The Muslim Association of Britain expressed grave concern over the Prime Minister’s statements at the press conference earlier today, in which he outlined a number of radical measures and proposed extreme legislative changes.

There can be no doubt that during these difficult times we must all stand together to preserve our country’s unity, safety and prosperity, whilst at all times and at all costs, maintain what we take great pride in; our freedoms and liberties.

The suggestion of the Prime Minister that he may move to change the Human Rights Charter in order to allow for extra-ordinary measures to deport, ban and eradicate those who carry views other than “ours”, is worrying to say the very least.

Mr Blair in his statement used vague and loose language which may lead to ban legitimate freedom of speech and support for just causes. We agree with the Mayor of London in his statement today that if the Prime Ministers proposals were to be implemented 20 years ago they would have meant banning Nelson Mandela or anyone supporting him.

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The Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS) is very concerned and casts doubt on the potential effectiveness of some of the measures announced by the Prime Minister today.

FOSIS President Wakkas Khan commented: “There’s no question that we, together with the Muslim community and the rest of British society believe that the safety of our country and the security of our people must receive utmost consideration. It is vital that we do not resort to quick-fix measures hoping only new laws and legislation will solve the problem at hand. Anti-terror measures need more consultation and consideration from all parts of society.

“The government’s measures must not infringe upon the rights and freedoms of its citizens. Proscribing groups that are understood to be non-violent is certainly a step in the wrong direction. Hizb-ut-Tahrir is clearly understood to be a non-violent organisation with strong and vocal opinions which Muslim community may agree or disagree with. This does not warrant a ban on this group as such actions will only be counterproductive.

“We are extremely worried by the Prime Minister’s effort to link asylum and immigration with the new anti-terror measures, which might only help racist elements in society.

“Mr. Blair needs to clarify whether he aims to silence the voices that support Palestinians’ struggle for freedom and other peoples’ struggles against brutality and occupation around the world.”

FOSIS press release, 5 August 2005

On Friday 15 July police descended on the Iqra Learning Centre, an Islamic bookshop in Beeston, Leeds. They battered the door down and sealed the shop off, arresting one man who worked there under anti-terrorism laws.

The press was soon full of lurid stories about how the shop was a “unassuming front” used to “recruit youngsters and fill them with anti-West messages”. The Daily Mirror, citing unnamed “insiders”, declared that it was a “bookshop of hate”.

Local people say Iqra is a respected community bookstore, that the “anti-Western” material seized by police was in fact anti-war literature, and that the suspected 7 July bombers have had no links to the shop for several years.

Mohammed Afzal works as a volunteer at Iqra. “They’ve raided a family bookshop, slap bang in the middle of Beeston, and taken anti-war material away,” he told Socialist Worker.

“The police are trying to make out that the material they took was ‘anti-Western’. But there’s nothing like that there. It’s things like Stop the War leaflets and DVDs of George Galloway at the US senate.”

Indymedia, 3 August 2005