Buenos Aires  - The Catholic priest who is at the centre of a global storm of controversy over his denial of the Holocaust left Argentina Tuesday for London, local media reported.

Under pressure from the Jewish community and other groups in Argentina, the Argentina government had asked Richard Williamson to leave the country by early March or face mandatory expulsion.

Williamson, 68, refused to answer questions from an Argentine reporter and even threatened to punch him at Buenos Aires airport, television footage showed.

Earlier Tuesday, in an apparent move to deflect attention from Williamson, the arch-conservative Society of Saint Pius X said the controversial bishop had left the South American country last week. (dpa)