In Britain, Muslim cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri has been sentenced to seven years in prison for incitement of racial hatred and soliciting murder. Hamza is known for making fiery attacks on Jews, Christians, and gays, but has never been shown to have direct links to violent acts. His sentence comes days after a British court acquitted Nick Griffin, leader of the rightist British National Party, of hate speech. Griffin was recorded calling Islam a “wicked, vicious faith” that “has expanded through a handful of cranky lunatics” and “is now sweeping country after country.” Massoud Shadjareh, of the Islamic Human Rights Commission, said: “Compared with what has happened in the past few days — Nick Griffin and the (Mohammed) caricatures — [Hamza’s conviction] has increased the perception in the Muslim community that freedom of speech is selective and access to justice is not blind.”