British authorities are trying to make it difficult for foreign extremists to get into the country, or to stay if they already are there. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith announced new rules this week requiring people who have espoused extremism to retract their words and publicly endorse democracy.

The policy sets a seemingly insurmountable bar for admission for people like Omar Bakri Mohammed, one of 230 people kicked out of the country or prohibited from coming in since 2005, and Yusuf al-Qaradawi, a Muslim Brotherhood affiliated preacher banned from returning to the UK earlier this year.

The rules apply to all political stripes, London's Telegraph newspaper reports, including fringe elements in the anti-abortion and animal rights movements. In essence, anyone with past statements attributed to them advocating violence or other illegal activity will have to prove they didn't make the statement or rescind their words.

It won't be a panacea, but it could help the UK from further becoming a European haven for radicals.