The Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, has rescinded an award granted to a Muslim cleric following the reemergence of past comments praising Osama bin Laden. Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi was initially honored with the Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation on September 11.

However, shortly after the award presentation, statements made by Ashrafi in 2007 surfaced, in which he reportedly expressed admiration for the former al-Qaeda leader. In response, church officials announced on Thursday that the accolade had been revoked. The statement from the church confirmed the withdrawal of the award but did not include an apology or further commentary.

The Hubert Walter Award is conferred by the Church of England to recognize significant contributions to fostering interfaith dialogue and reconciliation. The revocation underscores the sensitivity surrounding public honors and the scrutiny of past remarks in today’s sociopolitical climate.

Ashrafi is a prominent Muslim cleric known for his work in promoting interfaith harmony, but the resurfaced comments prompted renewed debate about the vetting process for such awards. The church has not elaborated on whether any steps will be taken to review its nomination procedures in light of this incident.