Syria, Gaza and the Criminalisation of Islam

Salaam

This is interesting tid bit from wikileaks.

The email was sent from Bill Ivey, a former Clinton administration official, to campaign chairman Podesta, on March 13, 2016. Ill highlight the most interesting part.

“And as I’ve mentioned, we’ve all been quite content to demean government, drop civics and in general conspire to produce an unaware and compliant citizenry.

The unawareness remains strong but compliance is obviously fading rapidly. This problem demands some serious, serious thinking – and not just poll driven, demographically-inspired messaging.”

Again another demonstration of how the ruling classes view the masses. With utter contempt.

Salaam

A new documentary on Moazzam Begg.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBHMnPK6BkY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLnL1WisHhY

Salaam

Another update. Interesting how the British state was using the prevent programme to remake Islam in its own image.

Muslim Council of Britain to set up alternative counter-terror scheme

Mosque-centred strategy to start next year in challenge to Home Office’s unpopular Prevent programme

British Muslims are planning to set up their own programme to stop people becoming terrorists in a direct challenge to the government’s controversial Prevent scheme, the Guardian has learned.

The plans are being masterminded by the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), representing 500 charities, schools and mosques, which plans to start the Muslim-run counter-radicalisation scheme next year.

“In reflecting the wishes of a cross-section of British Muslim society, our affiliates have directed the MCB to explore a grassroots-led response to the challenge of terrorism. Real challenges exists, as we see with Muslim families broken up as a number of children, mothers and fathers leave to travel to Syria,” the MCB said in a statement.

The Home Office’s Prevent scheme is run by the police and security officials. The new initiative, run by a network of community groups across Britain, could cause concern as it could take people away from the official programme. The number of referrals to Prevent reached a record 8,000 in the year to April 2016.

Critics, many of whom are in the Muslim community, say Prevent has at its heart an ideological purity test meaning western foreign policy can not be criticised, and the government is only prepared to work with those who do not challenge it.

Instead of trying to liberalise British Islam, the new scheme will focus solely on a message that violence can never be used. A source familiar with the plans said: “If we can get these voices more heard, they are anti-government and therefore more credible in saying do not turn to violence.”

https://www.theguardian.com/uk

Salaam

Another update

Legalising Islamophobia is a growing international trend

Last year Ahmed Mohamed, a 14 year old high school learner in Texas, was handcuffed, taken into custody, and barred from seeing his parents as he was transported to a juvenile detention facility. Eventually he was suspended from school. His crime: bringing a homemade clock to school.

The same sentiment that targeted Ahmed as a threat resulted in a 10-year-old Muslim boy from Lancashire, north-west England, bring quizzed by British police for writing that he lived in a “terrorist” house – instead of a “terraced” house – during an English class.

The overwhelming paranoia that fuels suspicion even towards children who make simple spelling mistakes or display ambitious ingenuity is a growing trend within the global framework of Islamophobia.

But instead of being challenged at the policy level, Islamophobia is becoming more deeply entrenched in law. Last week the Danish government presented a list of measures to combat ‘radicalisation’, including steps to assist members of civil society to “systematically be present in social media and engage critically in relevant forums, take part in dialogue and challenge extremist views”, making it easier to prosecute those spreading “extremist views online”, according to the government.

Getting the general public involved in furthering the mentality of anything related to Islam being automatically associated with terrorism is a slippery slope. The definitions of “extremism” and “radicalisation” by governments lack clarity and are so broad they are able, at a push, to criminalise legitimate political dissent and apply to all manner of organisations and individuals that challenge the liberal democratic model.

Another example of this legalised Islamophobia can be seen in Australia – one of the most peaceful and law-abiding countries, yet it is about to allow people who might commit terrorism to be held in prison — indefinitely! But the definitions of “terrorism” in Australia are notoriously broad and have been widely criticised by the Australian Human Rights Commission for their lack of clarity and due process.

Nonetheless, under Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s center-right government, federal judges could stop prisoners being released after completing terrorism-related sentences, detaining them indefinitely with little recourse to justice. Further, new laws will allow teenagers as young as 14 to be subjected to court-ordered controls, restricting who they can see and where they can go if any “suspicious” activity is assumed. Because these laws are primarily executed by police, this is a clear sign of Australia’s further descent into a police state.The underlying assumption is that Islamic related activities of any sort are top on the watch-list.

Core issues remain unaddressed and violence continues

These sentiments are making their way into the laws of countries globally. They reflect a growing assumption that Islam is irrevocably linked to violence. What they don’t pay attention to is the crucial issue of grievances – that the underlying cause of political violence is a grievance with foreign policy against Muslims.

This crucial issue has even been acknowledged by security services in private for some time. A recently-released 2011 FBI Intelligence Assessment, a previously classified document, found that anger over US military operations abroad was the most commonly cited motivation for individuals involved in cases of “home-grown” terrorism.

This has followed to some extent due to the capitulation of non-violent political avenues of resistance. Following 9/11, the anti-war movement was completely isolated as trade unions and civil society organizations swallowed the media lies and government propaganda against Islam. What followed was the acceptance of a war of retribution against Afghanistan – an impoverished country of 30 million people.

US led military action in Iraq, Pakistan, Somalia and countless other Muslim countries followed. These incursions have left these lands devastated, with millions of innocent civilians losing their lives. The global NGO Physicians for Social Responsibility reported that over two million Muslims have been killed as a result of Western-led wars since 1990, while others have stated the death toll could be as high as four million. While retaliatory violence should not be lauded, it is essential that we acknowledge this violence does not come out of a vacuum.

CVE is a form of structural violence against Muslims

The FBI report also called into question current anti-radicalisation initiatives. It identified no coherent pattern to “radicalization,” concluding that it remained near impossible to predict future violent acts. “It can be difficult, if not impossible, to predict for any given individual what factor or combination of factors will prompt that individual’s radicalization or mobilization to violence.”

Despite this conclusion, the US government has announced plans to spend millions of dollars on “Countering Violent Extremism” initiatives, which involve community members spotting and stopping would-be extremists – a pattern of surveillance that has Orwellian overtones, and which, in its flawed theories linking religiosity to violence, is a form of subtle structural violence against Muslims.

“Countering violent extremism programmes are really a danger to us all. They hinge on very broad and vague definitions of ‘extremism’, and target any ideology that challenges liberal democracy. This is a dangerous approach, since it criminalises ordinary religious behaviour and stands to silence political dissent. This pushes ideologies underground where they may become violent,” says Karen Jayes, from advocacy group CAGE.

“‘Radicalisation’ theories are built on the flawed assumption that the more religious a person, the more likely they are to commit violence, when in fact the opposite is true. These theories have been proven to be based on unreliable studies, in a report authored by CAGE and entitled ‘The ‘Science’ of Pre-Crime‘, which was also backed by over 100 academics in the UK. Despite this, CVE programmes are expanding throughout the world, because they are a multi-billion dollar industry that trades off a fear of Islam, which is fanned by corporate media and a growing security industry.”

From the CVE initiatives in the US, to arbitrary yet dangerous laws being implemented from Denmark to Australia, the rapid move to vilifying Muslims has become extreme in itself. These moves seek to demonise Muslims as a whole, as a group and as an identity- not the individual acts of harm or evil committed by some.

Instead of uniting people this serves to divide them; instead of cultivating respect, it sows contempt, fear and antagonism. Most perniciously, it codifies automatic antagonisms in society as well as in law and regulation. By systematically denying Muslims the cherished civil liberties afforded to others, we are entrenching the ideology of Islamophobia within the fabric of our everyday lives, and this will have lasting consequences.

http://cage.ngo/article/legalising-islamophobia-is-a-growing-international-trend/

Salaam

Another update

Respected Brothers: Imams, Khateebs, Teachers and Members of Masjid Committees

Assaalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

You will have heard of the government’s ‘Prevent’ strategy. You may also be aware that many people have criticised it – including Muslim leaders and organisations, former Police Chiefs, Teachers, Doctors, Lawyers and even some politicians. The policy has been so heavily criticised for being ‘toxic’, ‘unjust’, ‘racist’, ‘Islamophobic’, creating ‘hatred of Muslims’ and ‘policing thoughts’ that many believe it has lost all credibility.

However, it is strange that against this background we are hearing that some Muslim organisations plan to ask masajid to participate in a new version of ‘Prevent’ that they hope will be run by Muslims instead of by the government. Some have endorsed the terrible idea that ‘Prevent’ should be reformed or rebranded (and named ‘Engage’), at the very time that it is at the point of collapse.

I am writing to share our belief that such an approach would be shallow, deeply flawed and harm the interests of Muslims in the UK. I say this as someone who has pursued this policy for over ten years, speaking and writing against it – at a time when some of our well-meaning but naïve Muslim organisations were participating in the same Prevent policy that they now say they are against.

I make these points confidently, for the following reasons:

• Prevent is not, and never has been, about preventing terrorism. Prevent works by spreading the lie that the more Islamic you are, the more of a potential threat you are – so the solutions it pushes are aimed at ‘westernising’ Muslims by suppressing expression of Islamic beliefs and values, or our political views about foreign policy in the Muslim world. If you are against Prevent, it does not mean you are ‘for’ terrorism because the policy was never about preventing violence. Indeed, it can be argued that this policy alienates Muslims more and creates more division and potential harm in society.
  
  
• It is a dangerous idea to say masajid and Muslim organisations should be taking responsibility for tackling ‘extremism’ and ‘terrorism’. The day Muslim organisations say they will take responsibility for dealing with ‘extremism’ and ‘terrorism, they will be accepting that there is problem that comes from Islam, the community and our institutions – which we all know is untrue. They will be blamed every time there is problem or a threat of violence, saying they have not done enough. It will absolve government of responsibility and be a distraction from the truth that such actions occur from individuals that have a grievance with government policies, some having mental health problems.
  
  
• There is a need for masajid and Muslim organisations to prioritise important work over gimmicks that look to observers that they are aimed to win government approval more than to solve any real problem. Prevent has made some Muslims scared to address issues – such as Khilafah, Jihad, Islam as a complete way of life and problems in the Muslim world. The community’s neglect of these issues has meant that some Muslims search for information about these things on search engines and websites, so becoming confused. Organisations that historically fear to say anything that might upset the government have been at the forefront of ignoring such issues and sadly have little credibility to address those confused young people who look for genuine answers – not words that sound like they are meant to appease the local council or central government. Our masajid and institutions need to address these things, work to build and promote the identity of our youth and invite the wider community to understand what Islam really is – and how this beautiful way of life can bring light to them.

We pray Allah guides us all to the straight path – not the path of those who incur his anger – nor the path of those who go astray by seeking to change the deen of Islam, to fit in with a secular model.

http://www.hizb.org.uk/current-affairs/open-letter-about-prevent

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Junon

Salaam

Another update

Respected Brothers: Imams, Khateebs, Teachers and Members of Masjid Committees

Assaalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

You will have heard of the government’s ‘Prevent’ strategy. You may also be aware that many people have criticised it – including Muslim leaders and organisations, former Police Chiefs, Teachers, Doctors, Lawyers and even some politicians. The policy has been so heavily criticised for being ‘toxic’, ‘unjust’, ‘racist’, ‘Islamophobic’, creating ‘hatred of Muslims’ and ‘policing thoughts’ that many believe it has lost all credibility.

However, it is strange that against this background we are hearing that some Muslim organisations plan to ask masajid to participate in a new version of ‘Prevent’ that they hope will be run by Muslims instead of by the government. Some have endorsed the terrible idea that ‘Prevent’ should be reformed or rebranded (and named ‘Engage’), at the very time that it is at the point of collapse.

I am writing to share our belief that such an approach would be shallow, deeply flawed and harm the interests of Muslims in the UK. I say this as someone who has pursued this policy for over ten years, speaking and writing against it – at a time when some of our well-meaning but naïve Muslim organisations were participating in the same Prevent policy that they now say they are against.

I make these points confidently, for the following reasons:

• Prevent is not, and never has been, about preventing terrorism. Prevent works by spreading the lie that the more Islamic you are, the more of a potential threat you are – so the solutions it pushes are aimed at ‘westernising’ Muslims by suppressing expression of Islamic beliefs and values, or our political views about foreign policy in the Muslim world. If you are against Prevent, it does not mean you are ‘for’ terrorism because the policy was never about preventing violence. Indeed, it can be argued that this policy alienates Muslims more and creates more division and potential harm in society.
• It is a dangerous idea to say masajid and Muslim organisations should be taking responsibility for tackling ‘extremism’ and ‘terrorism’. The day Muslim organisations say they will take responsibility for dealing with ‘extremism’ and ‘terrorism, they will be accepting that there is problem that comes from Islam, the community and our institutions – which we all know is untrue. They will be blamed every time there is problem or a threat of violence, saying they have not done enough. It will absolve government of responsibility and be a distraction from the truth that such actions occur from individuals that have a grievance with government policies, some having mental health problems.
• There is a need for masajid and Muslim organisations to prioritise important work over gimmicks that look to observers that they are aimed to win government approval more than to solve any real problem. Prevent has made some Muslims scared to address issues – such as Khilafah, Jihad, Islam as a complete way of life and problems in the Muslim world. The community’s neglect of these issues has meant that some Muslims search for information about these things on search engines and websites, so becoming confused. Organisations that historically fear to say anything that might upset the government have been at the forefront of ignoring such issues and sadly have little credibility to address those confused young people who look for genuine answers – not words that sound like they are meant to appease the local council or central government. Our masajid and institutions need to address these things, work to build and promote the identity of our youth and invite the wider community to understand what Islam really is – and how this beautiful way of life can bring light to them.

We pray Allah guides us all to the straight path – not the path of those who incur his anger – nor the path of those who go astray by seeking to change the deen of Islam, to fit in with a secular model.

http://www.hizb.org.uk/current-affai...-about-prevent

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Agreed with most of this.

As this country's (UK) own intelligence service put it, "we should not label them as Islamic terrorists but Islamic novices". The government, MI5, MI6 and whoever else is involved in running the country and the media knows, that Islam and the vast majority of so called "conservative" Muslims are not the problem. The problem is those young people, mainly men, who know little of Islam and once again, according to the report, are involved in acts such as drinking alcohol, taking drugs and prostitution. These people, who do not even have the most basic knowledge of Islam (one such terrorist, on his way to Syria, bought the book "Islam for Dummies" from Amazon before he made his so called Jihad) are easily misled by other criminals, who may appear as more religious from the way they dress or look, to committing acts of terrorism.

This is not an issue with our mosques or schools but with the environment the British community has created and the environment the media has helped propagate.

Salaam

Another update

I refused to work with MI5 and now I can’t see my daughter

“I told them I was feeling intimidated. They continued to suggest I should work with them, that they could help with my training, money and employment. I refused.”

In this instalment of the Human Voices of the War on Terror, we share the story of a man who tells of how his life was made intolerable after the security services crossed his path. We have deliberately omitted the name of the person to protect his privacy.

I was born in the Koyama Island in Somalia. My early years were marked by fleeing my homeland to neighbouring Kenya as the civil war engulfed the country. My family later returned, only to then leave Somalia due to the continued unrest and economic instability. We moved to Yemen where for a short period of time before I made the decision to seek a better life elsewhere.

I travelled to the UK, arriving at Dover aged only 17 in the summer of 2003. I subsequently claimed asylum, and it was granted to me the following year. I enrolled in English language and Maths courses to improve my prospects and I managed to secure employment for myself in warehouses and catering.

I was a very active young man, travelling to different areas of the UK, meeting new people and wishing to contribute to society. In 2008, I travelled to Kenya to get married and meet my family. I was blessed with a daughter who is now eight years old.

In the year preceding my marriage I grew closer to my faith as a result of a number of difficult circumstances I was going through. I found solace in adhering closely to Islam. I would begin to frequent different mosques and socialise more with members of the community, from all walks of life.

I crossed the paths of many people, some I would learn later travelled abroad to take part in the conflict in Somalia. My acquaintance with them was fairly limited. I knew them from the mosque I would occasionally pray at and from a regular football session that was open for all.

At that point in time I was unaware that this would be the reason I would become a person of interest for the security services. It was only in 2009/2010 when I began the process of applying for British citizenship that I noticed a strange pattern arise. At this point I was suffering from depression for a few years. The delay in the Home Office’s response to my application had an adverse effect on my mental health. So when I received a response rejecting my application on grounds of ‘bad character’ I was devastated. I had no criminal record and the lack of explanation in the reply was perplexing.

Shortly after this refusal I received a phone call from a man who introduced himself as ‘George’ from ‘an agency that helps people with passport issues’. We arranged a meeting at a London hotel were I assumed they would help my citizenship application.

On the arranged day I entered the hotel and after a short wait a slim, tall white man approached me and identified himself as ‘George’ from the phone call. I was escorted into a room with a large round table filled with snacks. He offered me tea and coffee while another man with Mediterranean features was already seated in the room. I found this setting more strange and unsettling when they apologised and said they were from MI5 and that their job was ‘to protect people in the UK’.

“You know people we are interested in,” George said. He then mentioned their names.

I admitted I knew these people, but I was feeling anxious and fearful for my safety, so I requested a lawyer.

“Trust me – we can do anything, we can help you with your passport and bring your daughter over to the UK,” he said.

I told them I was feeling intimidated. They continued to suggest I should work with them, that they could help with my training, money and employment. I refused.

George handed me £100 for ‘my fare’.

I left the room extremely scared and shocked. I was sweating profusely. The following day at 10am I received a phone call from them asking me to meet again. I quickly directed them to my solicitor. They no longer contacted me anymore, which was good but that would be the start of my troubles.

The police raided me twice, at two separate addresses. These raids are extremely disruptive and caused great pain and anxiety. After one particular raid I was taken to Paddington Green police station, where I was held for four days.

During this arrest, I informed the police that I was claustrophobic, this was ignored. I soon had a panic attack and fainted in the cell. Despite being released with no charge, these experiences, mentally, set me on a downward cycle.

The last time I left the UK was in 2012 to Mekkah in Saudi Arabia. I performed the Umrah rituals and ended up befriending a man there. On my return to the UK I maintained friendship with this man until suddenly he stopped responding. I later learned that he was approached by the Saudi authorities, which I believe were under instruction by the MI5 and they warned him against communicating with me.

During this time my situation deteriorated. My extended family in Kenya also noticed a change. Whenever they would travel the authorities would ask them about me.

I am now too fearful to return to Kenya. My daughter lives in the UAE and they do not accept travel documents, so I have been unable to see her. My life was perfectly normal until MI5 showed up. I now suffer from lengthy depression and see mental health practitioners to help me overcome the emotional distress I experience.

I tried to apply for citizenship again in 2013 but I’ve yet to receive a response due to ‘additional checks’. What raised my suspicions that this delay was not due to normal administrative reasons, was the length of time it took to reply: 3 years despite repeated letters from my lawyers to the Home Office. Also during this period of time I successfully applied for a Security Industry Authority (SIA) security badge, and was found fit and proper to work as a security operative. I found it confusing how the SIA, which reports directly to the Home Secretary, found me fit to guard sensitive institutions and buildings, yet I did not even receive a reply for my citizenship application due to ‘additional checks’.

MI5 should stop destroying people lives. I’ve never had issues here or abroad. I feel my life is on hold. I truly feel that their intervention in my life was the beginning of all my problems.

I could not speak to anyone about my experiences because no-one had the experience and knowledge to help me. It was at CAGE that I found help and a way to bring about some legal redress to my situation.

I strongly believe that the way in which the security services seek to recruit young Muslims is counterproductive. In one hand you are given then opportunity to join them voluntarily, but if you refuse, they will make your life difficult. This approach fuels resentment and unfortunately pushes people to their very edge. I hope they reconsider their tactics and change their policies when it comes to the Muslim community.

http://cage.ngo/article/i-refused-to-work-with-mi5-and-now-i-cant-see-my-daughter/

Salaam

Another update

Reflections: Books behind bars | Moazzam Begg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rd0mbnU_BLo

Well... it is sort of our fault, isn't it?

Let's be honest here, who is currently fighting ISIS, the group who along with groups like Al-Qaeda have tarnished the name of our belief. It is mostly Syria and the Russians. Where are our leaders doing their job. Where is Turkish Prime-Minister Recep Tayip Erdogan, where is king Salman, king of Saudi Arabia. Where is Beji Caid Essebsi, president of Tunisia. Where is Hassan Rouhani, President of Iran. I could probably name 10 more names. The leaders that swore to protect our interest our filling their own pockets, along with the pockets of their inner-circle.

The reason why there is such massive problems is because of their is no true leader in any Islamic Country. NONE...

There is quite an interesting video about politics called "The Rules for Rulers" on YouTube, but couldn't post it directly since I am not a full member...

Salaam

Another update.

The Casey Report is an attempt to assimilate the Muslim community to “British Values”

• Today, Dame Louise Casey, a Government official working in Social Welfare, published a report, warning that the country was becoming more divided with high levels of social, economic and cultural isolation. The report focused particularly on Muslims.
• 
  
• The reality is that that divisions in Britain are not due to immigrants or Muslims but that integration of faiths and ethnicities is an inherent fault line of secular societies. Whether it is the “Black Lives Matter” movement in America, the “Banlieues” of France or the racist campaigns of Brexit and the Trump election, all are examples of the widespread racism that exists. To this day, Britain has failed to harmonise the Scots and Irish! The discussion therefore should not be about Muslims but about failed secular liberal values.
• 
  
• The reason why Muslims haven’t abandoned their Deen in this country like other minorities is because of their conviction in Islam as the most superior way of life. Just like the time of the Prophet PBUH when the Quraysh resorted to the forceful repression of Muslims, today we are witnessing the same thing where coercive policies are being implemented by the Government instead of convincing Muslims to subscribe to “British Values”.
• 
  
• Islam has a rich and successful history in community diversity and understanding. Citizenship in a Caliphate (Khilafah Rashida) is based on someone permanently living within its lands, regardless of their ethnicity or creed. It was never a requirement for someone to become Muslim and adopt the values of Islam in order to become a citizen of the state as we see being demanded by Britain today.
• 
  
• The Muslim community must recognise the dangers of constant proposals from the British Government to reform Islam, by using the excuse of cultural practises to justify Government intervention. Likewise the false narrative needs to be challenged that Islam oppresses women and refuses to include women in daily life. The real debate that needs to take place is between Liberalism and Islam, instead of coercing Muslims to adopt values which are are alien to Islam.

http://www.hizb.org.uk/current-affairs/the-casey-report-is-an-attempt-to-assimilate-the-muslim-community-to-british-values

Salaam

Another update. Cage needs support

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTmIxA3GF8w

Another lecture.


Prevent, the Extremism Bill and the defence of Civil Liberties


Workshop:
Prevent, the extremism bill and the defence of civil liberties

Speakers:
Moazzam Begg - former Guantanamo Bay detainee
Shelly Asquith - NUS VP welfare
Brian Richardson - UAF assistant secretary
Azad Ali - MEND director of engagement

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62guzzHVP1Q

Salaam

The Casey Review: From the Jewish to the Muslim ghetto

Jahanghir Mohammed argues that this week’s Casey Review on integration, which placed the blame on Muslims for failing to integrate into British society, is a classic case of victim-blaming.

“The ghetto is never white, it’s always Jewish, black or Asian,” my line manager in the Council use to say. The word ghetto of course has an anti-semitic and racist history, and is avoided these days; but when politicians and policy-makers talk about “parallel lives” and “segregated” communities they now mean Asian or Muslim ghettos.

The “ghetto” is usually a product of both racism/discrimination and the economic situation of migrants in society. A serious, as opposed to a prejudiced and politicised, assessment of Muslim areas of settlement, necessitates a deep focus on these two factors. But the Casey Review pays scant attention to them. Using terms like “segregated” and “parallel,” British politicians, policy-makers and media have deflected responsibility for social and economic problems and especially the rise of indigenous racist politics onto migrant communities.

In the 19th and the first half of the 20th century, reports by Parliament focused on concentrations of Jewish immigrants in certain areas of major UK cities. The “Jewish Question” was the big issue; the lack of integration of “alien” Jewish immigrants with their distinctive religious and cultural practices was felt to indicate inability to assimilate into British life. Societal ills were often seen through the lens of anti-semitism and blamed on Jews.

Today Muslims have become the scapegoat of convenience. The “Jewish Question” has been replaced by the “Muslim Question.”


Excusing white nationalism and racism

The recent policy of deflecting the rise of racist politics onto minorities started with the Cantle Report into the 2001 riots in the Northern town of Oldham. Lest we forget, the riots were instigated by marching white racists attacking Asian areas in Oldham. Cantle’s report, instead of focusing on the emergence of white racist politics, managed to locate these riots and the rise of white nationalism/racism on “parallel lives.”

The rise of racist politics which caused community tensions in the North of England was effectively blamed on Asian and Muslim communities. Ever since then, politicians, media and policy-makers (in their public statements and policy reports) have pandered to, and, reinforced indigenous racist and anti-Muslim prejudices, stereotypes,and“ghetto myths”about Asians, Muslims. The Casey Report is just the latest example.

I find it disturbing that after stoking “moral panics” about Muslims and immigrants for the last 15 years, which UKIP has exploited skilfully, politicians and policy-makers are surprised by Brexit and the insidious racism it has unleashed. It is this background, and the role played by politicians and the media, that have been responsible for the rise of white indigenous nationalism and racism. Casey’s report fails to recognise this as a cause of in-cohesion because to do so would necessitate looking at the culture, beliefs, values and politics of indigenous white people and society and the role of politicians.

An obsession with Muslims

The Casey Review does not define what an integrated community, area or person is, even though one would have thought that would be essential to such a report. However, if the lack of contact with people from other groups, and adherence to one’s own beliefs, values, and lifestyles were benchmarks, then most of Britain would fail that test. All people socialise and mix in communities of interest; all people settle in their own clusters.

The report is clearly obsessed with “ghettos” and especially the Muslims who live in them. The commentary and narrative is framed from the lens of threat, security, problem, them and us, difference and lack of assimilation.

Reading the report reminded me of the very first anti-racism training session I delivered to Council housing staff decades ago. The questions started with numbers and then descended into criticism and myths about every perceived aspect of Asian culture, habits and lifestyle. Every training session, TV and radio interview I have done since on this topic follows the same pattern. As a trainer you then have to undo each myth, prejudice and stereotype.

“Ghetto” myths and stereotypes

The Casey Review uses attitude and opinion surveys as measures of progress and integration but focuses on Muslims. Leaving aside that this is a dubious measure of integration, there is also a pre-conceived notion that Muslims and their beliefs and values are a problem. A fair report would look at the attitudes and behaviour of all ethnic/religious groups concentrated in certain areas, and towards each other.

The notion that poor Muslim and white communities seldom see or interact with each other makes good survey and media headlines, but it is seldom based on reality. Casey rightly highlights that Pakistani and Bangladeshi men are concentrated in the taxi and food sectors, yet she appears not to understand that the main customers of these businesses are white people.

The report fails to stress that concentration in certain economic sectors, just as in residential areas, is the result of discrimination and lack of access to jobs in the wider labour market. It is reported that unemployment among young black men is 35%, but the same figure for Pakistani and Bangladeshi men is not provided. Why? Could it be that the figure is equally as high?

According to the report Pakistani and Bangladeshi women have high levels of economic inactivity (57%). The reasons are assumed rather than understood. If families make a choice together of what is in their best interests, and decide that childcare and caring for family members is a priority then why should that be a matter of concern? In any event, if all these women decided to sign on and seek work where would the jobs come from? The state would also have to pay for the caring responsibilities of elders and children too.

Public sector workers are taught not to be judgmental about people’s lifestyle choices, but when it comes to Muslims, everyone can make a judgement, even if it is based on a lack of understanding.

The residential concentration of Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities in the North is highlighted, but the decades of historical racist housing policies leading to a failure to demolish obsolete terraced housing in Asian areas for fear of the white backlash when rehousing them in mainly white areas is omitted.

Equally there is no mention of the positive economic contributions and largely self-regeneration of run-down areas that has taken place by these communities. These communities have almost entirely self-financed the creation of their own community institutions and businesses. That is a cause for celebration not demonisation.

The Casey Review deals with different multi-faceted social problems in a superficial and stereotypical way. Perhaps the greatest myth in the report is that ethnic and Muslim minorities that are “integrated” have some kind of protection from the racism and nationalism of the majority, and will become more cohesive. Jewish history informs us otherwise.

The Bosnian Muslims in the 1990s are perhaps the model that some policy makers may desire. White Muslims, with Westernised names, dress codes and dietary habits and 60% inter-marriage rates between Muslims and Serbs, with 500 years of co-existence. Yet the Muslims were on the end of genocide fueled by the rising tide of nationalism, anti-Muslim rhetoric and myths about Islamic extremism.

That type of politics is exactly what has fueled racial tensions and hate aimed at Muslims/foreigners in the UK, Europe and USA. The uncomfortable truth that Casey ignores is and that today Europe is in a dangerous place, not because of Muslims, but because its age-old demons of racist populism, nationalism/isolationism, and economic decline which are demonising minorities and foreigner sonce more. And British politicians and the media have played the main role in fueling those views.

Casey recommends attaching more weight to the teaching of British history in schools. Perhaps teaching British politicians and policy-makers about the history of political reactions to British ghettos might be a better starting point!

http://5pillarsuk.com/2016/12/07/the-casey-review-from-the-jewish-to-the-muslim-ghetto/

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Originally Posted by Born_Believer

Agreed with most of this.

As this country's (UK) own intelligence service put it, "we should not label them as Islamic terrorists but Islamic novices". The government, MI5, MI6 and whoever else is involved in running the country and the media knows, that Islam and the vast majority of so called "conservative" Muslims are not the problem. The problem is those young people, mainly men, who know little of Islam and once again, according to the report, are involved in acts such as drinking alcohol, taking drugs and prostitution. These people, who do not even have the most basic knowledge of Islam (one such terrorist, on his way to Syria, bought the book "Islam for Dummies" from Amazon before he made his so called Jihad) are easily misled by other criminals, who may appear as more religious from the way they dress or look, to committing acts of terrorism.

This is not an issue with our mosques or schools but with the environment the British community has created and the environment the media has helped propagate.

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and the quieter voice of the more sensible mainstream majority muslims,which more often gets drowned out by the political activists.

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Originally Posted by AHMED PATEL

and the quieter voice of the more sensible mainstream majority muslims,which more often gets drowned out by the political activists.

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Not really. The 99.9999999% are very vocal but the media refuses to highlight us. It really is as simple as that.

Salaam

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Not really. The 99.9999999% are very vocal but the media refuses to highlight us. It really is as simple as that.

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Yes it doesnt make good propoganda.

The (British) governing classes are engaging in a 'intimidation' campaign against us so to speak. 'Bad' Muslims are contrasted with 'good' muslims who are servile and obdeident to the approved narravitve. Disappoiniting how some brothers and sisters fall for it.

Another update

PREVENT mafia pull out all the stops to PREVENT CAGE tour

CAGE was due to launch its anticipated PREVENT national tour today in an attempt to educate and empower communities on how they can challenge the discredited PREVENT policy, and to highlight some of our cases that demonstrate its many failings.

However in an ironic twist, PREVENT police have sought to silence these community events, by using all the tax payers resources at their disposal to block the PREVENT tour through the use of threats and intimidation. So far they have successfully intimidated four venues in Sheffield, Derby, Manchester and Luton, which were bullied into cancelling our bookings. Despite this, the events will go ahead as planned at alternative venues.

It seems clear that the police feel threatened by our criticism of a policy that is widely accepted as a failure. Have they not learnt the lessons from their treatment of Afro-Caribbean communities, that this sort of overreach and intimidation is not a good use of police time?

This is not the first time CAGE has endured this kind of pressure. It has become a somewhat regular occurrence that any event organised or attended by CAGE representatives will be approached by the PREVENT mafia in an attempt to silence our voice.

The fact that they fear a small organisation like CAGE speaks volumes about state overreach in silencing dissent, but it also explains the phenomenal growth in support for CAGE and the effect our work is having more broadly.

The tour will go ahead – Insha Allah

We will not be silenced by this intimidation. The tour will go ahead as planned. Please book your seats here and send a resounding message to PREVENT mafia that we will not be intimidated.

Bedfordshire police contact CAGE because of an ‘unhappy customer’!

CAGE received a call from Bedfordshire police wanting to speak to someone in connection with the Luton event on the 23rd of December. They said they had heard it had been cancelled and wanted to know if the event was still going ahead since an “unhappy customer” had told them they had bought their ticket and wanted to know if it was still going ahead.

They said this was a police matter as it was part of their “community engagement” to ensure that customers were happy and hence wanted to let them know of an alternative venue!

This call, despite seemingly innocent, was preceded by the PREVENT officials approaching two venues we had booked and effectively forcing them to cancel our event. The question is, if the police are so concerned about community engagement and ‘unhappy customers’, why would they pursue any venue that wished to host CAGE in the first place?

Derby Imams and Mosque committee threatened

PREVENT police in Derby approached the mosque that was due to host our event and spoke to the Imam and the committee. They threatened in no uncertain terms to “cause major problems for them” if they went ahead with the event.

Local authority leverages its powers to cause Manchester venue cancellation

Similarly The Pakistani Community Centre in Longsight, Manchester, have cancelled the event after they were approached by the local authority requesting that they do so. It was clear to them that hosting the event meant would result in serious repercussions from the local authority.

Sheffield: A repetition of the same tactics

PREVENT officials approached the centre where we had booked the event and had a ‘chat’ with them about their role in the community. Despite acknowledging that campaigning against PREVENT is protected under the freedom of speech, they advised the imam and committee against hosting CAGE.

With the state powers and local authority behind them, ‘advice’ from PREVENT officials carries significant weight. Many institutions feel vulnerable due to the political environment and prefer not to attract further unwarranted negative scrutiny.
The Charity Commission appears again

Another recurring theme that appeared is the use of the threat of a Charity Commission investigation in order to compel venues to cancel. This is despite the fact that the Charity Commission signed an Order of the Court agreeing that it “does not seek to fetter charities’ exercise of discretion” whether to support CAGE.

It also shows a tendency by the state to use different bodies with different powers to achieve its objectives of silencing dissent. These bodies include banks, the Charity Commission, police, local authorities, social services, teachers, doctors and so on, who all fall in line with the overarching Islamophobic PREVENT agenda.

The campaign against PREVENT will continue

Despite these bullying tactics, we are looking forward to seeing many CAGE supporters over the next few days as we campaign for an end to PREVENT, and dispel the myths of the government’s ‘radicalisation’ theories. Please bring along donations and, importantly, your voice.

https://cage.ngo/article/prevent-mafia-pull-out-all-the-stops-to-prevent-cage-tour/

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Originally Posted by 00001001

Well... it is sort of our fault, isn't it?

Let's be honest here, who is currently fighting ISIS, the group who along with groups like Al-Qaeda have tarnished the name of our belief. It is mostly Syria and the Russians. Where are our leaders doing their job. Where is Turkish Prime-Minister Recep Tayip Erdogan, where is king Salman, king of Saudi Arabia. Where is Beji Caid Essebsi, president of Tunisia. Where is Hassan Rouhani, President of Iran. I could probably name 10 more names. The leaders that swore to protect our interest our filling their own pockets, along with the pockets of their inner-circle.

The reason why there is such massive problems is because of their is no true leader in any Islamic Country. NONE...

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How exactly are every day, unarmed Syrians supposed to fight ISIS? Or are you claiming Turkey should be more violent in its bombing of a muslim country?

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Originally Posted by Junon

Salaam

This is interesting tid bit from wikileaks.

The email was sent from Bill Ivey, a former Clinton administration official, to campaign chairman Podesta, on March 13, 2016. Ill highlight the most interesting part.

“And as I’ve mentioned, we’ve all been quite content to demean government, drop civics and in general conspire to produce an unaware and compliant citizenry.

The unawareness remains strong but compliance is obviously fading rapidly. This problem demands some serious, serious thinking – and not just poll driven, demographically-inspired messaging.”

Again another demonstration of how the ruling classes view the masses. With utter contempt.

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Can you blame them for the contempt of the every day, non elite citizen? The vast majority of western people like living in ignorance. They like being told brown people or Muslims or Communists or anyone who is anti-cpaitalism and so on are evil and that they, the white person, are the good guys.

Even with the advent of wikileaks and the truth swirling around the internet the vast majority of people still do not bother in searching for the truth. They are happy being duped so how can we feel bad for them?

Salaam

Another update. British governments psy ops are in full swing.

Leaked government document names ‘vetted’ organisations in receipt of £1.2 million in PREVENT funding

(London) – A Home Office document titled ‘Local Delivery Best Practice Catalogue’ leaked by Public Interest Investigations highlights in full organisations and projects vetted and funded by the government to deliver the controversial PREVENT strategy nationally. Produced by the OSCT (Office for Security and Counter Terrorism), the document reveals:

– The OSCT’s admission that Faith on the Frontline; FAST, #MakingAStand (delivered by Inspire) and A Tale of Two Cities (film) are all ‘products’ of the Home Office’s Research, Information and Communications Unit (RICU).

– The direct relationship between the OSCT and ‘third party provider’ organisations.

– The costs associated with these programmes and the specific locations it targeted at.

– The names of the ‘grass-roots’ organisations delivering government vetted projects.

Most notably the document refers to amongst many:

Faith Associates (Imams Online being one of their flagship projects),
Upstanding Neighbourhoods,
Families Against Stress and Trauma (FAST),
Active Change Foundation (ACF)
and London Tigers.

Despite being dated March 2015, the document highlights that the projects will be used to produce a best practice catalogue once the evaluation period is completed in March 2016.

Asim Qureshi, CAGE Research Director, said:

“These revelations call for a serious dialogue within the Muslim community on the legitimacy of government sanctioned activism. It also highlights the government’s deceptive approach in engaging with Muslim communities and again calls into question the failing PREVENT policy and its shadow, the global CVE campaign.”

“This document also conclusively demonstrates the relationship and oversight the Home Office has over ostensibly community led projects. CAGE’s earlier report “We are completely independent” and The Guardian revelations, have previously highlighted these points and demonstrated how RICU was in effect directing and attempting to manufacture consent for PREVENT amongst Muslim communities.”

https://cage.ngo/press-release/leaked-government-document-names-vetted-organisations-in-receipt-of-1-2-million-in-prevent-funding/

Salaam

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Originally Posted by Born_Believer

Can you blame them for the contempt of the every day, non elite citizen? The vast majority of western people like living in ignorance. They like being told brown people or Muslims or Communists or anyone who is anti-cpaitalism and so on are evil and that they, the white person, are the good guys.

Even with the advent of wikileaks and the truth swirling around the internet the vast majority of people still do not bother in searching for the truth. They are happy being duped so how can we feel bad for them?

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Think your being a bit harsh bro, race isnt such a big issue for the gloablist elite, they'll remove anybody who gets in their way reagardless of race, nation, culture and so on.

Its not easy to figure out just how deep the rabbit hole you have to go down to get the truth. And when it is exposed, powerful interests will do all they can to stop you with predictable results.

Just to illustrate

I refused to work with PREVENT and now I’m afraid of losing my children

Sister ‘Yusra’, a mother who is refusing to engage with PREVENT, steps forward to tell her story of how PREVENT is now seeking to have her children removed. Watch her abridged interview here.

“I’ve come under the radar of the social services because my ex-husband and I were told by security services that we were “persons of interest”. I have been quite a vocal Islamic activist for many years. I teach people about the basic principles of Islam, and the social issues. I am also a practicing Muslim and I wear niqab. These could be reasons why I am experiencing the problems I am today with the authorities. Also the Counter Terrorism Act has become more strict.

“My family and my children have been subjected to a child protection plan by the local authority due to concerns about radicalisation and extremist belief. As a result of that I have been placed in a very intensive 12 month plan set by the local child protection services. The plan is very intrusive, so social services have to visit the family, and see the children, every 7 to 10 days. I have to have regular meetings with all the agencies involved with the children, and that means speaking to and engaging with counter-terrorism officers.

“Working with them is very intrusive. I had to surrender my children’s passports. My own passport was confiscated from me. Social services have visited my house, looked at the children’s bedrooms, at the books they read, the DVDs they watch, even looked at what my children eat. But there’s been nothing in those areas that has concerned the social worker involving “radicalisation” and “extremism”. These are loose terms and the social worker has admitted on more than one occasion that she really doesn’t know what she is looking for.

“Because of these unknowns, they felt they had to escalate this matter to the PREVENT team, and in order for me to safeguard the children, I was told I must work with either a PREVENT officer, or an interventionist provider, who I am assured is independent but must be Home Office approved.

“But I’ve seen the CVs of the independent experts, and they all have historical links to the security services. They are not completely independent. I’ve seen a letter where the independent advisor got some 3000 pounds for just doing the assessment. And the questions they ask are all PREVENT questions.

“I was very co-operative for the past 12 months in this whole process thinking that by being transparent and co-operative, this will give me an opportunity to clear any concerns they have. But I’ve realised with the local authorities, that the more I co-operate, the more intrusive they become.”

I am raising my children Muslim and that is my crime

“When I refused to work with PREVENT and refused to work with the interventionist, the language became more threatening, and they said it would end up in a court process. This is where I am currently. Because I have refused to work with PREVENT, which has always been a voluntary programme, now they say they can’t de-plan my family and I have to go to court. I find it quite absurd.

“One of the health practitioners said I came across as chaotic. I am a single mother to five children, and I remember one professional said that I was far from chaotic, being a single mom of five children, able to get them to school every day with a packed lunch and being presentable.

“Nobody is actually looking at the children, at the long term effect of putting them under this child protection plan could be. They don’t see this struggle and disruption we are suffering as a family. It’s almost as if they’ve taken over our lives. We have no private family life.

“It’s a really difficult time for me, and I’m finding it very frustrating. It has been an abusive process and there are very few avenues to me where I can get some acknowledgement that this is the case. They’ve told me I’m under surveillance and I have no control over my life.

“There are no consequences for them. They don’t have to substantiate anything they say about me. They can say I have attended banned organisations meetings, but when I’ve asked for the dates of these meetings, they don’t give the dates. But they add this onto the minutes, and it just allows them to increase surveillance of me.

“The reason it’s gone to court is because I’ve refused to work with PREVENT and an independent advisor. So I am now being taken to court before a family court judge. You can see where the bullying is coming from. But if you’ve not found any indication of “radicalisation” from the children or from the items you’ve taken from my house, why do I have to work with PREVENT, which is voluntary anyway?

“I am quite looking forward to going to court, because this is the only way I feel I can remove the local authorities from trying to coerce my family into doing something we as a family don’t want to do, and don’t have to do by law, as PREVENT is not obligatory on any family.

“Sometimes I get really upset, but I have Allah, and I have my faith and I have strong merits to my case, and I am going to go before a judge with this. I am a unique case, the first who is not complying with PREVENT, and this is a test case, which will affect other Muslim parents.”

CAGE’s ERG22+ report has been critical in my case

“I got in contact with CAGE last year when my children were placed on the child protection plan. The kind of help I have received from CAGE has been very instrumental in my case. I cannot thank Allah enough that an organisation like CAGE exists. CAGE put me in touch with a number of good solicitors, and I’ve chosen one to represent me.

“CAGE has also offered me lots of other advocacy, lots of advice. I’ve had mobile numbers of brothers who I’ve been able to contact outside of office hours.

“What has been very instrumental in my case is the ERG22+ report, which has thrown light on a lot of what the children’s services has tried to push over me. CAGE members have attended meetings with my solicitor and given direction on how to incorporate the ERG22+ findings in my case, and given me a solid basis as to why I have declined to work with PREVENT.

“The report has given the legal team of the local authorities a lot of think about in terms of how to move with me. Had the ERG22+ report not been around, I would be in court fighting some kind of custody case. Now the local authorities have to look into another method of how to deal with my case, without having to bring it to court. That’s how instrumental the ERG22+ report has been.

“It’s such a critical report, that if it’s used and applied in other family cases, it would help a lot of other families who feel they have to co-operate with PREVENT. There would be a lot more resistance, and people would be more vocal and have a more learned understanding of what the whole PREVENT strategy is all about, and what it can do, and that it is a risk for many children to placed under such a programme.

“CAGE is very sensitive. They are very caring at a time when you feel very vulnerable because of the kind of bullying that you are getting from authorities. CAGE are the only ones who I felt have been brave enough to speak out against the policies of PREVENT. They work tirelessly, and they assist you and they don’t make any judgement on your beliefs, your practices, your differences of opinion.”

My children’s thoughts are being policed

“There’s a risk going to court but also a risk to work with PREVENT. But I’m allowed to have the opinions I have. Yes, I have a problem with foreign policy, with countries bombing civilian targets, and hospitals. I have a problem with British foreign policy, but that doesn’t mean my children are going to participate in ‘martyrdom operations’. My children are being punished and I am being punished for the opinions I have, which I feel are justified.

“I feel very sad for my children and I have tell them to be very careful, and they don’t know when to talk or when to debate. They are getting really fed up. My children’s thoughts are being policed. It’s a very uncomfortable life we are living. The other day my teenager was giving the social worker dirty looks because she’s getting fed up, but I am scared that this could be interpreted as being unfriendly to non-Muslims and it could be held against us, when really she is just being fed up.

“There are very few people willing to counter this. I feel it’s fighting a losing battle but I have to continue this, even though I know that by fighting this I might lose my children. This causes me sleepless nights. I don’t know what to do anymore. I can’t get away from it. I just have to speak up against it. I can’t not engage with them, but I can’t engage with them either. I am very very afraid for the future of my children.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teIqiajtMFM



“There are a lot of insinuations that I am a poor parent, that I am a woman who carries radical ideologies. But I am raising my children Muslim and that seems to be my crime.

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Originally Posted by Born_Believer

How exactly are every day, unarmed Syrians supposed to fight ISIS? Or are you claiming Turkey should be more violent in its bombing of a muslim country?



Can you blame them for the contempt of the every day, non elite citizen? The vast majority of western people like living in ignorance. They like being told brown people or Muslims or Communists or anyone who is anti-cpaitalism and so on are evil and that they, the white person, are the good guys.

Even with the advent of wikileaks and the truth swirling around the internet the vast majority of people still do not bother in searching for the truth. They are happy being duped so how can we feel bad for them?

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But the UK is full of reds now, "progressive liberals" they call themselves, otherwise they wouldn't let Muslims or brown or black or whatever other races in to stay. Remember they used to be Crusaders and what are they now? Zionist Cultural Marxists...Western Europe has fallen to the libtards. The place is run from Israel, they rule the West now.
I also heard that "Islamic State" fighters are being treated in Israeli hospitals and being sent back to fight Assad in Syria.