Author Archives: Bob Pitt

Imam of Newbury mosque was abused and attacked

Posted on by Bob Pitt

An Islamic spiritual teacher was routinely racially abused and attacked by youths in Newbury, West Berkshire Youth Court heard last Monday.

In the dock was a 15-year-old from Newbury who denied his part in one of the incidents but was convicted following a trial.

Presiding magistrate Peter George told him that the victim, 28-year-old Olid Khandokar, the Imam or spiritual leader of Newbury mosque, was a “thoughtful, quiet and mild man” who was “so intimidated just being in your line of sight” that he needed to give evidence behind screens.

Mr Khandokar explained how he came to Newbury in 2007 to lead prayers at the mosque and to give Arabic lessons to local children. He said he had been repeatedly singled out by jeering youths who hurled foul abuse and even attacked him with stones as he walked in the town centre.

Lesley Gilmore, prosecuting, said that the boy, who can not be identified for legal reasons, was with another youth who had used racially abusive language towards the Imam.

On being arrested, the youth initially admitted his part in the incident in question but later denied it.

Giving evidence, the boy claimed he had simply told arresting officer Sergeant Simon Briggs what he “wanted to hear” – despite having an appropriate adult with him and being reminded of the importance of telling the truth.

He was convicted of using racially aggravated abusive, threatening or insulting words or behaviour in Newbury town centre on April 20 last year.

A second youth has already been sentenced for his part in the same incident.

In a victim impact statement, Mr Khandokar said he had been frightened to venture out since, that he suffered from insomnia as a result and was barely able to carry out his religious duties.

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Muslim criminals are taking over the underworld, claims Sun

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Sun Muslim criminalsIn traditional Islamic headgear, Asian ex-gang member Amir poses with his sword and issues the stark warning: “Britain’s underworld belongs to the Muslims.”

The 21-year-old, whose organisation turned over thousands of pounds a day from drug-dealing and credit card scams, claims a post-9/11 fear of terrorism has allowed Muslims to develop a stranglehold on our criminal community.

Through Islam, he says, they have numbers which cannot be matched, and rival gangs are being forced out by ruthless Islamic criminals who only deal with each other.

Sun, 15 February 2010

Brick Lane plan for ‘hijab gates’ angers residents

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Brick Lane archesThe Guardian of all papers endorses the myth of the “hijab gates” in Brick Lane. Even the Daily Express had the honesty to at least quote the architect, David Gallagher, who was responsible for designing the arches, as saying:

“We were briefed to design something that celebrates the demographic changes of the area. The arches were not designed to look like hijabs. Huguenot and Jewish women wore headscarves. The arches are just modern curves and they will have symbols on them reflecting the different immigrant communities. Having the Star of David on them is one option we have considered, but no decision has been made yet.”

Update:  See also “Tracey Emin leads protest at ‘hijab gates’ for Brick Lane”, Evening Standard, 16 February 2010

Further update:  The relevant section of the Design and Access Statement can be consulted here.

Another update:  See Lutfur Rahman, “These are not ‘hijab gates’ – they represent the whole community”, Guardian, 26 February 2010

The rising tide of Islamophobia

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Islamophobia does not appear to be being taken seriously by the Government, the media or the general public and the situation is becoming increasingly dire – why this is remains unclear. It could be because of a lack of understanding and recognition of the seriousness of Islamophobia; it could be because little ‘hard evidence’ exists; it could also be that anti-Muslim and anti-Islamic attitudes are becoming more socially acceptable. Whatever the reason though, it is clear that neither Islamophobia – nor indeed anti-Semitism – are going to quickly or easily disappear.

Last week’s bleak report on Islamophobic hate crime in London from the European Muslim Research Centre argues that fears and misunderstandings of Muslims were increasingly providing a basis for violent acts. The report found that Muslim Londoners face a threat of violence and intimidation from three primary groups: small violent nationalist groups with similar ideologies as the British National Party; street gangs with no allegiances to the far-right; and a small number of others who appear to be acting on prejudices gained via negative media portrayals of Muslims as terrorists and security threats.

But hate crimes are just the tip of the iceberg. Anti-Muslim and anti-Islamic attitudes are also increasingly commonplace. As the British Social Attitudes Survey recently highlighted, not only are Muslims the least popular religious community in Britain today but over half the population would be bothered by a large mosque being built in their community. Neither of these attitudes are specifically Islamophobic but they do suggest a hardening of attitudes especially when Muslims and Islam are considered against other religions. As Professor David Voas provocatively put it, Muslims are increasingly being understood as posing a threat to British society.

Chris Allen in the Daily Telegraph, 12 February 2010

Michael Gove opposes mosque at centre of ‘inflammatory’ campaign

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Michael_GoveA Conservative frontbench spokesman, Michael Gove, has opposed plans to build a mosque in his constituency after it became the target of an “inflammatory and offensive” online campaign.

The shadow schools secretary, who warned that the west was facing a “total war” from Islamists in his book Celsius 7/7, had initially refused to take sides in the dispute over proposals to build a mosque next to Sandhurst barracks in Camberley, Surrey. But this week he said he had been convinced that the strength of feeling was threatening the area’s “good community relations” and called on local Muslims to withdraw the application.

“The issue has become a flashpoint and people from inside and outside the community were making statements that I did not think would further community relations,” he said. “It struck me that it was best to ask the Bengali Welfare Association to withdraw the application and to consider how to improve the facilities for worship for the Muslim community in a calmer environment.”

A Facebook group set up to oppose the mosque has 6,834 “fans” and was criticised by one local organisation opposing the mosque as “inflammatory and offensive”. The Facebook group is supported by the far-right English Defence League.

The local Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate, Alan Hiliar, said Gove had “lost all respect” over the issue. “I reject Michael Gove’s decision to ask the community to withdraw their application on the ground that it’s ‘divisive’. To ask the Muslim community to withdraw the application is simply kicking the issue into the long grass; it resolves nothing.”

Guardian, 13 February 2010

Gunman targets Australian mosque, police say ‘it could just be someone shooting at birds’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Police are hunting a gunman who fired up to three bullets into a Perth mosque, but detectives have played down suggestions the incident may be racially motivated.

Today, police revealed that the Canning Mosque in Queens Park had been peppered with three shots in the early hours of last Thursday morning, damaging the main roof dome. Officers were called to the mosque, at the corner of Welshpool and Treasure roads, at 12.55am after reports of gunshots being heard. No one was at the mosque at the time of the shooting.

“At this stage, it does not appear to be racially motivated, however police are keeping an open mind,” Detective First Class Constable Steve Flanagan said. “We have no indication to say that it is racially motivated. We are not sure how it happened at this stage. It could just be someone shooting at birds.”

Perth Now, 10 February 2010

Sensationalised TV report provokes attack on Nashville mosque

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Nashville mosque vandalismVandals spray-painted insults on a mosque overnight and left a hate-filled letter to Nashville’s Muslims.

Islamic leaders blame Channel 5’s sensationalized two-night report about a crackpot organization’s unfounded accusations of terrorist ties against a Middle Tennessee Muslim community.

“Muslims Go Home” and a Crusade-style cross were scrawled across the front of Al-Farooq Islamic Center on Nolensville Road, says Salaad Nur, a spokesman. He says the mosque, which primarily serves members of the Somali community, has contacted the police and the FBI.

“They also left a letter at the youth center that says Muslims are friends of Satan and we are here to destroy the United States and to destroy Israel and things of that nature,” he says. “We’re a little bit shaken up. I hope this is just a scare and things don’t get any worse than this.”

“It’s unexpected,” he adds. “The only thing I can think of is the sensationalized reporting [by Channel 5] over Sunday and Monday. That’s the only thing I can think of. Even after 9/11 we have never had any vandalism.”

Nashville Scene, 10 February 2010

Via LoonWatch

See also “Community reaches out to local Islamic Center after hate crime”, City Paper, 11 February 2011

NPA denounced for standing hijab-wearing candidate

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Ilham MoussaidOlivier Besancenot, the postman-turned-revolutionary at the helm of France’s anti-capitalist movement, has been fiercely criticised from all sides of the political spectrum for fielding a headscarf-wearing candidate in forthcoming elections.

Ilham Moussaid, a 21-year-old Muslim woman who describes herself as “feminist, secular and veiled”, is running for the far-left New Anti-Capitalist party (NPA) in the south-eastern region of Avignon. But, despite her insistence that there is no contradiction between her clothing and her political role, Moussaid’s candidacy in the regional vote due in March has angered other feminists and politicians.

In an echo of the controversy raised by recent moves to ban the full, face-covering veil in public places such as schools, hospitals and buses, critics have said that the young activist’s headscarf, which conceals only her hair, goes against values of laïcité – secularism – and women’s rights.

Today, in a sign of how deep concerns are running, a leading feminist group announced it would file an official complaint against the NPA’s list of candidates in the Vaucluse département to protest against what it called an “anti-secular, anti-feminist and anti-republican” stunt.

“In choosing to endorse ‘open’ laïcité, the NPA is perverting the values of the Republic and suggesting we reread them in a manner which conforms with regressive visions of women,” said the Ni Putes Ni Soumises (Neither Whores Nor Submissives) association in a statement.

Others have expressed their shock at Besancenot’s attempt to field a candidate who sees no problem with making an overt statement about her religion in the public sphere, a practice considered taboo.

Guardian, 11 February 2010

‘Britain has nothing to fear from Islam’ says New Statesman

Posted on by Bob Pitt

New Statesman Islam issue“Contrary to popular opinion, polls show that the overwhelming majority of British Muslims are integrated, loyal, non-violent and eschew religious fanaticism. But the antics of a small cabal of British-born Muslim radicals – exemplified by the buffoonish Anjem Choudary and his Islam4UK group (now banned by the Home Office) – bring the entire Muslim community into disrepute in this country.

“Yet publicity-seeking hotheads like Choudary have been aided and abetted by a sensationalist press that often conflates the actions of an angry minority with those of the peaceful majority. Islamophobia now seems rife – in the words of one conservative commentator, ‘prejudice against Islam . . . is Britain’s last remaining socially respectable form of bigotry’.

“In 2008, researchers at Cardiff University revealed that more than two-thirds of the stories about Muslims published in the press since 2000 identified them either as a source of problems or as a threat – culturally, as well as in security terms. More than a quarter of the stories propagated the idea that Islam is dangerous, backward or irrational.

“This relentlessly negative coverage of Muslims and Islam must end. The liberal left has always defended minorities in this country – be they Jewish, black or gay. Today, it is Muslims who are demonised and bear the brunt of racist attacks. ‘I try to imagine how I would feel if this rainstorm of headlines substituted the word “Jew” for “Muslim”,’ wrote one leading Jewish commentator, in the wake of the 2006 row over the niqab, or Islamic face veil. ‘I wouldn’t just feel frightened, I would be looking for my passport.’ …

“Misunderstanding Muslims can only lead to further tensions and will make civic harmony impossible. This week, the magazine attempts to offer a more nuanced understanding of a range of contentious issues, in particular whether Islam is compatible with the values and principles of western liberal democracy. Meanwhile, British Muslims, alienated, frustrated and under siege, need our support.”

Editorial in the New Statesman, 11 February 2010

Four charged over racial harassment on Bristol estate

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Two men and two boys have appeared in court after a TV programme which showed undercover reporters being racially abused in Southmead.

Sean Ganderton, 22, and Martin Durnell, 18, appeared before magistrates charged with racially aggravated harassment. The boys, 11, appeared in the youth court charged with attempted robbery.

One of them faces two further counts of attempted robbery and one count of racially aggravated harassment. During the summer reporters Tamanna Rahman and Amil Khan spent eight weeks, filming for the BBC’s Panorama. During that time they became the victims of attempted muggings, were called “the most offensive racial insults” and had waterbombs, glass and rocks thrown at them.

Ganderton and Durnell did not enter a plea and were granted unconditional bail and will appear in court again on April 8.

This is Bristol, 12 February 2010