Islamic Forum of Europe categorically denies the Telegraph’s claim that it hired a Newham Council venue “in the name of a body called TELCO, the East London chapter of the community organising group London Citizens”.
This is a completely fabricated claim made by its London Editor, the infamous Andrew Gilligan, on his Telegraph blog (17/01/2011). Mr Gilligan’s unjustifiable laziness in relying on the notorious blog Harry’s Place, instead of proper journalism, has once again resulted in a claim which is completely baseless. Had he bothered to check, either through a Freedom of Information request to Newham Council, or asked IFE for comment, he would have discovered the true facts.
We shall be publishing the evidence in due course. Mr Gilligan needs to explain how it is ever justifiable to publish claims, without verifying the facts first. The Telegraph also needs to decide how much longer it will offer patronage to a pseudo-journalist who has a history of making false claims.
Due to the serious nature of this false allegation, and the distress caused to the organiser (IFE member) who has effectively been accused of fraudulent misrepresentation – we are exploring the options available and will be issuing a further statement soon.
Category Archives: UK
Birmingham is not a post-apocalyptic Islamic ghetto
Writing in the Telegraph Andrew Knowles takes issue with an article by an anonymous vicar’s wife that appears in the current issue of Standpoint magazine, and was seized on by Torygraph blogger Ed West to bolster the myth of Muslim ghettos.
See also ENGAGE, 19 January 2011
Update: Ed West will be pleased to hear that his piece has been reproduced by the English Defence League.
Resisting al-Muhajiroun in Luton
An interesting video on the Guardian website by Masood Khan, showing how Salafi Muslims in Luton are combating al-Muhajiroun. Worth reading in this connection is Bob Lambert’s article in the Summer 2008 issue of the Cordoba Foundation’s Arches Quarterly, which points out that “Salafi and Islamist community groups (in London as elsewhere) often have the best tools with which to undermine al-Qaida propaganda within their own youth communities”.
Update: See also Masood Khan, “Filming British Muslims’ fight against extremism”, Inside Guardian blog, 18 January 2011
Fuelling Islamophobia
Anindya Bhattacharyya analyses the rise of racist hysteria against Muslims and the need to organise resistance.
EU allies itself with Islamic extremists in plot to destroy Christian civilisation (according to Leo McKinstry)
“Filled with barbaric hatred and envy, Islamic extremists constantly plot the downfall of our civilisation. Tragically for us they have an ally in their lethal cause: the elite of the European Union. Just like Muslim zealots, the ideological fanatics of Brussels have nothing but contempt for our Christian culture and our national identities. They aim to obliterate our past, our traditions and our patriotism so there will be little resistance to their imposition of a political entity called the United States of Europe.”
The inimitable Leo McKinstry in the Daily Express, 17 January 2011
Unsubstantiated allegations of cultural links to sexual abuse whip up Islamophobia
In the wake of recent convictions for sexual grooming and rape in Derby three myths have been fostered by sections of the media and some politicians.
Firstly, that young Muslim men have a tendency to be paedophiles, sexual groomers and rapists due to their cultural background; secondly, that citing ethnicity as a causal factor for sex crimes stops racism, and finally, that there has been a ‘conspiracy of silence ‘on the issue of grooming by Pakistani heritage men, which some politicians and newspapers are now bravely trying to break.
These myths must be exposed and challenged. They do nothing to protect the victims of sexual violence; they only serve to give legitimacy to racist views and organisations.
Sexual predators and paedophiles exist in all communities, as do their victims. And sexual abuse and violence is a crime irrespective of who is the perpetrator. Everyone has a responsibility and a duty to challenge such crimes and support the victims.
Convictions of individuals do not show any link between background or religion and these crimes. Moreover, those responsible for research – that has been widely cited as demonstrating such a link – have themselves refuted this claim, saying there is nothing in their research to prove this.
Sabby Dhalu at One Society Many Cultures
Kent parish magazine publishes anti-Islam article
An anti-Islamic article aiming to “liven up” a church magazine has sparked outrage after it branded the religion a “threat”.
Muriel Clark’s controversial piece on “Islamisation” in the monthly Hildenborough Keys has been slammed for urging residents to take a stand against Muslims coming into this country. The 80-year-old divorcee claimed in her column for the St John’s Church publication that young Christian schoolchildren were being brainwashed with Islamic ideology.
Both magazine editor Nick Hawkins – who admitted toning down the original submission because it was “too extreme” – and the Reverend John Chandler this week defended the piece, which was sent out to all homes in Hildenborough.
But residents and the West Kent Muslim Association (WKMA) have called it “unacceptable” and “harmful to the community”. WKMA president Nasir Jamil said: “We strongly condemn these views. Islamisation is a very sensitive issue. Her views are a bit extremist and it’s a bit out of the blue. It really hurts us. How can they publish it, especially to a small community? It creates a bad impression that Muslims are extremists.”
Tonbridge Green Party’s Steve Dawe said he hoped the article – which sits alongside more benign offerings about coffee mornings and whist drives – was a one-off. He said: “I hope those responsible indicate this was a mistake, and will never occur again. If not, then this is clearly a matter for the Equality and Human Rights Commission, who may wish to bring a case on the grounds of incitement to religious hatred.”
But the writer, editor and vicar have all stood by the piece. Mr Hawkins said: “A couple of things were too extreme, so I took them out. But we should be awake to what’s going on. We wanted to liven things up a bit. I thought it might be a bit thought-provoking.” Mrs Clark, of Bramble Close, said she stood by her views, saying: “This used to be a Christian country.” Mr Chandler said the church magazine should raise serious issues and he did not regret the article being published.
What makes Arizona’s killer just a loner, not a terrorist?
If the shooting had been carried out by a Muslim, we’d be deep in Islamist conspiracies now. So why the double standards?
Mehdi Hasan poses the question in the Guardian, 13 January 2011
Hemel Hempstead mosque vandalised
A mosque was left with around a dozen windows damaged after it was targeted in a racially-motivated attack.
Bennetts Ends Mosque at St Albans Hill, Hemel Hempstead, had windows smashed as a yob hit the outside of the building with a shovel on December 27. Police were called to the incident at around 12.03am, after the vandal had entered the grounds of the mosque through a metal gate. After attacking the mosque, the man ran from the scene.
Dacorum borough councillor Suqlain Mahmood said: “I think it was an act of vandalism which was an isolated incident. We have never had something like this before.” He suggested that the offender could have been drunk and disorderly. He added: “Obviously we are addressing the issue and security has been put up and CCTV.”
A spokesman from the mosque’s committee said it is not yet known what the cost of the damage will be. He said: “We have been here 20-odd years and never had a problem. It is nothing to be going crazy about.”
Via ENGAGE
The not-so-great Islamist menace
Terrorist plots against Europe are on the decline, statistics show, and the majority are not coming from Muslims, Don Gardner argues.