Muslim MP Ashraf Choudhary will not condemn the traditional Koran punishment of stoning to death homosexuals

Ruth Berry:

Muslim MP Ashraf Choudhary will not condemn the traditional Koran punishment of stoning to death some homosexuals and people who have extra-marital affairs.

But the Labour MP - who has struggled with his "role" as the sole parliamentary representative of the local Muslim community - is not advocating the practice here.

Mr Choudhary once again found himself between a rock and a hard place on questions of Islam when he appeared on TV3's 60 Minutes programme last night.

It was examining warnings about extreme fundamentalism within New Zealand's Islamic community.

Mr Choudhary was asked: "Are you saying the Koran is wrong to recommend that gays in certain circumstances be stoned to death?"

He replied: " No, no. Certainly what the Koran says is correct.

"In those societies, not here in New Zealand," he added.

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