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Muslims attack silence over anti-Islamic hostility

The Muslim Council of Britain is absolutely right in saying there has been far too little comment or action against rising Islamophobia. Sadly, in this election year there is unlikely to be much, and so the voice of the extremes will be heard.

BBC News - Muslims attack silence over anti-Islamic hostility.

The Muslim Council of Britain statement report of their meeting last Saturday is here:
Speak out against anti-Muslim violence.

It would be good to think that maybe in some constituencies the election could be fought on the basis of the common good of all the community. That I could hope for. Sadly, the national debate may drown that out, especially if UKIP insist on carrying forward on an election ticket of ban the burqua, and the BNP continue to gain publicity. 

In the absense of a political voice, maybe the church can make a stand?  How good it would be to see pre-election church hustings that most constituencies have making immigration, the treatment of other faiths and the building of a fair society for all to be "Christian issues" alongside protection of life. 

Doubtless there will be a lot more comment on that here, after today's "Holocaust Memorial Day events are done!

Luton in Harmony

If there is one thing the media have told the nation (and sometimes the world) about this past year its that Luton is a town divided by race and by religion. We have our challenges but many here embrace with pride our colour and diversity.

 
Which is why on Friday the Luton Forum, representing Luton Borough Council elected members and officers, the public sector bodies (NHS, education, police, etc) and voluntary sector, thus as wide a section of society as you could get, launched Luton in Harmony.

And I am wearing my badge with pride! I wore it at church today and five people asked about it, and wanted to sign up. 

The aim is simply to draw our communities together. We also wish to strengthen the message that we will challenge violent extremist ideology, wherever it comes from, and unite the town in supporting, giving voice to, and celebrating our diversity.

There is more here and and a message from Council Leader, Hazel Simmons, here. 

What difference does a badge make? Is it all Spin?  No, its based around a pledge that calls people to actively engage in working for a better future.

The Luton in Harmony pledge
Luton in Harmony is about promoting understanding within our communities. We want to celebrate our diversity and secure Luton a positive reputation on the national and international stage.

I pledge to play my part in making Luton a town to be proud of.

Because prejudice and hatred harm us all:

• I will wear the Luton in Harmony badge with pride and tell people I meet what it means
  
• I will make friends with people from different backgrounds and life experiences and learn about their values
  
• I will promote my beliefs in a spirit of peace and harmony and encourage everyone I know to do the same

Lots of events in the next year will carry the message. I am already asking what I can do. Watch this space.

Oh yes, there is already a Luton in Harmony Facebook group set up.

 

Major developments on Islam4UK

Wootton Bassett, Anjem Choudary, Islam4Uk have been alive on the internet this week and in the media, and the action didn't all just stop because it was Sunday. we appear to be moving fast towards some major developments.

Action - or perhaps more accurately rumours of action - from Wootton Bassett.

Since Saturday late morning (on my research) there have been rumours that Anjem Choudary was marching today. There seems to have been no evidence of Choudary turning up, but on latest news  there was quite a gathering of the English Defence League.

Plans were denied by the  Wiltshire Police on Saturday afternoon and again on Sunday, when they stated: "Following consultation earlier this week we were assured by the leader of Islam4UK that the required seven days notice to the police will be forthcoming if any march is to be formally proposed. This position has not changed and no such notice has yet been received." The police were apparently present in WB in significant numbers but primarily in expectation of the EDL and others.

Wootton Bassett fury at todays march rumours. is in the local paper, timed at 4.21pm. Nothing had happened by then, except a gathering of a group that looked like football supporters (the EDL doubless).

The other reliable news iduring the pm was from twitter. Searches on "EDL" and "Wootton Bassett" show that some people phoned the Islam4UK phone line and received a denial of any plans. The EDL put out a call to gather in WB at 12noon, and at 13.59 they claimed 150 present. There are a few reports of them, with a note of hundreds lining the streets, but very little else. That is all.

[Update:  There is now a piece on Metro: Tensions run high ahead of planned ‘Islam’ march]

Which makes the "news" that has been coming out on a few BNP related sites rather  interesting to say the least.

Derby Patriot -- a  BNP linked blog  has  this:  Choudary marching in Wootton bassett TODAY with a whole sequence of events given, details of how the media were kept out, the cctv cameras  shut down, Anjem Choudary and friends kept away, and the EDL and BNP triumphing!  It was apparently updated regularly until 5.30 but the fiction seems to stopped then. [Update: now detailed to 21.15]

I have screen prints of all these should the "news" change.

The stories above were repeated on LeeJohn Barnes blog here and here. It would appear that the rumour surfaced early on his blog:

Just had a phone call from someone saying that Choudry and his mob will be marching through Wootton Bassett tomorrow - I dont know if it is true but someone from Luton has rung me and said his mate inside the mosque where Choudry goes has said that Choudry and his followers are going to march tomorrow.

There was a comment added to say that Choudary neither lives nor worships in Luton. Nor in fact is he welcome in any mosque here. But i guess that is news to the BNP and EDL. Anyway wher

The "news" was repeated on various other far right sites. eg "Sarah maid of Albion", Calling England,

Well, it would seem that Wootton Bassett has been on media lockdown, and that even twitter is not bringing us the news. Meanwhile, Anjem Choudary has been free enough to draw our attention to the next piece of news, which is that ....

The Islam4UK Wootton Bassett march is officially cancelled.

There was speculation this morning - in fact to be honest on the basis of Choudary's PR record so far it was always a good guess - that the March was due for cancellation. The Star has a story: HATE MARCH CANCELLED BUT RADICAL CALLS STUNT A 'VICTORY'

Omar Bakri-Mohammed claims that just talking about the sickening stunt was “a ­glorious victory." And we can reveal that Muslim leaders were never serious about marching through Wootton Bassett.  They only wanted to cause public outrage and hurt to the families of dead squaddies by parading through the Wiltshire town carrying ­pretend coffins.

From his bolthole in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli, Bakri-Mohammed, 51, gloated: “Without spending a penny we have forced the issue of British soldiers and their occupation of Muslim lands to the top of the public debate. We have achieved the target already. We have exposed the British Government’s foreign policy for what it is."

The news was confirmed this evening, with reports first on Sky: Muslim group cancels Wootton Bassett march. and then on the BBC Islamists cancel Wootton Bassett protest plans

Their Islam4UK site has a statement. Apparently:

Having successfully highlighted the plight of Muslims in Afghanistan globally and having successfully engaged with thousands of ordinary people through our website and via blogs, phone calls, emails etc... on the reality of the conflict and our collective responsibility, we at islam4uk have decided, after consultation with others including our Sheikh Omar Bakri Muhammad, that no more could be achieved even if a procession were to take place in Wootton Bassett and in light of this we would like to announce today that there will no longer be a procession through this market town.

Predictably the EDL site says: Anjem Choudary has been forced to give up by the EDL . I guess that probably the big facebook page opposing it, and the many other smaller groups, would like a share of the credit. And Derby Patriot has just put up a video with backing music of Jeruslem,  islam4uk defeated. It begins with the claim that "Today was the first step in winning the fight against Sharia law in England."

My own feeling is that that Anjem Choudary is laughing, even if he is wondering what will happen tomorrow. For with the cancellation of the march comes another emerging story ...

Rumours of a ban on Islam4UK.

In an article, War on Hate, in the News of the World this morning, came the news of the clampdown on Islam4UK and al-Muhajiroun, and strong powers to restrict web sites, fund raising, membership and addressing meetings of proscribed groups.

Home Office lawyers have been secretly scouring the rule books to find ways of making the two groups illegal. An Whitehall insider said last night: "The decision to proscribe the groups was made a few months ago - well before the march was even announced. We have been monitoring the output from the websites and comments made by senior members and have come to the conclusion that they are clearly acting outside the Act. A file is being prepared for the Home Secretary and all that remains now is for him to act." The action will be applauded by forces families and moderate Muslims demanding that extremists are denied the oxygen of publicity.

The report was later picked up  by CNN:  UK to ban controversial Islamist group.  In the course of writing their article they spoke to Anjem Choudary and told him of the plans. His response:

Choudary -- informed of the government's plans by CNN -- said the Home Office could not shut him down.  "We're not going to stop because the government bans an organization," he told CNN by phone. "If that means setting up another platform under another label, then so be it."  A ban "will just make the use of those names ... illegal, but Muslims everywhere are obliged to work collectively to establish the Islamic State and Sharia law in the UK or wherever they are -- those things can't change," he added. Asked if he was surprised or disappointed by the decision, Choudary said "No, not at all, we expect this and much more than that."

One of their responses was to remove a significant part of their website, leaving only a statement with regard to the cancellation of the WB march and an earlier letter to soldiers families.  On the statement about the march they speak about the possible proscription, and state:

... islam4uk and Al-Muhajiroun do not call for any violent or military activities rather we are an ideological and political movement who have always stated that we live among you under a covenant of security where the life and wealth of those with whom we live is protected in return for our life and wealth being protected.

That will certainly take some thinking over in the light of previous al-Muhajiroun statements. Its not what we have been reading recently.

So what now?

Its going to be an interesting week ahead as some this settles down. And of course we still await the conclusion of the case at Luton magistrates court where some of Choudary's followers are on trial for the their protest at the Royal Anglian Regiment homecoming parade in Luton last March. That will probably come tomorrow.

I plan to return to the wider implications soon. The court case, the proposed march in Wootton Bassett, the whole way that al-Muhajiroun and their related organisations have existed in the UK (and with whom we have become very familiar in Luton), and raised many issues for freedom of speech. Dare I say it they also raise questions about our working with the BNP and EDL. I fundamentally disagree with all of these, and yet if I don't engage with them, can I expect to influence them?

I have to remind myself that my long term goal is not being right, not winning, not observing a conflict, but reconciliation. There is a lot to think about.

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This is the sixth in a series of related posts:  

1. An outpouring of anger at Anjem Choudary is not the answer.
2. Extremist Muslims, anti-war rhetoric, foul language and free speech
   
3. Widespread Muslim denunciation of Wootton Bassett plans
4. Muslims are very decent people too!
5. Nice people, nasty people, offensive language and free speech!

Nice people, nasty people, offensive language and free speech!

I do understand how people find it so hard to think about allowing nasty extremist Muslims to say the most vile things about serving military who have given up a lot, suffered a lot, even died for others. I can understand why over 700,000 people have signed up to a facebook group to stop ultra-nasty Anjem Choudary and his friends parading through a town where those good people are remembered. 

I sat in court for a day this week listening to the trial of 7 Muslims -- friends and followers of Choudary, accused of saying similar nasty things last year when the Royal Anglian regiment had its homecoming parade through Luton. It didn't seem right that they could get away with it. ( Muslims 'exercising free speech' during Luton protest  and   Luton soldiers parade trial latest ). While I was there there were a lot of long legal submissions from defense arguing that it was an "abuse of process" ( a bad case as far as I understand it) and that they really had no case to answer. It boiled down in the end to the issue about the fundamental -- but not unqualified -- right to free speech. The district judge (case was far too complex for magistrates!) ruled that the case should continue, but that was as much on the basis that the issues were about legal administration, which it is not in the remit of a magistrates court to rule on. She effectively opened the way to an appeal if they defendants are convicted - which is by no means certain. 

Yesterday, Friday, the defense cases involved only two of the seven giving evidence. The report in the daily Mail is perhaps the fullest: 'Our chants weren't offensive', say Muslim protesters accused of yelling abuse at soldiers' homecoming parade. The charge is of "using threatening, abusive, insulting words and behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm and distress to others."  that included "Words like baby killers, murderers, killers, yes, those are my words," said Sajjadar Choudhury. The defendants stated they they did not mean to harm anyone, and that the words  "were not offensive because they were true."

Can one really believe that? I know many don't. Not offensive, not intended to offend or abuse or insult nor cause harrassment, alarm or distress, but true.  It would seem that they are so confident that they are uttering the judgement of God on sinners thats only fruit will be to bring conviction, not offense.

I was reviewing some short videos earlier from the Luton Islamic Centre who have been very active opposing extremism this year. They had a motive; many people wrongly associated their mosque with the Choudary's supporters, which is believed to have led to its firebombing in may this year. Take a look at  Luton Muslims Against Extremism  part 8 (starting about 3.50) and going on into the next few short pieces ( part9, part 10 ) Abu Qadir Bache is speaking to the issues of Muslims living in a non-Muslim land, and he points out the wrong interpretation of Islam by Anjem Choudary on the issue of getting involved in the host nation. Towards the end he touches on this issue of how they will never even consider the implications of what they do if they are speaking God's words.  Bache categorically says this is wrong, but its helpful to see where they are coming from.

We await what the judge decides to think. Will she say they have no case to answer and dismiss the case? Will she find them guilty, and if so will the case go to appeal where it will likely touch deeply on freedom of speech. Which is at the heart of the Wooton Bassett decision. What is our response when we meet people on the street shouting that sort of stuff, or when Anjem Choudary says he will march with empty coffins through Wooton Bassett? Increasingly the focus is coming on the need to allow free speech as much as we can, even when it is distasteful. 

Interestingly, BBC Radio 4's Any Questions  programme Friday night (8th Jan) was from the Baitul Futuh Mosque in Morden, London, and the panel included Sadiq Khan, the UK's Transport Minister, and there were a lot of the local Muslim believers in the audience. From among them came a beautifully posed question from Dr Mujib Khan: "The prophet Mohammed stood up as a mark of respect for the passing funeral courtege of a non Muslim.  Have some Muslims misunderstood his example?"  Sadiq Khan his fellow panellists, including Polly Toynbee, were totally dismissive of Choudary's plan, yet all made it clear that our tradition and high value for free speech should only be restricted if there was a risk of a major breakdown of law and order, and that the process for that was clear -  a police assessment of the risks following actual application to march (which has not been received yet), and on the basis of that an application to the Home Secretary. (The programme is on iPlayer for  and is about 33 minutes into the programme -- though because of the venue its worth listening to the rest, where it is evident of the positive engagement of the whole audience. It says its available until 1st Jan 2099 so no rush.)

Its not easy to listen to horrible stuff said about those who should be honoured. Yet, it seems to be the case that it is sometimes the most effective way.

Muslims are very decent people too!

"I'm proud of both parts of my identity. My religion has given me my beliefs and tradition to respect everyone no matter what religion or race, so I don't know what religion Anjem Choudary is practising. "My country has given me every opportunity in life so why should some hypocrite try to take that away from me?   ... I would love to tell other youngsters that our religion does not reward you for killing innocent people but for showing respect, to grieve with the grieving, to forgive and to give, not take."

So read the story of a young Muslim in the Sun newspaper:  I'm with the true Muslims . It was also good to see the Sun reporting on a story of an Asian man in Scotland reported because he had a rucksack and two mobile phones:  Branded a Bomber  So often I associate so many of the scare stories with the tabloid press that its good to see them doing their part to create positive images and also tell of the pain of those who have been the victims of negative stereotypes.

The Mirror also did its bit - alongside a number of other papers - in telling the stories of Muslims living in Wootton Bassett.  Enam Choudhury is a restaraunteur and tells how

'Standing shoulder to shoulder with my fellow townsfolk as we honour Britain's fallen heroes has become part of my life but I'll never get used to it.'

Read his story her:  Muslim dad who runs a restaurant in Wooton Bassett on why he opposes Islamic fanatic's march  (Its worth noting how many must raise their eyebrows at the common Asian name Choudary and its synonyms.)  The Sun also had a story on them and their fellow co-religionist, Abdul Latif.

Following my post a couple of days ago on the Widespread Muslim denunciation of Wootton Bassett plans there have been many stories like this of individuals and local groups of Muslims speaking out against the extremists plans. 

Farasat Latif, a leader of a mosque in my own town Luton that suffered a fire-bombing after Anjem Choudary's friends disrupted the Royal Angian homecoming parade spoke out against the plans: March would lead to burning of mosques

Mr Latif, of the Call to Islam Centre in Luton, will join Muslims in Wootton Bassett for a counter-protest against the march which Islam4UK leader Anjem Choudary claims will honour the Muslims “murdered” in Afghanistan.

Mr Latif said: “The irony here is that Anjem Choudary is abusing the very rights Britain has afforded him in order to carry out this protest. If he did this in Afghanistan he’d most likely end up in prison or dead. If he doesn’t like this country he should go home.”

There are stories like this from across the nation of local groups speaking out. You only have to google "Wootton Bassett" and them will appear. 

Yet, sadly I still hear the question - "why aren't the Muslims speaking out against it?"  It should be instead: "why aren't the media covering the Muslims speaking out" or maybe even"why don't we hear the Muslims ..."   

And finally, to match the massive facebook site opposing Anjem Choudary's plans, which now has 665,000 members,  but which does regularly attract racist and Islamophobic comment, despite the best efforts of the admin team, there is now a group that has some really positive comment going on on its wall:

MUSLIMS AND NON MUSLIMS AGAINST ISLAM4UK MARCH THROUGH WOOTTON BASSETT

Get talking to one or two people there and discover fellow human beings!!

And for those who wonder where the church is on this whole thing its worth looking at the Christian Muslim Forum .  They have not said anything specific yet on this issue but they do have some really good stuff, especially a document that recognisies tensions often come as both faiths like to spread their message:  Ethical Guidelines for Christian and Muslim Witness in Britain

There are some good stories elsewhere on my blog here categorised under Christian Muslim relations

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I posted a couple of days ago on this same topic:  Widespread Muslim denunciation of Wootton Bassett plans

     

Widespread Muslim denunciation of Wootton Bassett plans

(I have just posted a further piece on this topic here: Muslims are very decent people too)

There are growing numbers of Muslim groups and individuals are denouncing the plans by extremist Anjem Choudary. Its a shame that its not getting the press it deserves, and I want to do my small part to get their voice out. Some would say they are too late, but to be fair the country only got back from the new year holiday yesterday, and it was only late yesterday pm that there was a response from Gordon Brown. Any representative group needs to sound out its own constituency which takes time.  

(This is the third in a series of posts on Anjem Choudary's plans for a procession in Wootton Basset Wiltshire to commemeorate Muslims who have died in Afghanistan; and also the trial of seven of Choudary's followers in Luton for their disruption of the Royal Anglian homecoming parade: see  An outpouring of anger at Anjem Choudary is not the answer. and Extremist Muslims, anti-war rhetoric, foul language and free speech. )

The Wiltshire Islamic Cultural Centre  put out a press release on Sunday totally condemning the proposed march.

Wiltshire Islamic Cultural Centre has learned today that Islam4UK, a group affiliated with the extremist group Al-Muhajiroon is planning a march in the market town of Wootton Bassett, because of the part it plays in the repatriation of Britain’s fallen service personnel.

We, along with all other Muslim community groups in Wiltshire and the surrounding area, including Bath Islamic Society and Swindon Thamesdown Islamic Association, unreservedly condemn this march and call on the organisers, Islam4UK to not go ahead with it in the interests of public safety and the Muslims they claim to represent as well as to respect the rights of the people of Wootton Bassett and Wiltshire.

We will hold Anjem Choudary and Al-Muhajiroon responsible for any backlash against any Muslim in Wiltshire or elsewhere as a result of their proposed irresponsible and irrational actions and any insecurity brought upon the majority peaceful Muslim population.

The media will no doubt grossly over-react, as usual to such a protest, whether it is peaceful or otherwise, giving the impression that all Muslims follow this tiny minority of extremists.

Therefore we are putting the record straight and letting the media and general public know that the vast majority of Muslims have nothing to do with this group who are upon the methodology of the deviant sect known as the Khawaarij. The Khawaarij were historically the first sect to bring insecurity upon the Muslims, right after the time of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings be upon him) and even killed some of the close companions of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings be upon him).

We strongly request Wiltshire Police to ban the proposed march in the interests of public order, public safety and community cohesion.

Their prediction that the media would over-react and fail to draw distinction from the vast majority of Muslims in the UK has to a large extent been true. Perhaps more than the majority of us, the Muslims in the UK have become used to Choudary and his followers, and a number of others, making a lot of noise, and try to ignore it. Sadly once the media get a hold of the story the lack of a Muslim voice tends to send out its own message , wrong though it may be.

The Sun have now picked up on that denunciation (Muslims slam Choudary march ) though maybe predictably don't comment on the idea that they may have been over-reacting, but rather lead with a large picture of Choudary by the Palace of Westminster, and go on to talk more about his message of hate. 

Interestingly the Islamic Centre in Luton that acted to remove the Choudary's followers in Luton have offered their support for the Wiltshire Islamic Cultural Centre, offering to join them on a counter demo.

More  widely the Muslim Council of Britain made a statement on Monday. Proposed Wootton Bassett Protest: A publicity Stunt that Deserves Disdain.  Its past the page break with more.  So too is a statement from British Muslims for Secular Democracy, and a couple of links to pieces by their people in the press today.

Extremist Muslims, anti-war rhetoric, foul language and free speech

There is an interesting coincidence of all the upset over Anjem Choudary's "plan" to parade through Wooton Bassett, and the appearance in court today in Luton of Choudary's followers for their taunts last year during the now infamous Royal Anglian homecoming parade. I posted on the former last night ( An outpouring of anger at Anjem Choudary is not the answer.).

Reports on the court hearings of seven men on trial for "using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress" began at Luton magistrates court this morning.  ( Muslim protesters 'branded British soldiers rapists and baby killers during homecoming parade' | Mail Online and  Men in court over 'baby killer' chants at returned soldiers | World news | guardian.co.uk. ) The words on the placards included "British Army, murderers"; "British soldiers, burn in hell"; "Baby killers, shame on you" and "British soldiers, you will pay".  Recognising that the matter of the the British army's actions in Iraq and Afghanistan were matters of legitimate debate the prosecution said that it was likely to come down to "the defendants behaviour with reference to their right of freedom of expression under thew Human Rights Act"  as well as some fo their behaviour.

Meanwhile on the Wooton Bassett issue, Anjem Choudary has issued a letter to the families of soldiers who had died or are serving in Afghanistan. 

"It is worth reminding those who are still not blinded by the media propaganda that Afghanistan is not a British town near Wootton Basset but rather Muslim land which no one has the right to occupy, with a Muslim population who do not deserve their innocent men, women and children to be killed for political mileage and for the greedy interests of the oppressive US and UK regimes.

"The procession in Wootton Basset is therefore an attempt to engage the British publics minds on the real reasons why their soldiers are returning home in body bags and the real cost of the war."

Gordon Brown has condemned the plan. ( Planned Muslim march through Wootton Bassett 'is an insult and a stunt')  The Sun's heading this morning was not so cautious: Hate mail cleric. Clearly the public feel the same. The Facebook group opposing Choudary's plan topped 200,000 at lunchtime today and now stands at 216,500.  Since it was 108,000 at 5pm yesterday after 48 hours, and had been under 50,000 the previous day, that means it is more than doubling every 24 hours. If that rate of growth continues for another two days it will be approaching one million members. While the government will have to consider the wisdom of a policy response to a facebook page it can surely not ignore such a level of popular feeling.

As I said in my post last evening, Choudary has done little in his most recent challenge that was not done on the streets of Luton less than ten months ago. It is only the context and the size of the audience that is different. He is playing a very skillful game but nonetheless reprehensible game. There is little that is illegal in his challenge, as indeed the words on the placards last year were deeply offensive but on the boundary of the law. We await the results of the court case on that. 

I predict some comment on the news channels on this tonight or at least tomorrow, some probably clumsy actions by the government that will satisfy few, and if the result of the court case in Luton is guilty, an appeal on the basis of freedom of expression and human rights issues that reaches Strasburg. If it is not guilty I dare not imagine what the popular response will be. Meanwhile there does need to be some real debate over the war than avoids Choudary's / the Islamist wider agenda and which avoids unnecessary pain for those who have lost love ones.  

All people of faith need to be seeking peace and praying for peace on this one.

An outpouring of anger at Anjem Choudary is not the answer.

They have done it again.

A couple of days ago Anjem Choudary and friends (representing Islam4UK, al-Muhajiroun, Call to Submission or whoever) announced their plan for a procession through Wooton Bassett to opose the deaths of the people of Afghanistan. As far as I can see their announcement was posted sometime on Friday 1st afternoon.

About 48 hours later, at 5pm on Sunday 3rd the Facebook group opposing it had some 108,000 members. It seems to be growing at about 5,000 members an hour. A simple but provocative post by a group representing only a few hundred Muslims, but which thrives on the oxygen of publicity, has done it again. Their antiwar rhetoric has unleashed up a massive outpouring of anger.

Reports on the responses to date are many: the ITN news report is good; the Times is thorough (Extremist muslim group to march through Wootton Bassett ) and the Daily Mail predictably outraged (Outrage as extremists hijack war heroes' town). The latest report in the Telegraph includes a new open letter from Choudary and a mainstream Muslim denunciation (Muslim cleric Anjem Choudary vows to continue Wootton Bassett march).

The response is not unlike what we saw last year in Luton on March 10th when Sayful Islam, the Luton leader of Choudary's group, demonstrated at the homecoming parade of the Royal Anglian regiment. 14 men with placards provocatively denouncing the war in Iraq and Afghanistan and few women in burqas stirred up the anger of the crowd, and within 30 minutes we had a counter-demonstration of a couple of hundred. Within a few weeks on Easter Monday, April 13th, the so called United People of Luton, mounted a large and ugly gathering in the town centre. A second march six weeks later, on May 24th, resulted in several hundred of them running through the town looking to get to Bury Park, the centre of the Muslim community. On 27th June the movement went national, under the banner of the English Defence League  (EDL) and for the rest of 2009 mounted a series of demonstrations  across the UK. 

[I have been following the process and reported on much of it here in a string of posts (see Seeking Peace in Luton and Multicultural UK). Wikipedia is here;  A BBC Newsnight report is good, and there is ain depth radio documentary, File on Four, to be found in various places on YouTube - most recently here in relation to an upcoming EDL demo in Stoke. (This is the first section ,and you will find other to follow it). There is a good BBC page on them here .  The most recent newspaper article is from the Daily Mail: This is England: Masked like terrorists, members of Britain's newest and fastest - growing protest group intimidate a Muslim woman on a train en route to a violent demo. The best background work on aspects of the EDL is on Richard Bartholomews blog, Bartholomew's Notes on Religion (search under EDL or Paul Ray).]

Its hard at this stage to predict what will happen with this mass new outpouring of anger at a few Muslim extremists. In my mind it is unlikely that Choudary's group will get to Wooton Bassett. On previous record it is unlikely they will be banned - though the government must surely be coming to reason on the impact they are having. My guess is that common sense will say it is well out of their safety zone and that police would be unable to safeguard the right to free speech they have so far been granted. Based on the comments on Facebook site if they went there I would anticipate a lynching. (When they planned an event in London, apparently to proclaim Sharia law for the UK, in October it provoked the EDL to plan a protest, which was of course followed by Unite Against Fascism, and then at least a couple of moderate Muslim groups. Their work done Choudary withdrew, leaving everyone else to protest.)  

Choudary has shown himself to be  a masterful tactician and I suspect he has accomplished what he wanted, which is to stir up yet more hatred of Muslims in the nation.  The Facebook site wall certainly evidences that. In most peoples minds the EDL are extreme right wing thugs with a tendency to violence, though they have denied that. But frankly the emotions that are being poured out by the thousands in response to the latest provocation are just as angry as the voices on EDL forums - minus the swearing and the crudeness.  The EDL have shown an inability to distinguish between a few Muslim extremists and the majority of the community. There is little different in the current analysis.

In a nutshell, Choudary and his colleagues know that the more Islamophobia they stir up the more members of the Muslim community will be inclined to look to them for a lead.

Of course this is not the only thing going on. The events since Christmas day when a Nigerian Muslim, a former student in the UK, sought to blow up a flight to Detroit, have unleashed yet another round of recriminations, and urgent attempts to bolt the terror door more tightly.  The need is obvious, but the results are worrying. The Telegraph's offering today for example asks important questions but manages to throw accusations around to enthusiastically ( Revealed: the true extent of Islamic radical influence at UCL)  Early information gleaned from the would-be bomber suggests more like him - 25 is his claim. (Bomb Plotter: More like me). And of course everyone knows (or I would prefer to say, thinks they know) that such people come from Luton, as well as Bradford and east London - Luton extremists line up to be suicide bombers.

The extremists are due to return to the UK early in 2010 and, it is claimed, will then await internet instructions from al- Qaeda on when to strike. The 25 suspects, of Pakistani and Somali descent, were radicalised in UK mosques. Some had been to university and studied engineering or computer sciences. Others were former street gang members.

Thus, the last week of 2009 seems to have set the agenda for 2010. More fear, more anger, more hatred. At one level I am deeply saddened. I am also challenged.  The issues need to be picked apart and examined, whether the war in Afghanistan, the wider response to terror, and the issues of immigration and multicultural UK. We need to hear the EDL, al-Muhajiroun, and the ordinary people, whether here in Luton or those signing up for the Facebook group (135,00 of them now), and Iraq and Afghanistan.  The problem now is that all these issues are politicised in the face of an election.

One thing I do know. Hatred and anger is not the answer. We do not need to respond to Anjem Choudary at a gut level response. We need to do all we can to ignore him and his friends.  And we need to seek to do all we can to reach out to the Muslim community and engage with them positively.   The same is true of EDL, and all who would indicate a growing fear and hatred of Muslims at this time.

The advice of the Pope and Archbishop  in their new year messages is our challenge. "Discovering our own humanity as we honour the human dignity of others."

May we know peace in 2010.

 

Does witness have to be like this?

The trial of the Christian couple accused of insulting a Muslim guest because of her faith has now ended, and the case dismissed. That is a relief, but has the real question been asked let alone answered.

The BBC's report yesterday  ( Muslim woman 'abused' over dress by Christian hotelier heard the prosecution case that the Muslim woman guest was "asked by a Christian hotelier if she was a terrorist and a murderer because she was wearing Islamic dress", and spoke of the Prophet Muhammed as a "warlord, like Saddam Hussein and Hitler"

Today was the defence turn  ( Muslim dispute 'ruining' business) and the couple running the hotel said of  of their Muslim  guest:

"Her wording was, in essence, 'I've tried all the religions, I've tried Jesus, it didn't work for me but the Bible is untrue anyway and Jesus is a minor prophet'.  "She called Our Lord a minor prophet. My reaction was 'You haven't prayed alone and asked God to prove himself to you'.

The case has been dismissed ( Christian hoteliers cleared in Muslim woman abuse row ) because the evidence was inconsistent.

The case of the Christian hoteliers was backed by The Christian Institute   who are now asking why the case was brought. Its a very good question. But I ask it from a very different position that they do. As a Christian I find CI's attitude to this case rather disturbing. Clearly as the judge realised this was about two groups whose only model for interaction was an agressive one, engaging with each other as stereotypes and trading what were in effect insults.  The CI however took the side of the Christian couple without any apparent concern for the behaviour of their client, which on all I hear does not seem to be very appropriate to a follower of Jesus Christ.

Church leaders and Christian ministries need to be helping their people learn to live in a plural society, being good neighbours. Sharing faith is good. Anyone who is passionate about their faith will want to do that, Muslim or Christian. But lets do it appropriately.(see the Christian Muslim Forum's material on Ethical Witness) and my own posts at te time they were brought out (Ethical Witness - Muslims and Christians get to the heart of things and  Ethical Guidelines for Christian and Muslim Witness in Britain).

And its not just the Christian Muslim Forum who advocate that. The Bible does too in 1 Peter 3.15: 

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.

You can surely be encouraging people to do a bit better that that, Christian Institute?

Standing together against bigotry

If there is anything my faith teaches me its that God is able t take the bad and use it to build good. Redemption its called in Christianity, and of course the concept is Jewish on its roots.  So I am happy to see that the dreadful decision in Switzerland to ban the building of Minarets  is bringing together a huge outcry from the Jewish community at the way Muslims are being treated here. That must be good news.

We can all stand together on this.

The Jewish Board of Deputies here made an announcement on Wednesday:

BOARD EXPRESSES GRAVE CONCERN AT THE OUTCOME OF SWISS MINARETS VOTE

2 December 2009 – The Board of Deputies of British Jews is gravely concerned about the results of the recent referendum in Switzerland, which opposed construction of minarets.

Any law which applies only to one faith or ethnic group undermines the drive for an equal, inclusive and tolerant society. We do not seek to interfere in the affairs of other countries but must condemn intolerance wherever it occurs. Swiss Muslims should be made to feel at home in Switzerland, just as we hope that Muslims, Jews and other minorities in this country should be allowed to practise their faiths freely and without restraint.

Discriminatory laws like a ban on minarets are likely to alienate, rather than ease integration. They also give succour to the unacceptable politics of unlimited hate being peddled around Europe by right-wing extremists. In our own country, we have seen the continuing victimisation of Muslims and other minorities by these groups. These have ranged from intimidatory protests outside mosques, to cemetery desecrations, to arson attacks, and even to murder. The Board of Deputies is appalled by such developments and stands with the vast majority of British society who condemn them.

The Jewish Chronicle reports this, as well as the condemnation of the decision by Swiss and New York Jews:  Jewish groups criticise Swiss minaret ban

On the Swiss:

The Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities has been vocal against the ban. Dr Herbert Winter, its president, said: “As Jews we have our own experience. For centuries we were excluded: we were not allowed to construct synagogues. We do not want that kind of exclusion repeated

And from New York:

The New York-based Anti-Defamation League echoed the sentiments of the Board, and said in a statement: “This is not the first time a Swiss popular vote has been used to promote religious intolerance. A century ago, a Swiss referendum banned Jewish ritual slaughter in an attempt to drive out its Jewish population.

“We share concerns that those who initiated the anti-minaret campaign may now try to further erode religious freedom through similar means."

In France: Rabbi urges more tolerance for Muslims in Europe

Opening synagogues, mosques and churches to leaders and members of different faiths would help “fight prejudices,” he suggested. He said some of the tolerance building should be done "in Muslim countries,” as well as in Europe.

And in fact Rabbi's from across Europe condemned the decision during a meeting in Moscow yesterday: European rabbis condemn Swiss minaret ban

During Moscow summit members of Conference of European Rabbis issue censure of Swiss referendum results endorsing ban on construction of minarets. 'Europe cannot beat radical Islam by knocking down minarets; moderate elements should be supported,' Rabbi Aba Dunner says

Meanwhile of course the Muslims are upset, but the response of an influential Islamic scholar in Qatar is very encouraging:   Swiss Muslims urged to seek removal of ban on minarets.

While expressing condemnation of the decision his words to Swiss Muslims are ones that we all should applaud:

“Consider yourself as an integral part of the society you live in; be loyal, honest and sincere to your country of domicile. You should work hard and be perfect in whatever work you do for the sake of the progress and betterment of that country. Do not be upset by those who want to antagonise and frustrate you. Indeed you should try to reason with them in a calm and composed manner. Be tolerant and patient whenever you feel hurt and let down.

Let the words of restraint be heard all over Europe where already similar attempts to ban mosques, minarets and Islamic Architecture are emerging:

“The IFU is of the view that this decision, irrespective of the fact that it has been taken on a majority vote, is a new form of animosity against Islam and Muslims in Switzerland. The rest of Europe may perhaps follow suit as indicated by Denmark. It has hailed this vote and announced that it will make a similar move.
“It is obligatory on the part of the Swiss government to take necessary measures to safeguard the lives of the Muslim minority against this animosity.
“The IFU urges the Muslim minority in Switzerland to be calm and restrain from emotional reactions. They should seek to have this decision annulled through legal and democratic channels. And work in co-ordination with all those local and international organisations that have deplored this decision.
“The IFU also calls upon the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) to launch an international campaign against this decision and to expose the double standards practised by the Western countries.”

If other faith groups, and particularly the Jews, can stand against this, and the Muslim community can show restraint agaoinst this provocation we can only hope for good.