British Muslims

[Ramrod]

Inside the mind of a British muslim

Three days after unprecedented raids on suspected Islamic terrorists, Britain's Muslim community is polarised as never before †� between moderates who oppose violence and radicals who believe their culture is under threat and the only answer is to bomb the west. Why do they think like that?

The Muslim Council of Britain, an umbrella organisation that seeks to represent Muslim organisations, has sent a letter to 1,000 mosques in Britain, urging Muslims to be vigilant and help in the fight against terror. For some Muslims itâ₠¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢s tantamount to asking them to spy on each other.

For the wider, more mainstream, community it has thrown up awkward questions about what it means to be British and Muslim. All the mainstream Muslim organisations have criticised government policy on international Islamic affairs but have broadly supported the anti-terror laws. But there is a growing whisper of discontent among mainstream Muslims about the Establishment and its actions.

Sayful Islam is under no illusions. †œThey have started a crusade against Muslims and that road, unfortunately, can only lead to violence.â₠¬Â� In order to stop the small fringe element who think like Sayful gaining a foothold and allowing the jihad to enter Britain, the Government faces a real challenge: to make its priority not letters to mosques, but to understand people such as Sayful.

Scary stuff...

[Pierre]

A good article some more quotes and coments:

†œYouâà ƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚¬Ã¢â€à …¾Ã‚¢re lost, bro,ââ‚ ¬Ã‚ÂÂÂ� he told me. †œYou need to open your eyes. Look at the filth around you. Itââ‚ ¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢s a sick society and only Islam is the cure.ââ‚ƚ¬Ã‚ÂÂÂ� I asked him what he meant by sick. †œThere is a cancer, Christianity is a cancer, Judaism is a cancer, materialism is a cancer, all destroying us, the Muslims.ââ‚à ƒâ€šÃ‚¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ÂÂ�

Therefore it is ok for the muslims to destroy Judaism,Christainity,Materialism ?

asked him why. †œListen brother, you know that whatever we do in this world, however successful we are, we will always be Pakis, but these guys . . . they know that they will get all the good jobs, all the breaks and worry about nothing. White society looks down on us.ââ‚Âà ‚¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ÂÂ�

Ah I see, so we're playing the race card. I'm sorry but I don't buy the race card anymore there are just as many white families who have plenty to worry about in making ends meet. We certainly don't get all the breaks and good jobs.

I met many guys, during my college years and after, who told me tales of Bosnia

Here's a good point, many people forget that British troops (under the UN flag) went into Bosnia to PROTECT muslims from "ethnic cleansing". I don't recall Abu Hamza complaining about that.

At the moment we live under a covenant of security in this country, we are well treated and therefore should not do operations in this country, terror or otherwise. But if the police and the establishment keep treating Muslims in this way, arresting them and harassing them, then we cannot guarantee the security of this country.ââ‚à ƒâ€šÃ‚¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ÂÂ�

I see, sounds like a veiled threat to me. Stop arresting us on suspicion of trying to blow you up or we'll blow you up.

These extremists, we keep telling ourselves they have no influence, that they are a few lone nutters. But the sad truth is that all it takes is a few nutters to destroy a nightclub, bring down an aeroplane.

Very Very True

I consider myself a moderate Muslim, a British Muslim.

in that case can rely on your support to shop any of these extremists you might know of???

That is the kind of positive action that is required

The truth is that things are becoming difficult here. It is becoming increasingly difficult for Muslims outwardly to express their faith and this is leading to anger. My wife was in a kitchen store when the shop assistant bombarded her with questions about Islam. The shop assistant was convinced that terror was just around the corner because of her new Muslim neighbour. The Governmentââ ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢s anti-terror laws are now contributing to an unprecedented climate of fear among Muslims.

And whose fault is that, the muslim community must know who these extremists are. They should name them and cooperate with police. Why haven't they denounced the likes of Abu Hamza?? Why hasn't he been banned from mosques around the country???

With such opposing views, the war on terror has had a huge impact on an already frightened community. These arrests have steeled the jihadi element who feel that the rights of Muslims are being eroded and who believe that it is only a matter of time before Muslims in Britain are allowed to pray, but not to have a political opinion.

We live in free society and muslims living here will always be entitled to free speech within the law. A luxury, they might remind themselves, that was not afforded to them by the Taliban or Saddam.

They have started a crusade against Muslims

I do believe that 9/11 preceeded Afghanistan and Iraq I believe is was a certain Islamic faction that launched a crusade on the west

[Ramrod]

I am not sure about some of this though.

BRITAINââ‚à ‚¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s race relations chief last night called for the abandonment of the policy pursued by successive governments since the 1960s of building a †œmulticultural societyââ‚à ‚¬Ã‚ÂÂ�.

....though this lot need sorting out!:

The Union Jack was burnt outside the Central Mosque in Regentââ‚Ã⠀šÃ‚¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢s Park, London, by a small group of Muslim extremists, who chanted: †œUK, you will pay, bin Laden on his way.ââ‚ ¬Ã‚ÂÂÂ�

[punky]

Islam is such a intense religion, which I think leads to a lot of these problems. It has such an all-consuming influence on muslims, that muslims will be more likely to do anything in the name of islam. I mean, they are supposed to pray 5 times a day. I'm supposed to pray once a week, and I can't manage that. With such a lethargic approach to it, I would hardly be a candidate to blow some muslims or jews in the name of Christianity.

I think muslims are wrong to play the "They-Are-Always-Picking-On-Islam card. The truth is at some point in time all religions have had terrorism carried out in their name. But, in the here and now, the single most biggest threat from one to another is surely middle eastern Islam vs the west. Unfortunatly, this involves England a lot of the time. In the recruiting, training, and brainwashing.

Fortunately there does seem to be a fairly substantial body of moderates who truly oppose violence, and it is their help we need. They wont be able to change radical's minds but informing the authorites on them could stop a british 9/11. In the logner term, I honestly don't know what to do. Banning mosques like they are doing now just breeds more hatred and pushes them underground where they are harder to spot/spy on.

Who is banning mosques?Surely that is illegal?

Incog.

[punky]

Nope, under british law, any building can be closed if it is being used for criminal means.

The infamous Finsbury Park mosque (where hookh handed Abu Hamza preaches) has been closed down, and has been for quite a while now. Everyone just prays out in the street.

Originally Posted by punky

Nope, under british law, any building can be closed if it is being used for criminal means.

The infamous Finsbury Park mosque (where hookh handed Abu Hamza preaches) has been closed down, and has been for quite a while now. Everyone just prays out in the street.

There is a vast difference between banning and closing.They are two different meanings.

[punky]

Well at the moment people are banned from using it

No,if it's closed they can't use it and they are not banned from using another mosque which is open.

[Charlie_Bubble]

Originally Posted by Incognitas

Who is banning mosques?Surely that is illegal?

Incog.

Not banning it. but they have tried to stop it happening. Not in the UK, but in Slovenia:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3590841.stm

[punky]

Oh I see what you mean now. Bloody hell wern't talking about banning ALL mosques

Blimey that would be the beginnning of the end if we did that....