The JC reports:
The appointment of Asim Hafeez as head of intervention at the Office of Security and Counter-Terrorism has caused serious concern among more moderate Muslim advisers across Whitehall. [...]
Mr Hafeez was described by one fellow adviser as “hardcore Salafi”. Salafism is a strictly puritanical branch of Islam, often associated with Saudi Arabia. It does not promote violence, but does urge the creation of an Islamic state.
The new Home Office adviser is reported to have raised eyebrows at his new department during the Muslim festival of Ramadan, when he lectured guests at a reception about the benefits of fasting. Before his appointment at the Home Office, Mr Hafeez worked as an adviser to the Welsh Assembly, government where he had a reputation for his strict views on Islam. He also regularly lectured on Islamic issues at Welsh universities.
The Home Office appointment coincides with a change of regime at the Department of Communities and Local Government, where John Denham has replaced Hazel Blears as Secretary of State.
Sources at the department have told the JC that Mr Denham’s deputy, Shahid Malik, has announced his belief that ministers have been “talking to the wrong people”.
The Home Office last night confirmed that Mr Hafeez had been given the job, but said that all appointments followed government procedures.
Now, the headline is admittedly somewhat misleading. Asim is Salafi – and no doubt Spittoon readers can think of a few other adjectives – but there’s no evidence of him being an Islamist. Otherwise it is interesting (and reassuring) to see that “more moderate Muslim advisers across Whitehall” share the Spittoon’s concerns about Mr Hafeez. When will the Home Office wake up?
8 Comments
what do they hope to achieve by employing religious fanatics like this dude. They are giving him a platform to preach wahabism at the taxpayers expense.
Preventing violent extremism: Community leadership fund guidance, April 2008, Department for Communities and Local Government, asserted that:
The document goes on to state:
Amazingly, given Hafeez’s views, one would apply to him just in case one might show that:
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=19&ved=0CBcQFjAIOAo&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.communities.gov.uk%2Fdocuments%2Fcommunities%2Fdoc%2F747669.doc&ei=Umj0Sv2vMoOy4Qas0dHYAw&usg=AFQjCNHF2WvK2H3nmlZvNK4Dtd3CHE9F1w
Incredible.
Our friend Asim also popped up as a representative of the Muslim Council of Wales at a Communist Party (of Britain) – Wales, organised conference, Combating Racism and Fascism in Wales back in 2007.
http://www.welshcommunists.org/index.php?id=33
Hardcore Salafi in love-in with Godless Commies… who’da thunk it?
Abu Faris
The conference was organised by Searchlight you numbskull and merely advertised on the Communist website
Since when was the Jewish Chronicle a non-biased reliable source on Muslim affairs? You at Spitton really nail your bias to the mast, dont you.
‘Asim is Salafi’ – please show me any quote, anywhere, from this guy Hafeez, where he says that he is Salafi? I’d be keen to see it.
Reassuring to see Spittoon disagreeing with the assertion that Hafeez is an Islamist, but the JC article is an attack on someone’s personal beliefs, barely disguised as sloppy journalism. It is disapoiting that Spittoon has repoduced it here.
what do we learn? that an adviser has strong religious views? stop press! any evidence, and i mean evidence as opposed to groundless claims, that this has had any impact on his work? umm….
Rob Griffiths was the Chair of the conference – and happens to be the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Britain. The conference was organised and run by the CPB – it even took place at its usual Welsh venue.
Do learn to read,
This is simply virulent anti-Semitic Islamist smearing.
Try addressing the issues rather than attacking the sources or people making the remarks.
What is it with personal abuse and Islamists?
Abu Faris
No its simply a fact. Given the I/P conflict the Jewish Chronicle isnt an unbiased source on Muslim affairs anymore than al-Quds al-Arabi is an unbiased source on Jewish affairs.
Whats with the “Islamist”? how do you claim to know your posters religious/political affiliations ? You simply call anyone who disagrees with you an “Islamist” much as the far left call anyone who disagrees wth them a “facist” or right wing Americans called anyone a “communist” or zionists call anyone an “anti-semite”. Its laughable.
Your hysterical emotional rhetoric severly undermines your argument
But when the source itself is problematic how is that possible?
Abu Faris
“Hardcore Salafi in love-in with Godless Commies… who’da thunk it?”
and thats before we mention the caption competition