Sound strategy, or more British dhimmitude? It’s hard to tell at this point. I am all for law enforcement officials becoming well-versed in the Qur’an and Sunnah: the more they understand the motives and goals of the jihadists, the better able they will be to combat them. But if this will be just another exercise in politically correct whitewashing and kowtowing to Islamic supremacism, as the Shadow Home Secretary seems to think, then it will be worse than worthless.
“Bobbies will be taught Sharia law and the Koran in secret plan to counter terror at local level,” by James Slack for the Daily Mail (thanks to all who sent this in):
Police will be trained on the importance of Sharia law and the Koran to Muslim communities, under new plans to fight extremism.
The lessons in Islamic faith and culture will become part of the formal training of constables working in towns and cities across the country.
Chief constables say that – by understanding the community they are policing – officers will build better relationships.
These could prove crucial in rooting out extremism and preventing a terrorist attack, according to the Association of Chief Police Officers.
But critics have described the plan as ‘politically correct thinking’ .
Philip Davies, Conservative MP for Shipley, said: “Police officers are not there to implement Sharia law. They are there to implement British law.
“This idea is misguided. We will only get community cohesion when everybody signs up to being British and following British law.”
Shadow Home Secretary, David Davis, said: “Of course it is sensible for the police to have an understanding of the Koran and Sharia law as long as we do not allow the situation to slip so that Sharia law is regarded on an equal basis with British law. British law is and always must be pre-eminent.”
Under the Acpo plans, police will not have to learn the ‘depth and complexity’ of Sharia law, but would be expected to understand Islamic culture – which includes Sharia law and the Koran.
It is part of a wide-ranging strategy to prevent extremist ideas gaining hold in primary schools, colleges, the internet and prisons….