London: Britain has warned its citizens against travelling to holy sites in Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh following a recent statement issued by a Muslim cleric against UK and two other countries in the wake of attacks by US-led allied forces on Najaf and Karbala in Iraq.

In a brief travel advisory issued last night (Jun 7, 2004), the Foreign Office cautioned travellers to take extra care and to consider postponing visits to holy sites in Lucknow after the Shia cleric and his followers had warned British, American and Israeli citizens to stay away.

"You should exercise caution in visiting such sites and may wish to consider postponing visits until the situation becomes clearer," the Foreign Office statement said.

The unnamed cleric and his followers issued statements in connection with the war in Iraq and attack on holy places there by US-led alliance forces. They had also displayed notices at some holy sites "banning" British, American and Israeli visitors. The sites were not identified.

Noted Shia cleric Kalbe Jawwad in Lucknow had on June 3 declared that citizens of US, Britain and Israel would not be allowed to enter the famous Imambaras in the city.

"This protest is to force the allied forces out of Iraq where they have crossed all limits of decency and have stooped to bombing the holy places, besides humiliating even the prisoners," Jawwad alleged.

The ban would continue till the allied forces were pulled out of Iraq, he said.

Imambras in Lucknow are the replicas of the holy shrines in Najaf and Karbala in Iraq, which were bombed by US forces.