Category Archives: UK

… and Daud Abdullah

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Daud Abdullah has been appointed to teach a 22-week course entitled “Introduction to Islam” at Birkbeck, a college of the university. The move will add to growing concern in the wake of the Detroit bomber case that London University is becoming a haven for Islamic radicals.

Houriya Ahmed, of the think-tank the Centre for Social Cohesion, said: “This is deeply worrying. It is bad enough when hardline preachers are invited on campus but to have soneone actually lecturing on behalf of the university is far worse. It is shocking they think that this man idea is suitable to introduce students to Islam.”

Daily Telegraph, 21 January 2010

NAMP questions ‘Prevent’ strategy

Posted on by Bob Pitt

NAMP_logoBritish values are under threat because the government’s attempt to combat terrorism has left whole communities “stigmatised”, the National Association of Muslim Police has told MPs.

The Prevent strategy, designed to stop radicalisation, focuses too much on Islamic extremism rather than the threat posed by the far right, claims the association, which represents more than 2,000 police officers.

“Never before has a community been mapped in a manner and nor will it be,” the association said in evidence to a Commons select committee on the strategy, known as Preventing Violent Extremism. “It is frustrating to see this in a country that is a real pillar and example of freedom of expression and choice. Our British system is a model for the world to follow, yet we have embarked on a journey that has put this very core of British values under real threat.”

It added: “The hatred towards Muslims has grown to a level that defies all logic and is an affront to British values. The climate is such that Muslims are subject to daily abuse in a manner that would be ridiculed by Britain, were this to occur anywhere else.”

The comments are contained in a memorandum to the committee stating that the growth of the far right and its ability to carry out terror acts should not be underestimated: “All forms [of violent extremism] – rightwing, separatist, so-called Islamist, green issues … need to be addressed as opposed to the current Prevent focus on Islam.”

There was a sense of frustration among Muslims and “some serious damage” may already have been done, it said. The government’s anti-terrorism policies could not “continue unchecked”, said the memorandum, and more thorough research should have been done before any consideration was given to the Prevent strategy being formulated. The result, it said, was a rise in Islamophobia.

Guardian, 21 January 2010

Meanwhile, over at the Telegraph website, Nile Gardiner offers his thoughtful response to the NAMP’s criticisms:

“It is wrong, according to the Muslim police association, to blame Islam for being the ‘driver’ of terror attacks in Britain…. The 2,000 strong National Association of Muslim Police is clearly in a state of denial regarding the motivation and inspiration behind the vast majority of terrorists in the UK…. Islamist militants pose the biggest threat to British security since the rise of Nazi Germany…. The notion that the thousands of terrorists currently based in the United Kingdom are not acting to advance a global jihad led by Osama bin London and his barbaric cohorts is ludicrous. Their goal is simple – the destruction of the free world and the establishment of an Islamist caliphate in the West.”

Update:  Writing on her Spectator blog, Mad Melanie Phillips claims that NAMP’s letter includes an “implicit threat of violence” and she observes that: “Rather than taming jihadi extremism in Britain, the cowardice of politicians has merely resulted in fracturing the thin blue line that protects us – and turning it into a potential weapon of the jihad.”

Driven out by racists?

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A vocal minority of bigots are responsible for Amir Khan’s decision to move to the US

By John Wight

Morning Star, 20 January 2010

Good luck to Amir Khan with his decision to sign with Golden Boy and re-focus his career in the United States from now on. There are undoubtedly many reasons for the young Bolton fighter’s decision, but money surely isn’t one of them – not for a young man who’s already made more than enough in his short career thus far.

Nor will it be because he’s been unhappy with his relationship with Frank Warren, the man responsible for shepherding his pro career since he returned to Britain with an Olympic silver medal from the games in Athens back in 2004. Indeed, he deserves much credit for bringing Khan on the way he has, especially after his one defeat at the hands of Breidis Prescott in 2008.

After such a devastating KO Khan’s confidence would inevitably have been shaken and lesser promoters might have struggled to coax him through the inevitable months of depression and doubts which followed. That Khan has bounced back from that low point in such convincing style is in no small way a credit to Warren, who never for a second lost belief in his protege, even when the knives were out among the British boxing literati. That said, lest people start to get the impression that Warren is running a Christian charity, his relationship with Khan has earned him a pretty penny over the years, which should help to sweeten the bitter pill of losing him to pastures new.

In a pure boxing sense the timing of this move could not be better. Since decamping to LA to train under Freddie Roach, Khan has embraced both Freddie’s training regimen and the southern Californian lifestyle, where year-round sunshine sits in stark contrast to the British winter weather which this year has been bad enough to make the South Pole seem like a better alternative. Gone are early winter mornings trussed up in three layers in order to venture out for roadwork, having to summon up every ounce of determination in order to do so without questioning your sanity.

There’s also the mouth-watering prospect of being matched against and beating the sport’s elite, winning the respect of what remains the most educated and sophisticated boxing public there is at the same time. Khan’s incredible speed and rate of improvement under Roach put both of the aforementioned well within his grasp over the next few years and it will be interestesing to see how his career progresses as a result.

However, we should not fall into the trap of fooling ourselves that boxing is the only reason for Khan’s decision to cut his ties with Britain. In fact, there is reason to believe that boxing isn’t the main reason. Regardless of those who think otherwise, the world of sport does not exist in isolation from the world around it and in Britain anti-Muslim racism has poisoned society to the point where it’s impossible to pick up a newspaper or watch the TV news without a negative stereotype of Muslims or Islam staring back at you.

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EDL’s Sikh supporter exposed

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Sikhs Support EDLEver since its formation last year, the English Defence League (EDL) has insisted it is not racist and doesn’t have a problem with ordinary Muslims, just radical extremists.

Amit Singh is a British-born Sikh and EDL activist who will address the EDL’s demonstration in Stoke this Saturday to try and show British Asians that the group is neither racist nor anti-Muslim.

But as Secunder Kermani discovered, scratch beneath the moderate surface and a very different picture of the EDL’s Asian poster boy emerges – one of vitriolic rants against Muslims and insults aimed at the Prophet Muhammad.

The Samosa, 19 January 2010

More on the Taunton ‘giant mosque’ hoax

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A hoaxer who spread a false rumour that a mosque was being built on a Christian-run centre has been accused of stirring up racial and religious hatred. More than 1,500 protestors on a cloned Facebook page criticised ‘plans’ for “a giant mosque” on the site of the YMCA, in Lisieux Way, Taunton. The claims were rubbished by the YMCA, which owns the building, and landowner Taunton Deane Council.

Now Jimmy Higgerson, who was falsely named as the site originator, has hit back. “Somebody’s started setting up Facebook groups using my name,” said Mr Higgerson, a club doorman who works for a builders’ merchant. “It’s a bit of an annoyance – I’m the victim. The site doesn’t reflect my views and isn’t something I approve of. I’m not anti-Muslim, but this person has started racial and religious tensions.”

This is the West Country, 20 January 2010

Posted in UK

Anti-Muslim thugs jailed over rampage in Luton

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Luton riotFour men who were part of a mob that went on the rampage during a march against Islamic extremists were yesterday (January 19) jailed.

The “March for England” through Luton town centre in 2009 saw windows smashed at an Asian-owned fast food shop, an Asian man attacked in the shop’s doorway and the police goaded by a mob who hurled placards at them.

Luton Magistrates’ Court was played CCTV footage which showed a small group running across a dual carriageway where they attacked a car containing three Asian men. The footage showed more than 200 men, many who had met up in a Luton pub, were involved in a march that lasted between one-and-a-half and two hours. Some wore balaclavas, some were draped in the flags of St George or the Union Jack, others carried placards which read “United People of Luton”. Some were heard to chant ‘”Scum, Scum, Scum”.

Yesterday (Tuesday January 19) seven men appeared for sentence having pleaded guilty to causing affray during the march which happened on May 24 2009. Only four were sentenced as pre-sentence reports had not been prepared for three of the others. Tony Griffiths, 27, of Manor Road, Caddington and Simon Hattle, 21, of Hazelwood Close, Luton, each received 16 weeks in jail. Richard Myers, 21, from Marsom Grove, Luton, was sentenced to 28 weeks.

The group gathered outside Luton Town Hall where there was chanting before they marched through the town centre. In Chapel Street an Asian man was attacked and a window was smashed at the Asian-owned Piri Piri chicken takeaway. On the Stuart Street dual carriageway a group of men ran over to a car driven by an Asian man that was in a queue. Racists comments were made and a side window was smashed, causing £700 damage.

The group headed back towards the Arndale shopping centre but were stopped in Flowers Way by police wearing helmets and armed with shields. At that point poles and placards were hurled at the officers, who were “goaded” by the group, said the prosecutor. Later there was more trouble in St George’s Square where an Asian man, who has not been identified, was also attacked.

Bedfordshire News, 20 January 2010

We particularly liked the account of how one of those convicted, Simon Hattle, came to be arrested:

“He had tried to cover his face while on the parade, but was easy for the police to identify because he was bare-chested and had his name tattooed on his body.”

Denis MacShane tries to witch-hunt Azzam Tamimi … and fails

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Birmingham University has been accused of allowing “a notorious Jew-hater and supporter of terrorist attacks” to speak to students at an event on campus. MP Denis MacShane has written to the university’s Vice Chancellor urging him to cancel a planned talk by Azzam Tamimi, a Palestinian-born academic and supporter of terror group Hamas. But the university has refused to intervene, saying the talk should go ahead in the name of freedom of speech.

A spokesman said: “The University of Birmingham has a code of practice on freedom of speech on campus, and those seeking to invite outside speakers onto campus must fill in a freedom of speech request form at least 15 days before the proposed event. The University has received a freedom of speech request from the Islamic Society for Azzam Tamimi to speak on campus and the event will go ahead as planned.

“Universities are plural societies which are home to differences of opinion, debate and views. The University of Birmingham hosts many visitors and events every year and itself is a community of 150 nations situated in a vibrant multi-cultural city. We respect the right of all individuals to exercise freedom of speech within the law; we are also intolerant of discrimination of any kind.”

Birmingham Post, 19 January 2010

Reza Pankhurst condemns McCarthyite witch-hunt

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Reza PankhurstA postgraduate teacher accused of Islamist “infiltration” of the London School of Economics has dismissed the allegations as a “McCarthyite witch-hunt”.

Reza Pankhurst, who spent four years in Egyptian prisons for membership of Hizb ut-Tahrir (HT), had anticipated criticism when he began studying for a PhD and delivering lectures to students. HT, which advocates the creation of a Muslim caliphate in the Arab world, is outlawed in Egypt but legal in Britain.

In an interview with the Guardian, Pankhurst, 34, said individuals were being “hounded because of their views”, and that dissent from Muslims was being silenced. The LSE has defended his right to “freedom of expression within the law”.

Pankhurst insists he is opposed to terrorist violence. He recently spoke about Abdulmutallab, saying he had not been radicalised in London. “What [my accusers] forgot to say was that I spent 10 minutes stressing that any action that targets innocents is prohibited and that there’s no justification for it in Islam. [Abdulmutallab] was radicalised by a sense of injustice … by what he saw on the news about Afghanistan and Iraq.”

Pankhurst also refuted claims that he helped “groom” another ex-student, Omar Sharif, who blew himself up in Tel Aviv in 2003. “This guy must have been on the course at the same time as me at King’s ­College in 1996. I was president of the Islamic Society,” Pankhurst said. “Does that mean I was responsible for what he did seven years later? It’s neocon nonsense. It’s crime by association.”

Pankhurst is taking legal advice over “this false allegation”, he says.

Such slurs, he said, are a “form of Mc­Carthyism directed against Muslims who speak out” against UK foreign policy. “Do they want Muslims to be engaged in professional fields or would they prefer us to be on benefits? The innuendo, blacklisting and McCarthyite witch-hunts are very counter-productive. I have not said anything which is illegal, or anything that incites violence.”

Guardian, 18 January 2010

Banning veil is oppressive, says Salma Yaqoob

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Salma Yaqoob RespectPlans to ban Muslim women from covering their faces in public areas are oppressive, the leader of the Respect party said yesterday.

Salma Yaqoob’s comments came as the UK Independence Party (UKIP) announced a formal policy that would make the wearing of garments such as the burka or the niqab – both of which conceal most of the face – to be illegal.

Nigel Farage, the former UKIP leader and MEP, said: “In a liberal democracy we want to tolerate different religions and cultures and not have a small section of society impose their world view on the rest of us.”

Ms Yaqoob said: “We do not need a man or a woman telling people what to wear.”

Times, 18 January 2010

‘Delight’ as London super-mosque near Olympic site is blocked

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Campaigners opposed to a “super-mosque” being built next to the 2012 Olympic site today told of their delight after the scheme was blocked.

The Abbey Mills mosque and Islamic centre on a 7.3 hectare site in Stratford was to house 12,000 worshippers and would have been the biggest in Europe. But Newham council announced it will issue an eviction notice against the Islamist group behind it, Tablighi Jamaat, which has 80 million followers worldwide.

Alan Craig, a Christian Peoples’ Alliance councillor, said: “I’m delighted that the council has finally seen the light on this. It’s a key site for the local community that would have been lost if the mega-mosque had been built. It is a big step forward, but a lot could still happen.

“The authorities use planning terms, but they’ve come to see the misogynist nature of the group themselves and don’t want to give them that platform.”

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