Students for Real Student Rights presents some revealing insights into the modus operandi of the Henry Jackson Society front organisation, the misnamed Student Rights.
Update: See also Hilary Aked, “Student Rights gets a taste of its own medicine as fifth SU publicly condemns ‘anti-extremism’ group”, Huffington Post, 5 March 2014
A teenager described as a “would-be terrorist” armed himself with guns and explosives to plan a repeat of the Columbine massacre on his former school, a court has heard.
Michael Piggin was found with petrol bombs, air rifles, pistols and armour at his home which he planned to use for a terror attack on staff and pupils at his former high school in Loughborough, Leicestershire, it is alleged.
The teenager, who was 17 when he was arrested but can now be named after turning 18, also identified his college, Loughborough Mosque, a local cinema, Loughborough University and the town’s council offices as potential targets, the Old Bailey heard.
A Che Guevara notebook emblazoned with Nazi swastikas and English Defence League (EDL) mottos was found when his home was searched by police in February last year, the jury was told. Opening the case, prosecutor Max Hill QC said the notebook included drawings showing how Piggin would arm himself and discussed tactics to carry out “The New Columbine”. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold murdered 12 students and one teacher at Columbine High School in Colorado in 1999 before both committing suicide in one of America’s worst mass shootings.
“Islamophobia, as a cultural racism with a religious element, has now flourished and is becoming entrenched in people’s psyche. In the current socio-political environment Islamophobes and anti-Muslim bigots from the counter-jihadist sphere (those who think Islam is the problem, and that Muslims are ‘taking over’) have become emboldened and as a result public space for Muslims has been curtailed. Muslims’ right to civic and political participation, particularly when it comes to criticism of government domestic and foreign policy, is frowned upon. Right wing groups are able to get away with demonising Muslims easily, but standing up to Islamopobia is often seen as a ‘victim mentality’ by some.”
Muhammad Abdul Bari examines the state of anti-Muslim bigotry in the UK today.
An anti-Islam party based on the hardline views of Dutch politician Geert Wilders plans to field candidates at the next federal election, raising fears among moderate Muslims of a rise in extremism.
Mr Wilders, an influential far-right figure expected to shape the results of this year’s European elections, told followers in a video message that the Australian Liberty Alliance was being formed to “offer civil minded Australians fresh political vision and better policies”. Policies advocated by Wilders’ Party for Freedom include deporting immigrants convicted of a crime and stopping all immigration from Islamic countries.
“Many of you are disappointed by current political parties and have had enough of politicians who sell our Western civilisation,” Mr Wilders said in his video. “Like you, good people in Europe, America, Canada have had enough of politicians who don’t share our values and foolishly declare all cultures are equal, and who lack the courage to speak the truth and say that Islam is the biggest threat to freedom today.”
After an escalation of targeted anti-Muslim incidents at the Islamic Center of Bothell (ICOB), located on the second floor of a building on East Riverside Drive, the Bothell Police Department and the FBI have begun an investigation to determine if the events were bias-motivated.
“The reason why we thought this rose to such a level is because there has not been just one or two or three but a series of events that have targeted this community. We took the last one very seriously and called for a federal investigation into the series of events that have taken place,” said Arsalan Bukhari, executive director of the Washington State chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), at a press conference held on February 24.
In November 2012 some books related to Islam had some hate messages written on them and were left in a bag near the women’s entrance to the center. “That incident was not reported to police,” Bukhari said. On September 28, 2013, the A-frame sign along the street was spray painted on both sides with black spray paint smeared all over the signage. A police report was filed in response to this incident. In October 2013, graffiti was found outside of the building’s entrance on the wall. “The vandalism was about three feet tall by two feet wide, and it was male genitalia that was spray painted in black paint,” Bukhari said.
Then, just a couple of weeks ago, on Thursday, February 6, the imam found as he arrived for morning prayers the flag that was posted outside was pulled up and burned. “It seemed to have been done sometime between Wednesday and Thursday, and that was reported to Bothell Police Department,” Bukhari noted.
The latest incident was discovered on Saturday morning, February 22, when 10 booklets related to Islam, each with handwritten hateful messages written inside the front cover, were found strategically placed in a different parking spot in the parking lot.
“That act showed an increased amount of brazenness,” Bukhari said, adding, “Despite signage on the outside of the building saying the property is under camera surveillance, the person took great care to not just throw the booklets out, but to place them carefully in different spots. That caused some extra concern that someone that bold would come to this property and do that in this area.”
Marine Le Pen, whose party is riding a wave of anti-immigration and anti-Muslim voter sentiment around Europe, says it will cut public funds to religious groups in towns where it wins municipal elections this month.
Le Pen told The Associated Press in an interview Monday that secularism will be strictly applied in towns where her far-right National Front prevails on March 23 and 30, and that referendums will be held on major issues.
Le Pen, 45, praised the recent Swiss decision, in a referendum, to cap immigration, saying countries have an “inalienable right” to control their borders. Le Pen claimed the Swiss decision, passed by a razor-thin 50.3 percent “yes” vote, would have sailed through France with a 65 percent approval rating if such a referendum held here.
Le Pen – who took the helm from her father, party founder Jean-Marie Le Pen, in 2010 – has worked to remove the stigma that has kept the party out of mainstream politics by giving it a kinder, more politically correct face. But the National Front has forged ahead with its anti-immigrant stance, especially regarding Muslims.
A group seen abusing Muslims outside a London mosque have now launched an ‘anti-grooming campaign’ in a Lancashire Town.
In the video members of the Britain First group, can be seen driving through a predominantly Asian area of Blackburn in what it states is a “new direct action campaign against the scourge of Muslim paedophile grooming gangs”.
In London there was widespread condemnation of the actions of the group with members swigging beer and seen abusing Muslims as they left the East London mosque. In the film, one man says: “This is our country. You want to live here, you adhere by our laws.”
Last year members of the equally vile ‘Muslim patrols’ who threatened strangers for holding hands, drinking alcohol and other behaviour they deemed ‘un-Islamic’ were jailed.
In the new video, Britain First Group chairman Paul Golding is seen spouting, “We have gone through some areas which are exclusively Muslim. Everyone has been told that we are the minority in this town. These areas we are going through now are 100% colonised by Muslims. We have been visiting establishments, bed and breakfasts and takeaways. We hope it will put a dent in the Muslim grooming in this town.”
A judge has lifted an order banning the naming of an 18-year-old man charged with terror offences.
Michael Piggin, of Loughborough, is accused of possession of items for the purpose of terrorism, including partially-constructed pipe bombs. He is also charged with possessing a document containing information likely to be useful for a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.
Mr Piggin denies the two charges and his trial is due to begin on Tuesday.
Mr Piggin is alleged to have possessed nine partially-assembled petrol bombs, firework powder, partially-constructed improvised explosive devices, a crossbow, a variety of air rifles, a gas mask and stab proof vest. He is also charged with having a notebook containing information about the planning of attacks and the construction of explosive devices.
Mr Piggin, whose name could not previously be reported owing to his age, is due to stand trial at the Old Bailey in London.
In an earlier trial Piggin pleaded guilty to possessing explosives but the jury failed to reach a verdict on the terrorism charges, hence the retrial. For further details see here.
Update: See “Court hears teen ‘armed himself with guns, explosives’”, Islamophobia Watch, 4 March 2014
Boris, friend of the Muslim community – Johnson on his visit to the East London Mosque in 2009
Possibly taking his inspiration from yesterday’s Daily Star Sunday front page, London mayor Boris Johnson proposes in his Telegraph column today that Muslim children considered to be under threat of “radicalisation” by their parents should be taken into care.
Reports and comment from Islamophobia Watch 24 February-2 March 2014