David Cameron Hits Back at Muslim Council of Britain over Mosques Letter

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Prime Minister says Muslim Council of Britain 'really has a problem' after leaders compare government to 'far fight' for writing to every mosque to help root out 'men of hate'


David Cameron has said that the Muslim Council of Britain "has a problem" after it accused ministers of behaving like the "far right".

The Telegraph disclosed that Eric Pickles, the Communities Secretary, has written to 1,100 imams and Islamic leaders saying they must do more to root out "men of hate" who preach extremism.

The Muslim Council of Britain responded by urging Mr Pickles to clarify his request, asking if like "members of the far right" he was suggesting that Islam is inherently apart from the rest of British society.

Speaking in Ipswich, Mr Cameron said: "It's absolutely right to write this letter, to say we all have a responsibility to fight extremism. » | Christopher Hope, Senior Political Correspondent, and Steven Swinford | Monday, January 19, 2015


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Government Tells Mosques: Force Out the Preachers of Hate

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Eric Pickles writes to 1,100 imams and community leaders, urging them to tackle radicals and make young Muslims proud of Britain

The Government has taken the unprecedented step of writing to every mosque in the country to tell Muslim leaders that they must do more to root out the “men of hate” who are preaching extremism.

Eric Pickles, the Communities Secretary, has written to 1,100 imams and Islamic leaders urging them to publicly condemn the Al Qaeda terrorists behind the Paris massacres, the Daily Telegraph has learned.

Whitehall is unable to defeat jihadist ideology alone and Muslim leaders have “a responsibility” to prevent young men and women from becoming radicalised, Mr Pickles said in a letter sent last Friday.

The letter says that Imams must explain to young people what it means to be British. And it says that mosques who identify hate preachers within their midst can receive free legal advice to force them out. Mr Pickles’ letter comes at a time when tension between communities in Britain is running high.

The Metropolitan Police announced it had increased security around police buildings and would be increasing the number of armed officers.

Theresa May, the Home Secretary, pledged to “redouble our efforts” in the face of a terrorist threat driven by “chilling” anti-Semitism.

Lord Sacks, the former Chief Rabbi, on Sunday said that anxiety among British Jews is at a “record high” with many scared to attend synagogue or go to the shops.

And writing for Telegraph.co.uk, Mick Davis, the Chairman of the Jewish Leadership Council , today warns of an “alarming rise” in anti-Semitic attacks with Jews at risk from Islamist terrorists “just for having the audacity to exist”. » | Matthew Holehouse, Political Correspondent | Sunday, January 18, 2015

Preachers of Hate Who Spread Their Violent Word on British TV Channels
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Muslim fundamentalists have used British television channels to preach in favour of violent crime and killing “apostates”.

The communications watchdog, Ofcom, has made a series of rulings against channels which allowed “inflammatory” material to be broadcast in breach of rules which forbid extreme opinions gaining a platform on British television.

The cases, disclosed today, include examples of an imam telling viewers that those who disrespect the prophet Mohammed should be killed, and another broadcaster saying homosexuals should be beaten and tortured.

The stations were found to have committed serious breaches of the broadcasting code by allowing the extreme opinions to be aired unchallenged.

Last night experts warned that the extent and seriousness of the broadcasting breaches raises questions over whether extreme Muslim speakers who were previously confined to small audiences in mosques are able to reach thousands more people by broadcasting intolerant teachings on television.

Although the channels have tiny audiences compared to the mainstream, they are targeted at Muslim communities, including people of Pakistani background, with some of the content being broadcast in Urdu and other languages. » | David Barrett, and Ben Leach | Saturday, February 09, 2013

’Muslim Fanatics Benefiting from Public Grants'
THE TELEGRAPH: Muslim extremists should be banned from handing out literature and prevented from sitting on public bodies, David Cameron has said.

The Conservative leader has also accused ministers and councils of allowing fanatics to benefit from public grants to Muslim bodies.

"The Government has allowed hundreds of thousands of pounds to local authorities to improve community cohesion, but there are worrying signs that ministers have taken their eye off the ball," he said.

"I will be making proposals to isolate extremists and make certain they cannot obtain public grants or get invited to sit on public bodies.

"That won't just apply to Islamic extremists. We will be equally vigilant in ensuring that groups linked to the BNP or animal rights militants are excluded too.

"The message should be clear - to those who preach hate, to those who encourage violence, you are not part of the mainstream, you will not get public funding." 'Muslim fanatics benefiting from public grants' >>> By Andrew Porter, Political Editor

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Mark Alexander (Hardback)

’Hooks-R-Us’ Preacher of Hate, Abu Hamza, to Be Extradited to US
DAILY EXPRESS: Hook-handed preacher of hate Abu Hamza will finally be kicked out of Britain after Home Secretary Jacqui Smith signed his extradition papers.

Hamza, who has called for non-Muslims to be killed and branded Jews “filthy blasphemous traitors”, will be sent to the US to face terror charges.

The former Imam of Finsbury Park Mosque in North London is wanted in the US on 11 terror charges including playing a key role in a kidnap plot which ended with the deaths of four people.

If convicted Hamza faces a lifetime behind bars. At Last: Hamza Is Kicked Out to Face Trial in US >>> By Sara Dixon

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Mark Alexander (Hardback)

Muslim Outrage as Yusuf al-Qaradawi Refused UK Visa
Photo of the preacher of hate, Yusuf al Qaradawi, courtesy of The Times
Thank God Gordon Brown has made the right decision this time. I hope that this decision is the first of many yet to come.

Yusuf al-Qaradawi is a despicable man; he preaches hatred of Jews, homosexuals, and believes that women should be beaten when they disobey their husbands. This is the year 2008 not the year 600! We don’t need, and certainly do not want, people such as Qaradawi to come to our shores to preach such intolerance and hatred. Keep him out, and keep all the others out that are like him. And while you’re at it, Mr Brown, show us what you are made of and kick all the other people out of our country who preach such intolerance. Deport them! There should be no place in the United Kingdom (or Europe) for such people. We, the British, are sick to death of them. Such intolerant people should not be made welcome here. They are an affront to our civilized society.

If the Muslims of the UK are outraged because of your decision, then let them be. First of all, it doesn't take much to make them outraged (the least little thing will do it), and secondly, we, the true British people, are equally outraged that such fossils should be allowed to enter the United Kingdom to preach their intolerance and hatred of Jews and homosexuals.

All I can say is al hamdu lillah (praise be to Allah) for this government decision. May there be many, many more like it. - ©Mark

TIMESONLINE: Yusuf al-Qaradawi, a controversial Muslim cleric who defends suicide attacks, has been refused a visa to enter to the UK after a campaign by David Cameron.

The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) said that it deplored the decision and accused the government of caving in to “unreasonable demands spearheaded by the Tory leader”.

Muhammad Abdul Bari, the secretary-general of the MCB, said that Dr al-Qaradawi enjoyed respect as a scholar throughout the Muslim world.

“I am afraid this decision will send the wrong message to Muslims everywhere about the state of British society and culture,” he said.

“Britain has had a long and established tradition of free speech, debate and intellectual pursuit. These principles are worth defending, especially if we would like to see them spread throughout the world.”

The British Muslim Initiative (BMI) described the decision to bar al-Qaradawi, an “eminent scholar”, as “an unwarranted insult to British Muslims”.

Muhammad Sawalha, the BMI president, said: “We would have to go as far back as the medieval age when scholars were hounded and vilified in order to find a similar retrograde decision.”

The 81-year-old Egyptian-born preacher is now based in Qatar and makes regular appearances on al-Jazeera television, clad in white robes, where he denounces anti-Muslim sentiment in the European media.

Sources close to Dr al- Qaradawi said that his visa application had had support within the Home and Foreign Offices. "But the Zionist lobby placed huge pressures to block the visa application and Prime Minister Gordon Brown eventually backed that position," they added.

It is understood that Dr al-Qaradawi, who is banned from entering the United States, applied for a medical visa almost a year ago. In August he was hospitalised for a stomach ulcer, and in November he was treated for a cracked vertebra apparently caused by a slipped disc.

In a fax from the British embassy in Doha, his application was refused, reportedly citing Article 41 of the United Nations charter, which relates to threats to peace and security.

The cleric last visited the UK in 2004, where he was welcomed by Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of London, and chaired the annual meeting of the European Council of Fatwa and Research at London's City Hall.

His visit prompted protests from Jewish groups and gay people, who regard him as anti-Semitic and homophobic. He has called for the death penalty for homosexuality and the destruction of the state of Israel. Muslim outrage as Yusuf al-Qaradawi refused UK visa >>> By Jenny Booth

Hat tip to Ray Boyd for drawing my attention to this article.

Mark Alexander (Paperback)
Mark Alexander (Hardback)

Cleric ‘Incited Muslims to Kill Western Soldiers’
Photo of the ‘cleric’, Abu Izzadeen (Trevor ‘Omar’ Brooks), courtesy of the Daily Express
DAILY EXPRESS: A BRITISH preacher told hundreds of young Muslims it was their duty to fight UK troops in Iraq, a court heard yesterday.

Trevor Brooks urged them to help buy guns and bombs for insurgents there, instead of giving cash to charity.



The cleric, also known as Abu Izzadeen and Omar Brooks, said the Black Watch regiment was in Fallujah to rape and kill women and children, Kingston Crown Court in south-west London heard.



He told the crowd at Regent’s Park mosque in central London to join the insurgency in Iraq. He said they must choose between the camp of Allah, whose “prince” was Osama Bin Laden, or Satan’s camp led by George Bush and Tony Blair.
 


In a video of the November 2004 rant played in court Brooks, 32, of Leyton, east London, was heard saying: “We are terrorists – terrify the enemies of Allah.” He added: “The jihad is all our responsibility on every single Muslim.” Cleric ‘Incited Muslims to Kill Western Soldiers’ >>> By Padraic Flanagan

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Mark Alexander (Hardback)

Cameron Seeks 'Hate Preachers’ Ban
DAILY EXPRESS: Conservative leader David Cameron has called for a ban on "preachers of hate" entering the United Kingdom.

Mr Cameron accused Prime Minister Gordon Brown of dithering over the case of Islamist cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi, following press reports that he is to be granted permission to come to London for medical treatment.



The Tory leader branded Mr al-Qaradawi - and the head of Hezbollah's TV station Ibrahim Moussawi, who recently spoke in Manchester - "dangerous and divisive" and said they should not be allowed in the country. And he called for a complete ban on Islamist political movements Hizb-ut-Tahrir and Hezbollah.



Speaking at the first meeting in London of a working group between the Conservatives and the main German centre-right party the CDU, Mr Cameron is due to say: "It's clear for reasons of our security that we must expel or refuse entry to those who preach hate, pit one faith against another and divide our society. 



"So I call on the Government to confirm that it will not be giving al-Qaradawi permission to enter this country and that it will not repeat the mistake of last December and make clear that Moussawi is not welcome in the UK."



Mr Cameron will also say that Britain's national security and international credibility were harmed by a "failed" multiculturalist policy which allowed Muslim preachers to advocate values that run counter to the British way of life. Cameron Seeks Hate Preachers’ Ban >>>

Mark Alexander (Paperback)
Mark Alexander (Hardback)

When the Police Side with the Preachers of Hate
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: There are lots of stories running at the moment about how television makes things up to suit its purposes. It was into this pattern that prominent press reports on Thursday appeared to fit. The reports said that the Crown Prosecution Service and the West Midlands police had decided that a programme called Undercover Mosque, made for Dispatches on Channel 4, had "completely distorted" the remarks of Muslim preachers featured in the programme. The CPS and the police announced that they were making a complaint about the programme to the television regulator, Ofcom.

Few seemed to notice what a strange story this was. Why is it the business of the CPS or the police to make complaints, which are nothing to do with the law, about what appears on television? Aren't they supposed to be fighting crime, not acting as television critics?

When you poke around a bit, the story becomes a little clearer, but no less strange.

After the programme appeared earlier this year, many people who watched it were horrified by the extremism it depicted. It was, indeed, horrifying. The programme, all of whose material was collected, sometimes covertly, from British mosques, mainly in Birmingham, showed film, DVDs and internet messages from Islamist sermons and speeches. One preacher speaks of a British Muslim soldier killed by the Taliban in Afghanistan and says: "The hero is the one who separated his head from his shoulders." Another says that all Jews will be killed at the end of time, and makes a snorting noise as if imitating a pig.

One pronounces that woman is "deficient" and that homosexual men should be "thrown off the mountain", another that children should offer themselves for Islamic martyrdom, a third that Aids was deliberately spread in Africa by Christian missionaries who slipped it into inoculations.

As a result of all this, people, including, I believe, local MPs, asked the police to investigate the preachers to see if prosecutions for crimes of racial hatred could be brought against them. C4 itself did not ask for these investigations, but co-operated with police inquiries.

But then, on Wednesday, without any warning to Channel 4, the CPS and the West Midlands police issued their fatwa. Not only had they investigated, and decided, as they were entitled to do, that there were no charges to bring against people featured in the programme: they also announced that they had investigated the programme itself for stirring up racial hatred.

Again, they had decided not to press charges. But, said West Midlands police smugly, they had pursued the making of the programme "with as much rigour as the extremism portrayed within the documentary itself". They had concluded that comments had been "broadcast out of context" and so they and the CPS had complained to Ofcom. Stirring up racial hatred – not the medium (more) By Charles Moore

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