Author Archives: Shikwa

The twitter interview in Tehran

By Shikwa | Published: June 15, 2009

News reports from Iran get worse. They are shooting protesters now.

Wilfried Schobeiri, an Iranian-American, has interviewed his uncle in Tehran about the situation there.

Here’s a snippet:

“Tell me whats going on with the election.”

Basically, the Iranian people want the following:

1. Take steps towards democracy

2. Have good and free relations with entire world (incl US)

3. Seek peace, as we are people who want peace with neighboring countries

4. seek progress, for a better situation and position in the world

5. These are all aims which Mousavi, Rezaee, and Karroubi desire.

We are told by Mousavi, Rezaee, and Karroubi that they are going to govern peacefully, strive for good relationships with other countries, and bring peace to the country. They support progress, and want good relations with other nations, even Israel and the US. They’d also like to stop giving economic support to palestinian terrorists [my emphasis].

Continue reading >>
Posted in Democracy, Freedom of Expression, Human Rights, International Affairs, Politics | Leave a comment

Twitters from Iran

By Shikwa | Published: June 15, 2009

The news coming out from Iran after this weekend’s heavily disputed election is being massively censored. The BBC is just one agency who’s satellites are being jammed by Tehran, prompting the World Service editor Peter Horrocks to conclude:

[This] seems to be part of a pattern of behaviour by the Iranian authorities to limit the reporting of the aftermath of the disputed election. In Tehran, John Simpson and his cameraman were briefly arrested after they had filmed the material for this piece. And at least one news agency in Tehran has come under pressure not to distribute internationally any pictures it might have of demonstrations on the streets in Iran.

The people of Iran are resisting attempts to rob them of their election. Here is a list of twitter feeds coming directly out of Iran – a tweet on history, if you will. Follow them, encourage them. Reproduce this list on your own blog. (List courtesy of H3X).

Continue reading >>
Posted in Democracy, Freedom of Expression, Human Rights, International Affairs, Politics | 1 Comment

Unite Against (all) Fascism

By Shikwa | Published: June 10, 2009

The irrepressible David T over at Harry’s Place reprints an open letter from the Socialist Workers Party. It follows on from the Unite Against Fascism stunt yesterday when Nick Griffin, the leader of the BNP was harangued and pelted with eggs outside parliament.

A BNP goon outside parliament yesterday

A BNP goon outside parliament yesterday

I have to admit – yes, it might have been entirely counterproductive, but there was something quite fun about watching that scumbag get pelted with eggs and having to be evacuated by his thick-necked goons.

However, away from the all shenanigans David T’s assessment of things is characteristically spot on.

We simply can’t afford to have the SWP lead the anti-fascist initiative against the BNP. It is doomed to fail. They just aren’t up to the job and lack the political capital needed to create a genuinely progressive liberal front against fascism.

Continue reading >>
Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Breaking News: Hazel Blears resigns

By Shikwa | Published: June 3, 2009

Sky News say the beleaguered Secretary of State for Communities, Hazel Blears has resigned.

It’s a terrible shame if she’s gone. Over recent months she has shown great moral clarity and conviction by challenging the nasty views of men like Daud Abdullah in the Muslim Council of Britain. Earlier this year he essentially endorsed attacks against the Royal Navy and promoted the Islamist view that Muslims should wage a perpetual war against Israel until it is finally overwhelmed.

Blears’ departure is a real blow to a cabinet in need of serious leadership. It underscores that Gordon Brown is rapidly losing both his authority, and also all sense of reality if he thinks that holding on for an election next summer will deliver anything other than the defeat of his administration. In the meantime, the unravelling of his government is undignified and a national embarrassment.

We need an election now.

Posted in Feature, Politics, UK Politics | 3 Comments

Who let the dogs out?

By Shikwa | Published: May 31, 2009

Everyone’s favourite Sheikh, Omar “won’t the Royal Navy please save me?” Bakri has announced that al-Muhajiroun is being ‘re-launched’. In truth, the group has continued to act as a unit ever since Bakri theoretically disbanded them in 2004, so it will be interesting to see what the practical affect of this announcement turns out to be.

Here’s where it gets interesting.

Everyone says that al-Muhajiroun is banned, but the press release announcing the re-launch of the group says:

We would also like to stress particularly to the British public that Al-Muhajiroun is a completely legal organisation and hence the recommencement of its structure, activities and projects should be seen in this light.

I started investigating this and it turns out that the Statutory Instrument (pdf) which announced the ban in 2006 only officially proscribes two of al-Muhajiroun’s successor groups – al-Ghurabaa and The Saved Sect. Therefore, as it stands, al-Muhajiroun is technically legal.

Continue reading >>
Posted in Islamism, Terrorism, UK Politics | 7 Comments

The Friday Caption Competition

By Shikwa | Published: May 29, 2009

As ever, captions in the comments section below. Best one wins our praise and admiration.

Inayat Bunglawala

Inayat Bunglawala

Posted in Caption Competition | 14 Comments

The subtext to the Pakistan bombing

By Shikwa | Published: May 27, 2009

Terrible news from Pakistan this morning where another terrorist attack has caused carnage and loss of life. It’s an obvious act of retaliation from the Taliban who are currently being hammered in Swat.

Beyond the tragedy of this bombing there is an important subtext to all this.

Events like this bombing should remind ordinary Muslims – that’s you and me – who believe in the faith of Islam that we’re the primary target of these terrorists who believe in implementing their ideological and politicised version of Islam. They persecute and kill far more Muslims than anyone else.

Just look at what those animals from Taliban did to this 17 year old girl once they had control of Swat (I should warn you that the video is very, very distressing):

Continue reading >>
Posted in Feature, Islamism, Terrorism | 19 Comments

Why we must ban Hizb-ut-Tahrir now

By Shikwa | Published: May 26, 2009

Last week I blogged about the alleged attack on Maajid Nawaz by a British member of Hizb ut Tahrir. It happened while he was touring Pakistan, warning students about the dangers of Islamism. The Guardian covered his trip at the weekend and also revealed that:

[Maajid] used the lecture tour to make an allegation against HT. He said the organisation had launched a covert mission to recruit serving Pakistani officers to help foment a military coup. Its focus was officers visiting Britain for military training at Sandhurst. Nawaz said the group managed to recruit several officers. “We sent them to Pakistan to infiltrate the army. They were recruiting for three years and tried to mount a coup,” he said.

It confirms what we had all feared: that Islamist groups are exporting terror and subversion from this country. What is most worrying about this is that HuT remains legal in Britain and is actively plotting to undermine our allies abroad. Worse still, that ally is highly unstable, a failing state (if not failed already) and, lethally, a nuclear power.

Continue reading >>
Posted in Islamism, Terrorism, UK Politics | 15 Comments

The Friday Caption Competiton

By Shikwa | Published: May 22, 2009

Wittiest caption below wins, er…our praise and admiration.

anthony-steen

Posted in Caption Competition | 3 Comments

So, was 7/7 a ‘revenge’ attack for Iraq?

By Shikwa | Published: May 20, 2009

Conventional wisdom says it was – if only we hadn’t invaded, everything would be ok.

Yet, the Intelligence and Security Committee published their review into the intelligence about 7/7 yesterday which revealed a startling picture on p. 87:

Mohammed Siddique Khan, ringleader of 7/7 attacks

Mohammed Siddique Khan, ringleader of 7/7 attacks

Why is that significant? The Spectator reports:

Shiraz Maher, a senior research fellow at Policy Exchange, points out, the date [of the picture] is hugely significant. Mohammed Siddique Khan was under surveillance in January 2001, nine months before 9/11 and several years before the Iraq war. So, the idea that he was radicalised by Afghanistan or Iraq just doesn’t fit with the facts. We should face up to the reality that what motivated Mohammed Sidddique Khan to below himself up in an effort to kill as many civilians as possible was far more fundamental than the wars in Afghanistan or Iraq.

Quite.

Posted in Politics, Terrorism | 7 Comments

  • Categories

  • Archives