A UK-based Muslim TV channel is facing an Ofcom investigation after it was accused of inciting extremism and breaching rules on impartiality.

The free-to-air Islam Channel, which operates out of London, is facing claims they have praised violent Islamist movements, encouraged hostility against the West and portrayed terrorism with sympathy.

In complaints submitted to the broadcasting regulator, the channel has also been accused of comparing Israel to the Nazi regime, giving airtime to extremists and broadcasting misinformation.

It has also been said to have, on multiple occasions, praised the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, which saw around 1,200 people killed.

The channel, which was founded in 2004 by Tunisian activist Mohamed Ali Harrath, has roughly two million daily viewers and is said to be watched by 60 per cent of British Muslims.

And they could be penalised if Ofcom finds them to have breached their broadcasting code.

The report was submitted to the regulator by the Director of the Oxford Institute for British Islam, Dr Taj Hargey.

Dr Hargey is seen as a leading thinker in the field of British Islam, and has criticised the channel for broadcasting impartially, using examples between November 2024 and January 2025.

The free-to-air Islam Channel, which operates out of London , is facing claims they have glorified violent Islamist movements, encouraged hostility against the West and portrayed terrorist causes with sympathy

The complaint was submitted to the Ofcom by the Director of the Oxford Institute for British Islam, Dr Taj Hargey (pictured), who says the channel was broadcasting impartially between November 2024 and January 2025

The channel could be penalised if Ofcom finds them to have breached their broadcasting code

In his letter of complaint to Ofcom, he wrote: ‘The station’s persistent lack of impartiality, spread of harmful rhetoric, and engagement in political advocacy appear to directly contravene the principles set out in the Broadcasting Code.’ 

He also said the channel portrayed Islam as being under attack from an authoritarian West and presents Hamas, Iran and Islamist Jihadi groups as ‘resistance’ movements to this.

In one of the criticisms of failing to disclose key information in its broadcasts, Dr Hargey said Islam Channel’s coverage of Southport killer Axel Rudakubana’s sentencing did not disclose that he was in possession of an Al-Qaeda training manual.

However, the sentencing was reportedly used as an example to attack the UK government’s counter-terrorism programme, Prevent.

The channel, which claims to be the only broadcaster telling the truth about the war in Gaza and won two British Muslim Awards in 2014 and 2015, was also said to have consistently failed to include pro-Israel commentators in its coverage of the war.

Dr Hargey said the channel championing terrorists was an example of a serious breach of the broadcasting code which requires channels not to cause harm or undue offence or incite crime, disorder or violence.

In one example, he said Aafia Siddiqui, who has links to Al-Qaeda and attempted to kill US officers, was portrayed as an victim of the ‘War on Islam’, in a documentary broadcast in January.

The channel’s is also facing claims it has broadcast anti-Israel hate speeches, including one by Ismail Patel, an organiser of recent pro-Palestine marches, who accused Israel of being ‘a violent racist colonialist enterprise’.

The channel, which claims to be the only broadcaster telling the truth about the war in Gaza and won two British Muslim Awards in 2014 and 2015, was also said to have consistently failed to include pro-Israel commentators in its coverage of the war

The channel was founded in 2004 by Tunisian activist Mohamed Ali Harrath (pictured) and has roughly two million daily viewers; it is also said to be watched by 60 per cent of British Muslims

Mr Harrath, who founded the channel, was granted refugee status by the UK in 2000 after fleeing Tunisia where he had led the Tunisian Islamic Front, which allegedly has ties to terrorism.

The now-businessman was arrested in South Africa on terrorism charges in 2010 after being added to Interpol’s Red Notice list but he was later released without charge.

In a broadcast last Christmas, Mr Harrath compared the treatment of Muslims in Britain to how Jews were treated under Adolf Hitler’s leadership in Nazi Germany.

But his channel has been sanctioned by Ofcom in the past for ‘serious and repeated’ breaches of the broadcasting code.

In 2007, Islam Channel were fined £30,000 for having Yvonne Ridley – who converted to Islam in 2003 – front their news programmes while she was up for local election.

In a broadcast last Christmas, Mr Harrath compared the treatment of Muslims in Britain to how Jews were treated under Adolf Hitler’s leadership in Nazi Germany

In November 2010, the channel was condemned by Ofcom for allowing presenters to support marital rape and domestic abuse.

In September 2023, the regulator also found that one of it’s documentaries broadcast antisemitic hate speech against Jews.

Dr Hargey told The Telegraph: ‘Islam Channel epitomises hideous Islamic fundamentalism in the UK. It purports to represent British Muslims, but its sectarian ideology is nothing but an insidious initiative to mainstream Muslim extremism and fanaticism in this country.

‘It revels in their ‘them and us’ narrative, inhibiting any effective social cohesion. Ofcom needs to take decisive action to mitigate the channel’s incendiary language and partisan guests who do not subscribe to traditional British values.’

An Ofcom spokesperson said: ‘We are assessing the complaints against our rules, but are yet to decide whether or not to investigate.’

MailOnline has approached Islam Channel for comment.