Muslim Group Cancels Protest Outside Royal Wedding

April 27, 2011 — -- A radical Muslim group that had threatened to turn the Royal Wedding into a "nightmare" with a protest outside Westminster Abbey on April 29 now says it has canceled the demonstration because the threat of an "imminent" terror attack on the ceremony is too great.

In a press conference at Westminster Abbey Wednesday and in a statement on its website, Muslims Against Crusades said it does not support an attack on the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, but believes there is a high risk of violence because of Britain's military role in Iraq and Afghanistan, and advises Muslims in the U.K. to boycott the celebrations and avoid all public transport on the day of the wedding.

"Careful plans were laid out," said the group in its online statement, "in order to inflict maximum damage both to the reputation of the Crusader and Nazi Prince William as well as Queen Elizabeth II and the British government in general. Unfortunately, it is has recently come to our attention ... that the threat of an imminent attack against those attending the royal wedding on 29th April 2011, is too strong to substantiate the presence of any Muslims within the locality."

"In line with the very real possibility of a large scale attack on British soil," continued the statement, "we are left with no other alternative but to cancel the planned demonstration on 29th April 2011." The statement laid the blame for the terror threat on U.K. foreign policy, and said "Muslims cannot be held responsible for any carnage caused in reaction to such unwarranted oppression."

Anjem Choudary, a radical Muslim activist and leader of the now-banned group Islam4UK, has been linked to Muslims Against Crusades and has coordinated anti-American demonstrations with them in the past, according to both groups' websites. In an interview broadcast Friday on "Brian Ross Investigates," he said the royal wedding would "certainly be a target for those who want to cause havoc in Britain," including Al Qaeda.

WATCH: Choudary on Royal Wedding Terror Threat

READ: Britain's Security Blanket for Royal Wedding Terror Triple Threat

Top Al Qaeda operatives Ayman al-Zawahiri and Anwar al-Awlaki, said Choudary, are "actively encouraging people to carry out [do-it-yourself] operations]" similar to the attempted attack by alleged 'Underwear Bomber' Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab on a Christmas Day flight from Amsterdam to Detroit in 2009.

"There's nothing really which is outside of the realm of a possible attack, from biological to nuclear to very high profile events like 9/11," said Choudary. "So I think it's a case of all-out war."

While the Royal Wedding "is certainly a target for those people who want to cause havoc in Britain," Choudary said as a Muslim residing in Britain he lives "under a covenant of security" and as such is "not allowed to carry out such an operation." However, while he stopped short of supporting a violent attack by those living outside Britain, he did say, "I do believe that a Muslim, whenever he is being attacked, or whenever his land is being occupied, or whenever his honor is being violated, he has a divine duty to defend himself."

In a statement on the website explaining the rationale for the now-cancelled demonstration, the group cited "continued interference in Muslim lands" and called on Prince William to "withdraw from the crusader British military," promising a "nightmare" on his wedding day should he refuse. Prince William pilots a search-and-rescue helicopter in the Royal Air Force.

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