Parish at war over 'anti-Islam' booklet written by local doctor

THE community of the most northerly parish on the Shetland mainland has been left bitterly divided over the suspension of a local doctor who distributed a controversial religious pamphlet to his patients which critics claim is highly offensive to Muslims.

Dr Mick Russon, who has been an associate GP at the Hillswick health centre since 2004, was suspended by the Shetland Health Board after he sent out a 46-page booklet, entitled Proclamation, to more than 200 people in the parish of Northmavine. The health authority took the disciplinary action after receiving a complaint from a member of the public. His case has now been referred to the General Medical Council.

The pamphlet makes no direct reference to the Islamic faith, but critics claim that Dr Russon's repeated references to a "Babylonian Moon God" and Satan are a thinly veiled attack on Allah and that he is asserting that Islam is Satanic.

Dr Russon states in the pamphlet: "Satan is the Babylonian Moon God; a cult that has become probably the most oppressive of women throughout time.

"There are probably more people worshipping the Moon God at this moment in time than at any previous time in the history of mankind; it is probable that most who follow him do so out of fear and not reverence.

"As each successive world empire has reached its height, it is largely the conflict between politics and finance that brings it down. We have seen this only too well in recent days, when the buildings that represented the centre of global trade were destroyed by those who carry the symbols of the Babylonian Moon God. I of course refer to the events now universally referred to as 9/11."

The publication of the pamphlet has prompted a furious debate on the Northmavine community website, with one blogger claiming that the pamphlet is "creepy and offensive" and another asserting that the pamphlet is "offensively close to inciting religious hatred". But community leaders defended the doctor and called for his reinstatement.

John Alex Cromarty, the chairman of Northmavine Community Council, said: "There are some people who are quite outraged, others who are not bothered at all and a few who may be in favour. Most people are not particularly concerned."

Residents, he said, were more concerned about the effect that Dr Russon's suspension was having on the practice.

Another leading member of the community council, who did not wish to be named, said: "He has the backing of most people in the community and is a very popular doctor. He is entitled to profess his religious views, provided it doesn't interfere with his work as a doctor."

Dr Russon, who attended a Pentecostal church before moving to Shetland and is now a member of the Church of Scotland kirk in Hillswick, could not be contacted yesterday to comment.

But he told the Shetland Times in an earlier interview that the pamphlet had been written to "inform people of my beliefs" and "to try to enlighten people in my parish" in the run-up to Christmas.

Dr Russon added: "It's supposedly a free country and I felt I had a right, obviously misguidedly, to do what I did. I don't regret doing what I did but I regret that I didn't have the opportunity to explain to them [people who were upset] and perhaps apologise."

Ken Graham, the medical director of Shetland Health Board, said: "It's an internal affair and we are making an investigation at present which is ongoing."