A controversial Moroccan imam who had been invited to speak at a conference in Amsterdam on December 23, has failed to apply for a visa, the Telegraaf reports.

The invitation to Mohamed al-Maghraoui had been condemned by politicians and community groups because of his belief that it is acceptable for girls to marry at the age of nine.
Foreign minister Uri Rosenthal told MPs on Monday that the imam had not yet applied for a visa and time-wise it would be now impossible to process one. In addition, there are grounds to refuse him a visa if he did apply, Rosenthal is quoted as saying.