Williams defends right to raise Islamic law

By Paul Majendie

LONDON (Reuters) - Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams defended his right to raise sensitive issues such as Islamic law in Britain but said on Monday that his handling of the matter may have been clumsy and misleading.

The spiritual leader of the world's 77 million Anglicans was cheered, applauded and given a standing ovation by fellow clerics when he opened a meeting of the Church of England's general synod in London.

Williams sparked a political and religious storm last week when he said the introduction of aspects of sharia in Britain was unavoidable. That provoked a string of tabloid headlines with the best-selling Sun launching a campaign for him to quit.

Sharia, the body of Islamic religious law based primarily on the Koran, as well as the sayings and deeds of the Prophet Mohammad, has been attacked by many in the West over its treatment of women and punishments for adultery and apostasy.

The row feeds into a broader debate on integrating the country's 1.8 million Muslims. This issue has assumed greater urgency after suicide bombings by British Muslim militants killed 52 people in London's transport system in July 2005.

Williams, seeking to clarify his position, said he was not advocating parallel systems of law.

He told the synod he took full responsibility for what he had said "and for any misleading choice of words that has helped to cause distress or misunderstanding among the public at large and especially among fellow Christians".

UNREPENTANT