While it seems to be heartening news that a London Imam would ask for police help in controlling Muslim youths, it is also revealing that this moderate Imam apparently had no success in convincing them that their view of Islam was wrong. From CNN, with thanks to I.E.
LONDON, England — A leader at a mosque visited by one of the London July 21 bombing suspects says he warned police that Hamdi Issac was dangerous more than two years ago.
An elder at the Stockwell Mosque in south west London says he wrote to a senior police officer urging him to help deal with a group of young people who had been “harassing” and intimidating the moderate Muslims.
Toaha Qureshi, one of the mosque’s Trustees, told CNN that Issac — the alleged Shepherds Bush attempted bomber currently fighting extradition from Italy — was a prominent member of the group.
Qureshi told CNN that mosque officers had made it clear they regarded 27-year-old Issac as a threat and a destabilizing force.
“We were having problems with a group which was trying to take over the mosque,” he said — adding that Issac was part of that group.
“That group was trying to intimidate and harass the management committee.”
Qureshi said the letter, written to Deputy Borough Commander of Brixton Police Malcolm Tillyer, on July 24, 2003, said the gang had been “inciting racial and religious hatred in the community.”
The letter complained that the group were spreading extremist literature and views, and had been targeting moderate leaders of the mosque for abuse…