LONDON -- A British court upheld Tuesday the government's right to ban controversial U.S. black Muslim leader Louis Farrakhan from entering the country.

In the latest twist to a long-running legal tussle, the court of appeal ruled that Home Secretary David Blunkett could decide who has the right to enter Britain.

Citing Farrakhan's "notorious opinions" and the delicate current state of race and community relations in Britain, the court threw out a previous ruling that had overturned a 15-year ban on Farrakhan's presence here.

"I am very relieved that the view taken by successive home secretaries has been vindicated and the home secretary's right to exclude someone from the country whose presence is not conducive to good public order has been upheld," Blunkett said in remarks relayed to AFP by a home office spokesman.

"This has been a long haul, but I am pleased with Today's ruling which makes clear that the home secretary is both best placed and democratically accountable for these decisions," the home secretary added.

Farrakhan heads the primarily African-American Nation of Islam Group, and is known for his statements denouncing Jews and Whites.

He has been excluded from Britain since 1986 on the basis that his outspoken views could threaten community relations.