‘Don’t build this mosque’

“The man who co-founded the separatist Muslim Parliament has denounced plans for a huge mosque next to the Olympic site. The Tablighi Jamaat’s PR company, Indigo, today launched its ‘charm offensive’ in the run-up to submitting proposals for a massive 12,000-seater mosque on contaminated land in Newham, East London. But Dr Ghayasuddin Siddiqui, Indian-born elder-statesman of political Islam in Britain told Lapido Media:  ‘We have too many mosques. I think it should not be built.’ …

“Siddiqui’s views are in line with other prominent Muslims like Irfan Al-Alawi, Europe director of the Centre for Islamic Pluralism, who has expressed ‘extreme concern’ about the spread of Tablighi Jamaat. They have dared to speak out against the proposals despite pressure from the Muslim Police Association, the London Mayor Ken Livingstone – and now Indigo PR who are handling their propaganda. The mosque build is being seen as a test of strength by many observers around the world who are concerned it will tip a diverse city at ease with its multi-culturalism into an increasingly tense, religious politicisation….

“Councillor Alan Craig … in whose ward the mosque would be built, believes that it is ‘ludicrous’ for Indigo to describe the proposal by a massive, secretive sect hailing from South Asia as a ‘community project’. ‘What we seem to have now is the bizarre spectacle of the British “posh” who should know better, joining forces with newt-loving Red Ken against Pakistani and Indian Muslim elders in a sort of post-colonial guilt trip showdown which is just mind-boggling’ said Craig.”

Lapido Media, 3 March 2008

For details of the consultation with local residents, see the Abbey Mills Mosque website.

Download their leaflet (pdf) here.