sh 09/02/09
      38.   #9 esqueleto 15:01  |  Axel (the original) 09/02/09
      39.   #4 Dan 15:03  |  BDS 09/02/09
      40.   LAXTON THE F.O.SHISTER. 15:10  |  DANNY 09/02/09
      41.   i understand.... 15:21  |  isaac 09/02/09
      42.   Rock on Israel! 15:24  |  Larry 09/02/09
      43.   Spaceknife in Quebec 15:26  |  Charlie 09/02/09
      44.   Anyone arresting the `death to Arabs` crew in Israel? 15:29  |  Voice of Reason 09/02/09
      45.   A typical Brit 15:30  |  Ben 09/02/09
      46.   If the truth be told... 15:31  |  Avrum 09/02/09
      47.   To Michael from UK 15:33  |  Perfidious Albion 09/02/09
      48.   War crimes 15:36  |  Alun 09/02/09
      49.   Partial list of the risk factors for the mental defect called 15:37  |  17 09/02/09
      50.   Not surprised at all 17:13  |  Steve 09/02/09
      51.   Linthwaite #12/Laxton 17:13  |  Louis Fried 09/02/09
      52.   Response to George in glasgow 17:14  |  David 09/02/09
      53.   Those were words not bombs! 17:16  |  Reuben 09/02/09
      54.   British Civil Service 17:23  |  Iamashamed 09/02/09
      55.   How far can you go? 17:25  |  Rohan 09/02/09
      56.   anti israeli 17:32  |  Paolo 09/02/09
      57.   #42 Larry 17:34  |  Axel (the original) 09/02/09
      58.   LOL.. No freedom of speech No? Wha about Mohammed cartoon? 17:40  |  Adam H 09/02/09
      59.   He made a MISTAKe..He should have said.. 17:41  |  HERMAN 09/02/09
      60.   Alun, you are really a hypocrite 17:59  |  DavidAK 09/02/09
      61.   Flip side of Lieberman 18:02  |  W 09/02/09
      62.   To #9 18:03  |  Liat 09/02/09
      63.   Esquelito You did your bit in the 1400`s now shaddap. 18:03  |  Big SUR 09/02/09
      64.   No freedom of speech? 18:03  |  MIKE 09/02/09
      65.   # 4 ... before you realise ... 19:27  |  peace 09/02/09
      66.   Private - public utterances 21:01  |  Colin 09/02/09
      67.   so-called ME expert HORROR 21:01  |  so-called ME expert 09/02/09
      68.   U.K. diplomat reveals historical deep seated British diplomatic 00:11  |  from a f**king Jew 10/02/09
      69.   #68 f**king Jew, thx for the info 02:36  |  Mark B. 10/02/09
      70.   Haaretz should be closed for its anti-Haredi tirades 02:39  |  David 10/02/09
      71.   Decent Jews Should Follow his Chorus and Say F**king Israelis! 02:43  |  Monitor 10/02/09
      72.   fascist 02:45  |  Truth 10/02/09
      73.   DELETED BY MODERATOR 02:47  |  Nick Ferriman 10/02/09
      74.   RE Peace 02:58  |  shlomog 10/02/09
      75.   Anger at IDF Slaughter 03:12  |  L Parker 10/02/09
      76.   How Israel is Viewed 03:13  |  L Parker 10/02/09
      77.   Racism? 03:16  |  simon 10/02/09
      78.   Laxton et al 03:19  |  Lou L. 10/02/09
      79.   Nick: You`ve been chewing on too much 03:43  |  Brad 10/02/09
      80.   UK Law? 03:55  |  Dan Kosokoff 10/02/09
      81.   Now we can expect him to be promoted to Foreign Minister 04:33  |  Murray of Montreal 10/02/09
      82.   F**k The Jews, 04:39  |  James Baker 10/02/09
      83.   Monitor 05:09  |  Janice 10/02/09
      84.   George Glasgow 06:02  |  Brad 10/02/09
      85.   Monitor: Follow Up 06:06  |  Brad 10/02/09
      86.   score 1 for the thought police 06:23  |  ayboday 10/02/09
      87.   Chris: Stop Smoking Yourself Out 06:46  |  Brad 10/02/09
      88.   Shouldn`t be arrested, just fired from govt job 06:48  |  Voice of Reason 10/02/09
      89.   Truth 06:50  |  Brad 10/02/09
      90.   Freedom of Expression FOR ALL 06:55  |  Grenville 10/02/09
      91.   Saying his mind. Moved by the atrocities. Conciounsous 07:08  |  American 10/02/09
      92.   #68 a f**king Jew -"U.K. diplomat reveals .... 07:08  |  self-hating Jew 10/02/09
      93.   #20 07:24  |  David 10/02/09
      94.   Timothy L 07:38  |  Brad 10/02/09
      95.   esqueleto, I wish you to be what your name is 07:38  |  charro 10/02/09
      96.   the Distinction between Israel & Jews: Naomi 07:40  |  Brad 10/02/09
      97.   Londistan , you are all loosers 07:43  |  charro 10/02/09
      98.   # 79 Brad 09:45  |  Nick Ferriman 10/02/09
      99.   # 50 Steve 10:01  |  Nick Ferriman 10/02/09
      100.   "TRUTH" Descendents of pigs and monkeys are well aware 10:04  |  PETER SM 10/02/09
      101.   it`s funny! 10:21  |  ken_tau 10/02/09
      102.   He is not alone 10:21  |  Dav 10/02/09
      103.   # 25 Richelle 10:23  |  Nick Ferriman 10/02/09
      104.   To esqueleto #9 10:41  |  S 10/02/09
      105.   #20 the Mick from GRATEbrittin who "understands" chants 10:42  |  Ari ben Yisrael 10/02/09
      106.   No Monitor 11:14  |  JohnnyBoy 10/02/09
      107.   we are thinking the same 11:36  |  katya 10/02/09
      108.   He will get a lot of support 11:45  |  Keith T. 10/02/09
      109.   in UK they have no respect for freedom 11:49  |  marina 10/02/09
      110.   seeing injustice brings out the worst 12:04  |  Faizah 10/02/09
      111.   # 79 Brad 12:17  |  Nick Ferriman 10/02/09
      112.   TRUTH Fascist is the Hamas charter and their media 12:22  |  PETER SM 10/02/09
      113.   To the moderator 12:24  |  Nick Ferriman 10/02/09
      114.   Truth prevails 12:26  |  Ashey 10/02/09
      115.   EU freedom of Speech?? Tell Geert Wilders(Fitna)& Bridgit Bardot 12:29  |  PETER SM 10/02/09
      116.   FERRIMAN your post was a farrago of hyperbole 13:43  |  PETER SM 10/02/09
      117.   It`s mathematical 13:52  |  Avigdor 10/02/09
      118.   #110 PETER AMEN! Bravo! Excellent 14:02  |  Petra 10/02/09
      119.   # 75 L. Parker another bigot 14:07  |  petra 10/02/09
      120.   #87 Brad of Canada 14:43  |  Chris Linthwaite 10/02/09
      121.   ANTI IDF TIRADE PART 2 15:02  |  ENOUGHISENOUGH 10/02/09
      122.   # 68 a f**king Jew 15:08  |  American in NY 10/02/09
      123.   BDS # 8 & Laxton cheerleaders 16:52  |  THK 10/02/09
      124.   what he said 17:03  |  nick 10/02/09
      125.   # 116 Peter SM 17:17  |  Nick Ferriman 10/02/09
      126.   Anti-Israeli NOT Anti-Jew ? 18:07  |  Petras Vilson 10/02/09
      127.   response to UK dimplomat- the norm 18:29  |  Jamie 10/02/09
      128.   no joe #18 we Jews have found that when you scratch the surface 19:00  |  Steve-NYC 10/02/09
      129.   No love 19:05  |  Anthony 10/02/09
      130.   Re #103 the Foreign Office, democracy 19:11  |  DJStahl 10/02/09
      131.   arabists in the fco 01:12  |  honey bunch 11/02/09
      132.   thought crime 1984 03:05  |  NadePauKucinicGrave 11/02/09
      133.   #27 Hey Cupcake, Lynn, speaking of bias 07:07  |  ballistic 11/02/09
      134.   Australian and British Criticism Is an Absolute Joke 08:14  |  Eric 11/02/09
      135.   #125 (Ferriman) re #116 (Peter SM) part 1 08:34  |  AJ 11/02/09
      136.   #125 (Ferriman) re #116 (Peter SM) part 2 08:56  |  AJ 11/02/09
      137.   #125 (Ferriman) re #116 (Peter SM) part 3 09:11  |  AJ 11/02/09
      138.   Laxton 09:11  |  Jacky 11/02/09
      139.   Uk-Diplomat 10:12  |  Alt 11/02/09
      140.   Israel`s brutality... 10:27  |  Clickfool 11/02/09
      141.   NO there is space for Jews!!! 10:38  |  Khan 11/02/09
      142.   Lazy, ,therefore ignorant thinking 10:42  |  DollyMop 11/02/09
      143.   Condemn Laxton 11:16  |  kal 11/02/09
      144.   Masterman and other deluded Jews 11:41  |  Israeli 11/02/09
      145.   George 11:46  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 11/02/09
      146.   # 137 AJ 11:48  |  Nick Ferriman 11/02/09
      147.   # 142 Dollymop 11:56  |  Nick Ferriman 11/02/09
      148.   Absurd - double standards 14:21  |  Hanoman 11/02/09
      149.   UK diplomat 17:57  |  Pamela 11/02/09
      150.   BDS 18:06  |  Pamela 11/02/09
      151.   Luckily You Don`t Have Such Laws In Israel 18:11  |  Nite Owl 11/02/09
      152.   Esqueleto Madrid 18:14  |  Pamela 11/02/09
      153.   What happened to freedom of speech? 18:21  |  Thomas Bergman 11/02/09
      154.   Naomi 18:28  |  Pamela 11/02/09
      155.   Re #146 Ferriman confirms the Bible! (2/2) 18:34  |  DJStahl 11/02/09
      156.   Michael UK 18:51  |  Pamela 11/02/09
      157.   Re #125 Ferriman`s omissions about terror 21:03  |  DJStahl 11/02/09
      158.   Re #99, #103 Ferriman`s Bizarro-World view of UK in Middle East 21:15  |  DJStahl 11/02/09
      159.   Anti-Semitism 21:51  |  Josep 12/02/09
      160.   Josep, look up "anti-Semitic" in Collins. And tell us abt Andorra 06:34  |  DJStahl 13/02/09
      161.   # 157 DJStahl 07:37  |  Nick Ferriman 13/02/09
      162.   Petras` Israelis living in a fancy bubble 20:39  |  Dago 19/02/09
      163.   What Are You Saying? 12:41  |  Xtina 23/05/09
      164.   Right On, DJ Stahl 12:46  |  Xtina 23/05/09
      165.   How jews talk of arabs? 08:07  |  JonathanP 09/06/09
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