Kitchener-Waterloo Record, Ontario, Canada, Sunday February 13, 1993

Australia bans Nazi apologist

CANBERRA (CP) - The Australian government has banned a visit by a British historian who was kicked out of Canada last November.

The Immigration Department said Friday it has refused a visitor's visa to David Irving, a revisionist historian and Nazi apologist who has links with far-rightist political groups. Irving's Australian publisher said the author planned to tour Australia in March and April.

"We are not very happy about the decision," said Murray Pope, manager of Veritas Publishing. "Freedom of speech is being pushed under the carpet."

He said an Immigration Department letter said the visa application was refused because Irving would be "likely to become involved in activities disruptive to, or violence threatening harm to, the Australian community."

Pope said Irving is appealing a Canadian government decision to ban him from entering Canada, as well as a similar one by the German government.

The ban was applauded by Australian Jewish groups.

"It is a very right decision, we should not be showing tolerance to intolerance," Council of Australian Jewry executive vice-president Jeremy Jones said.