Tories will stop funds to ‘radical Islamist groups’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

JC logoA conservative government would stop all funding to groups that promote radical Islamic ideology and target money at organisations with a record of bringing Britain’s diverse communities together.

In an interview with the JC, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling said Labour’s policy risked creating ghettoes. He revealed that the Tories were planning an immediate review of the Prevent anti-extremism strategy, which he accused of channelling money to radical organisations.

The change would represent a shift away from the multiculturalism policy which critics charge with creating segregated religious and ethnic communities isolated from mainstream society.

Jewish Chronicle, 1 October 2009

Read Martin Bright’s interview with Grayling here. Bright reports: “Mr Grayling shares the concerns of the Taxpayers’ Alliance, and reported by the JC, that money is being used to fund dubious organisations. ‘I have some serious misgivings about the way in which Prevent money is being used. I think there are plenty of indicators that it is being channelled in a way that is actually in the end funding extremism rather than reducing extremism’.”

Bright comments approvingly that “Chris Grayling’s interview puts significant blue water between the Conservatives and Labour on extremism and anti-terror policy. The Shadow Home Secretary could not be clearer in his rejection of multiculturalism and the policy of ‘engagement for the sake of engagement’.”

Elsewhere in the JC, under the headline “Denham challenged on Prevent“, Bright reports that at the Quilliam Foundation’s Labour conference fringe meeting earlier this week Ed Husain attacked the government for funding “groups and institutions promoting radical Islamist ideology” and announced a Quilliam-sponsored campaign against Muslim organisations linked to Jamaat-e-Islami.

We have our own question for John Denham, one that we’ve raised before – how much longer will the government continue handing over taxpayers’ money to Husain and his obnoxious little gang of right-wing witch-hunters?

See also “Martin Bright praises Quilliam Foundation’s grand alliance with Zionists and neo-cons”, ENGAGE, 2 October 2009

Does the EDL hate Muslims?

Posted on by Bob Pitt

EDLSupporterOver at the right-wing US website Family Security Matters, Adrian Morgan has posted a four-part analysis of the anti-Muslim protests organised by the English Defence League.

Observing that “the identification of players on the far left is complex enough” (yes we’d noticed that Morgan has difficulties with that), in the third part of the series he tries to identify the individuals and ideologies behind the EDL protests. To that end, Morgan sent a questionnaire about the EDL to various people linked to the organisation and received replies from Paul Ray of the Lionheart blog, Stephen Gash of Stop Islamisation of Europe and Mickey Smith of Casuals United.

Given the EDL’s official claim that it is protesting against a minority of Islamist extremists like al-Muhajiroun rather than against the Muslim community as a whole, the answers to Morgan’s question “Is EDL against Muslims, Islamists, or immigrants?” are of interest.

Paul Ray replies that “anyone trying to convert great Britain into an Islamic State, whether peacefully or militantly, is an enemy of the British people, so those are who I am against. If a Moslem is not actively engaged in trying to convert their host Nation into an Islamic State then they are not Moslem. Islamists are just the military wing of the religion…. Take a read of Robert Spencer’s Stealth Jihad which talks about the silent subversive war to take our countries over…. Obviously there are many Islamic militants who are arriving and have arrived in Britain through the immigrant route and have claimed and are claiming asylum in the country which then brings the immigrant question into the equation.”

Stephen Gash’s answer is: “We do not believe in moderate Muslims…. Some Muslims are more active than others, but all Muslims want sharia law and Islam to rule the world. Moderate Muslims are those who watch non-Muslims being killed, but still say Allah u Akbar when the killing is happening. Therefore, we obviously oppose Islamists because Islamists are merely Muslims, and Muslims are Islamists. We oppose immigration from Muslim countries.”

The response by Casuals United spokesperson Mickey Smith is more in line with the EDL’s tactic of covering up their extremist views and masquerading as moderates. Smith replies blandly that the EDL “is against Islamic Extremist, not Muslim people per se, those whose declared aim is to make Britain an Islamic state, and who laugh at our soldiers dying on their websites”.

Unfortunately for Smith, this stance is rather undermined by the explicit anti-Muslim statements on Casuals United’s own website: “I once read a book ‘The prophesies of Nostradamus’ and it said ‘Islamic hordes will invade europe but a British counter attack will drive them back’…. Our advice is this, NEVER EVER vote for any Muslim MP or Councillor as its clear their main interest ‘inshalla’ is the advancement of Islam and not the interests of this country.”

See also “Fomenting hate between Muslims and Christians” at ENGAGE, 1 October 2009

Ehsan Jami joins Wilders’ party

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Amsterdam — A Dutch self-declared ex-Muslim and critic of Islam has joined the rightist Freedom Party PVV which is also highly critical of Islam, its party leader confirmed Thursday.

Iranian-born Ehsan Jami, 24, may run for a council seat in The Hague in the upcoming local elections in 2010. Or, he may try to enter parliament following the general elections in 2011, PVV leader Geert Wilders said. “I think he prefers parliament,” Wilders said, adding Jami was someone “with guts and interesting viewpoints.”

Jami, born and raised in Iran, previously was a council member for left-wing Labour in Leidschendam-Voorburg near The Hague. In the spring of 2007 he established a committee for former Muslims demanding Muslims’ right to renounce their faith.

In September of that year he wrote an op-ed essay together with Freedom Party leader Wilders in the national daily Volkskrant, in which they compared Mohammed with Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler. Labour subsequently expelled Jami from the party, but he continued as an independent councilman in Leidschendam-Voorburg. Both the liberal VVD and the Freedom Party tried to recruit Jami in the following months.

DPA, 1 October 2009

‘Fierce public opposition’ to expansion of Muslim burial ground

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Waltham Forest Muslim Burial TrustWaltham Forest’s Muslim burial ground will see two new buildings and a new carpark constructed despite fierce public opposition.

Dozens of angry residents packed the public gallery at last night’s (Tuesday) planning meeting. They voiced concerns over the disturbance that could be caused by the new buildings, which include a hall for funeral services, as well as a new 82-space carpark.

Concerns were also raised over the number of amendments made to the application since 2007 as well as the possible risk of flooding on the site. But the Environment Agency has said it is satisfied the flood risk has been resolved and officers insisted changes to the application were minor.

Run by the Waltham Forest Muslim Burial Trust, permission had already been given to extend the burial ground but was halted by a Sport England project. Cllr Midge Broadley said: “That permission still remains. To me, it’s quite obvious it will need service facilities. Most cemeteries have a carpark, so the principle of a carpark has got to be accepted.”

Officers also deemed the new use of the site to be in keeping with its status as green belt land. Permission has now been granted on the condition the new buildings are sustainable and energy efficient.

Waltham Forest Guardian, 30 September 2009

Posted in UK

Calling the EDL what it is

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Luton riotNick Lowles of Searchlight reports that he has been inundated with indignant emails from English Defence League supporters objecting to his description of them as “hooligans”. Perhaps Nick should be grateful they’re not threatening to take him to court for libel. But his reply to the EDL’s complaints is spot on:

“Nearly all their key people are football hooligans – many with related convictions and banning orders. Most of the people they are mobilising around the country are from the football hooligan networks. I do not call the EDL a fascist organisation because it is not (though this doesn’t make any less dangerous and of course there are many active fascists within it and at a senior level) but organically linked and driven by football hooligans it is. I should also add racist and Islamophobic as well.”

Hope Not Hate blog, 30 September 2009

Certainly a more accurate understanding of the character of the EDL than that shown by the Metropolitan Police Commissioner.

Fathima Bary, Islam and apostasy

Posted on by Bob Pitt

An emotional Fathima Rifqa Bary – whose personal writings reveal that she wants to be a modern day prophet – said of her parents:

“My parents are Muslim… I don’t know if you know about honor killing… They have to kill me… Because if they love Allah more than me, they have to do it. It’s in the Quran. And you can, like, give them knowledge about it [gestures to someone off camera, who says something unintelligible].”

It seems that Fathima’s understanding of the Quran comes from whomever she pointed to, who I can only assume is her pastor (or pastor’s underling more likely). A few more dry runs could have perfected the performance. She just had to memorize a few verses to prove her claim:

13:6 If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son, or your daughter, or the wife of your bosom, or your friend, which is as your own soul entice you secretly, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods,” which you have not known not you, nor your fathers;

13:7 Namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you, near to you, or far off from you, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth;

13:8 You shall not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall your eye pity him, neither shall you spare, neither shall you conceal him:

13:9 But you must surely kill him; your hand must be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people.

13:10 And you must stone him with stones, that he die; because he has sought to thrust you away from the LORD your God.

Well, that’s pretty damning evidence right there. That sounds a lot like “honor” killing: “If your brother…or your son or your daughter….entice you secretly, saying, ‘Let us go and worship other gods’…You must kill him…you must stone him with stones, that he die.” Well, if that’s in the Quran, then we better ban all Muslim immigration to America!

But before we call Homeland Security, I hope you don’t mind if I check the Quran to verify if those verses exist. [Flipping through pages of Quran] Hmmm, can’t seem to find it.

Oh wait, *smacks forehead*, I remember now where those verses are from. Ahh yes, they are from the Bible (Deuteronomy, 13:6-10). There are of course many other Biblical verses in the same vein, such as 2 Chronicles 15:13 which reads: “All who would not seek the LORD, the God of Israel, were to be put to death, whether small or great, man or woman.”

Oopsie doopsie! Maybe it’s not such a good idea to randomly quote someone else’s scripture or medieval texts without any context as a proof to demonize a people or to fear monger.

LoonWatch, 28 September 2009

Scottish Defence League demo opposed by police

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Scotland’s largest police force has promised to “oppose” a demonstration by anti-Muslim extremists if the event is intent on stirring up racial hatred. It is the SDL’s intention to hold a demonstration in Scotland on November 14 that is worrying local authorities, police and community activists.

Authorities believe the SDL has earmarked George Square in Glasgow or land near the city’s sheriff court building as possible locations for the demonstration. The latter venue is close to Glasgow Central mosque, a focal point for Strathclyde’s 30,000 Muslims. Another option being considered for the protest, according to websites used by EDL supporters, is the Hillhead Tavern in Kilmarnock. Al-Huda Educational Society of Kilmarnock has hopes of buying the pub and turning it into Ayrshire’s first mosque.

However, the Sunday Herald understands that Strathclyde Police are ready to oppose any application for a rally that stirs up racial tensions. Inspector Brian Gibson reportedly told a public meeting in Glasgow last week that such a proposal would not be welcomed by his force.

Groups need a local council’s permission if a rally requires the use of a “public space”, such as George Square, or if a procession involves road closures. It is at the point of a formal application that a police force can advise a local authority on whether an event should take place.

Osama Saeed, chief executive of the Scottish Islamic Foundation, said: “We congratulate Glasgow City Council and Strathclyde Police for the stance that they’ve taken on the SDL. The likelihood is, though, that even if banned there will be an illegal protest. We have to be ready for that. Some sort of action against this protest is inevitable and necessary, though it is essential that it is peaceful.”

A police spokesperson said: “A police officer in attendance at the [public] meeting stated if an application was received from a group whom we believe were intent on causing racial hatred on the streets, then Strathclyde Police would oppose it.” A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said he was not aware of an SDL application having been made yet.

Sunday Herald, 27 September 2009

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EDL not extreme rightwing group, claims Met commissioner

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The significance of the far right should not be “overplayed” after clashes between anti-Islamic groups and Asian youths, the head of Scotland Yard warned on Thursday.

Far-right protests in Birmingham, Luton and Harrow had caused distress to Muslim communities, said Sir Paul Stephenson, commissioner of the Metropolitan police, “and I anticipate further problems”.

But he said: “We’ve got to be very careful to keep the problem in context and not to overplay [the far right’s] significance and give them an oxygen that serves their purpose.”

Sir Paul told the Metropolitan Police Authority the EDL and Stop the Islamisation of Europe were not viewed as extreme rightwing groups and could not be barred from protesting under the law that bans incitement to racial hatred.

Financial Times, 25 September 2009

What Stephenson told the MPA, in response to a question about the SIOE/EDL demonstration against Harrow Central Mosque, was that the EDL “per se are not viewed as an extreme right wing group in the accepted sense and have the right to protest”.

Board of Deputies and CST call on government to boycott MCB

Posted on by Bob Pitt

In a joint statement to the Department of Communities and Local Government, the Board of Deputies and the Community Security Trust have demanded that the government must make any future engagement with the Muslim Council of Britain “contingent on them representing a greater range of views than those of the Islamists, and firmly rejecting violence in all circumstances, including in overseas conflicts”.

Jewish Chronicle, 24 September 2009

See the reponse by ENGAGE, who write:

“We wonder what the BoD would think if UK Muslims were to write to the CLG demanding that the government break off relations with them until they represent a wider base of British Jewish opinion than they currently do as a condition to government engagement with it? And what if the MCB were to lambast the BoD leadership as ‘Zionist’, in the same way that the BoD calls the MCB’s views ‘Islamist’? …

“During Israel’s criminal aggression against Gaza – now widely recognised as war crimes – the BoD supported a rally in Trafalgar Square in support of Israel. The question to be asked now is whether, given the extensive documentation (Breaking the Silence, Amnesty International, UN) of Israeli war crimes in Gaza, the BoD itself should be critiqued for its allegiance to a state guilty of perpetrating them?”

Update:  See also ENGAGE’s letter to the JC.