Once again, when we or any non-Muslims say something like this, we’re racists, xenophobes, Islamophobes, and so forth. The Quilliam Foundation is not without its issues (especially with regard to its co-director Ed Husain), but it will be interesting to see what response this report generates without the usual charges of Islamophobia to be issued as a red herring. Still, a robust and meaningful response is all too likely wishful thinking until proven otherwise.
“Mainstream Islamic organisations ‘share al-Qaeda ideology’,” by Duncan Gardham for the Telegraph, August 5 (thanks to Twostellas):
The report, sent to the government’s Office for Security and Counter Terrorism (OSCT), was not intended for publication but has now been leaked on the internet.
Entitled “Preventing terrorism, where next for Britain?” it says the ideology of non-violent Islamists is “broadly the same as that of violent Islamists” adding “they disagree only on tactics.”
A little something we like to call Stealth Jihad.
It produces a list of those it believes are “non-violent Islamists” and adds: “These are a selection of the various groups and institutions active in the UK which are broadly sympathetic to Islamism.
“Whilst only a small proportion will agree with al-Qaeda’s tactics, many will agree with their overall goal of creating a single ‘Islamic state’ which would bring together all Muslims around the world under a single government and then impose on them a single interpretation of sharia as state law.”
The document adds that if the government engages with such groups “it risks empowering proponents of the ideology, if not the methodology, that is behind terrorism.”
Quilliam argues that the government needs to move beyond tackling those who advocate violent extremism to target those that espouse similar but non-violent views.
Their views are thought to hold sway as the Coalition conducts a major review of the government’s Prevent counter-terrorism strategy.
A Home Office spokesman said the report had not been solicited but added: “We believe the Prevent programme isn’t working as effectively as it could and want a strategy that is effective and properly focused – that is why we are reviewing it.”
The list sent to the OSCT includes a unit within Scotland Yard called the Muslim Contact Unit and another independent group designed to improve the relationship between the police and the Muslim community called the Muslim Safety Forum.
It also includes the Muslim Council of Britain, one of the main groups representing Muslims in Britain, and its rival the Muslim Association of Britain.
Other groups on the list are the Islamic Human Rights Commission, the Federation of Student Islamic Societies and the Cordoba Foundation.
Quilliam also singles out the Islam Channel, a satellite TV channel which has been the subject of one of their reports.
Among the mosques identified are Finsbury Park mosque in North London, formerly run by the extremist preacher Abu Hamza but now under new management, along with East London Mosque and Birmingham Central mosque.
Politicians described as “Islamist backed” include Salma Yaqoob, leader of the Respect Party, and the former Respect MP George Galloway….