THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A millionaire Muslim businessman who has written a religious slogan on the side of his house has been told to remove it after it upset his neighbours.
Mahmood Ali, 54, fell out with residents and planners over the Arabic slogan which reads: "There is no god but Allah and Mohammed is his messenger".
He claims it is just a proclamation of his faith and he should be allowed to write whatever he wants in a free country.
But the council said it contravenes planning laws which are designed to stop people placing advertising hoardings on their homes.
The green sign, which is nearly 7ft wide and 2ft high, is across a first floor archway on his large detached house in a residential street.
It has divided neighbours and he will face a court hearing to decide whether the Islamic slogan is advertising just like a McDonalds or Marks and Spencer banner.
Mr Ali said: "The message is simply there to bless the house. "The symbols are not an advertisement in any sense of the word's use in daily life.
"I chose the sign's green colour to reflect the ambience of the property's character and its surroundings."
Mr Ali had the sign painted onto the side of his large eight-bedroom semi-detached home in Newport, South Wales. Read on and comment » | Richard Alleyne | Tuesday, January 29, 2013
