By Faisal | Published:
November 17, 2009
A shortened version of this article has been published on Comment is Free
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It is now clear US Army Major Nidal Hasan had a series of connections to the Islamist cleric, Anwar al-Awlaki . For those of us who have studied, with increasing concern, the extreme teachings of this cleric, this tragedy is the inevitable consequence of un-checked Islamist radicalisation. This situation has been made all the more distressing by the apparent lack of concern shown by the US Intelligence and Military authorities in taking Awlaki’s influence seriously.
Even before Major Nidal had fired a single bullet in Fort Hood, the US authorities knew about his increasingly vocal radicalisation and that he had attended the Dar al-Hijrah mosque in Virgina at the time Awlaki was its head Imam. Nidal had also been the subject of an FBI investigation after it was discovered that he made communication with Awlaki by email. There was certainly no lack of overt clues.
Posted in Islamism | Also tagged al-Qaeda, Anas al-Tikriti, Anwar al-Awlaki, Azad Ali, Cageprisoners, Cordoba Foundation, East London Mosque, Inayat Bunglawala, Moazzem Begg, Muslim Association of Britain, Osama Saeed |
By Guest | Published:
November 12, 2009
This is a guest post by Al-Qanaas Al-Masri
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The head of the Civil Service Islamic Society, Azad Ali, has today sought to clarify his long-standing support for Anwar Awlaki, the pro-jihadi preacher who apparently inspired, and possibly orchestrated, the recent Fort Hood shootings in the US.
The Times has quoted Ali as saying of Awlaki’s views: “I reject them and disassociate myself from them completely”. The Islamic Forum Europe’s website additionally reports that Ali additionally said that:
My article talking about Mr Awlaki was specifically referring to his lectures on Companions of the Prophet and other similar lectures. I am not aware of his comments regarding Major Nidal Hasan other than the text you sent below. If these comments are indeed Mr Awlaki’s then I reject them and disassociate myself from them completely.
By Guest | Published:
July 24, 2009
This is a guest post by al-Qanaas al-Masri
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Last week, a blogger on the website of Islamic Forum Europe, a Jamaat-e-Islami front organisation based in East London, weighed into the debate about the ethics of assisted suicide. Unfortunately the writer, one Nahid Mortuza, only showed succeeded in showing themselves hopelessly confused about what secularism is. Mortuza wrote:
“The news of Sir Edward Downes’ and his wife’s decision to end their lives at an assisted suicide clinic in Switzerland has once more brought forward a discussion on whether an individual should have the freedom and right to die at a time of their choosing, with assistance from others. Although I disagree with the notion, I understand the basis of the argument that the right to die should be as fundamental as the right to live.
By Faisal | Published:
July 3, 2009
Abdullah Hasan writes his views on how the government can tackle Islamic extremism on the Islamic Forum Europe (IFE) blog:
The ways the government can eradicate extremism is by acknowledging that their foreign policy and their draconian laws against Muslims play an immense part in radicalising Muslims. They need to work with mainstream Muslim organisations such as MCB, IFE, MAB etc. These organisations are working at the grassroots level and have the support of many Muslims. They need to be provided more resources and room to carry out their work. They also need to allow the existing mainstream Imams in Britain to do their job effectively by providing them resources and platforms to preach a balanced Islam.
Hasan’s views are not particulalry novel or unique or even mildly groundbreaking. His statement is important, however, because Hasan is himself a textbook Islamist and here he is articulating an Islamist’s view of the political lay of the land. His explanation of how “extremism” can be eliminated, if deconstructed, amounts to:
By Faisal | Published:
June 27, 2009
Although the news has not been confirmed, we have come to learn that Azad Ali, the Islamist civil servant who was suspended from his job in HM Treasury for publishing anti-British and pro-jihadi views on the Islamic Forum Europe (IFE) blog is, according to Inayat Bunglawala’s site IEngage, “back at work”.
I discussed Azad Ali’s pro-jihadi views which were published in an article called “Defeating extremism by promoting balance”. In that blog entry, Ali promoted the ideologies of two violent-jihadi extremists, Abdullah Azzam and Anwar al-Awlaki. Ali’s thesis is very simple: Terrorism is not jihad. However, fighting British troops where they are occupying ‘Muslims lands’ such as Iraq and Afghanistan represents a proper and “balanced” form of justice and therefore a justified execution of the jihad doctrine.
By Faisal | Published:
June 15, 2009
Information about the high levels of interwoven activity between Labour Party councillors working for Tower Hamlets council and Islamist activists in East London Mosque (London Muslim Centre) appears to be reaching the public domain.
An article in the Sunday Express yesterday, by Ted Jeory, details the extent to which the Labour party in Tower Hamlets is infiltrated by members of the Saudi-backed hardline Islamist group, the Islamic Forum Europe (IFE):
The growing influence of the East London Mosque, whose education wing was built with Saudi money, on the Labour party is causing concern in Downing Street.
Gordon Brown, Justice Secretary Jack Straw and new Communities Secretary John Denham have been briefed on Islamic groups based there.
Party officials have held crisis talks about one group in particular, the Islamic Forum of Europe.
Senior party members fear it has infiltrated Labour and exerts too much power over MPs and councillors in areas with large Muslim populations.