'March would lead to burning of mosques' (From Swindon Advertiser)
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'March would lead to burning of mosques'
10:10am Wednesday 6th January 2010 in
A LEADER of a mosque firebombed by extremists fears the same will happen in Swindon if the controversial Islam4UK march goes ahead.
Farasat Latif, 40, who ran the Masjid Al Ghurabaa in Luton, says officials should ban any demonstration by Islamic fundamentalists Al-Muhajiroon so Swindon and Wootton Bassett Muslims are not targeted by right-wing and racist extremists.
Mr Latif, of the Call to Islam Centre in Luton, will join Muslims in Wootton Bassett for a counter-protest against the march which Islam4UK leader Anjem Choudary claims will honour the Muslims “murdered” in Afghanistan.
Mr Latif said: “The irony here is that Anjem Choudary is abusing the very rights Britain has afforded him in order to carry out this protest. If he did this in Afghanistan he’d most likely end up in prison or dead. If he doesn’t like this country he should go home.”
Mr Latif condemned Islam4UK, a platform for Al-Muhajiroon, in March last year when members turned out in Luton to protest as 2nd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment paraded on their return from Iraq.
He said: “Not long after that, our mosque was firebombed. I feel that people saw what Al-Muhajiroon did that day and thought they were acting for local Muslims. In my mind that group has never practised the genuine teachings of Islam and they don’t speak for the majority of British Muslims.
“Instead they fuel misconceptions about our way of life and make honourable Muslims targets for those who feel we are responsible for the actions of this extremist group.
“After the protest in Luton we received death threats, even though we openly condemned Al-Muhajiroon.”
Mr Latif said of Mr Choudary: “He claims he is a Muslim cleric but I don’t recognise him. That’s like saying a member of the National Front is a bishop.”
He said: “Islam is about peace and respect, neither of which will come from this action. This is Britain and British people have a right to grieve for their war dead without this insult.
“Yes, many in Afghanistan have died and we grieve for them but through prayer as is taught in Islam. This is a political statement and Wootton Bassett is not the town for political statements.”
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Comments(18)
PaulD
says...
10:17am Wed 6 Jan 10
om/watch?v=pdZc1plAL
YY
The Real Librarian
says...
10:41am Wed 6 Jan 10
“Mr Latif said(of Mr Choudray,) : If he doesn’t like this country he should go home.”
.
.
He is home. Choudray was born in Welling, in Kent. This is his country, even if he doesn’t act like it.”
“Mr Latif said of Mr Choudary: “He claims he is a Muslim cleric but I don’t recognise him. That’s like saying a member of the National Front is a bishop.”
Not exactly. There is a formal ordination process for Christian Clergy. Someone either has a rank and title or they don’t. This is one of the problems with Islam. Once a man has studied the Qur’an, he is entitled to be referred to as an Imam. There is no ordination and therefore no way to dispute it.
I would take issue with Mr Latif when he said: “Islam is about peace and respect, neither of which will come from this action.”
.
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Islam, like Judaism and Christianity, can be quite ferocious in the wording of the religious texts. People throughout history have used all three to justify shedding blood. The difference is whether people take these bits seriously or not.
.
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I applaud Mr Latif for what he is trying to do however.
Bobfm
says...
10:46am Wed 6 Jan 10
But holding a counter Muslim march would not help the situation one iota. It will give right and left wing extremists another opportunity to create havoc.
Bobfm
says...
10:54am Wed 6 Jan 10
If they well done to them.
Chowmai
says...
11:22am Wed 6 Jan 10
Bobfm wrote:It hasn't been taken down Bob. Protesters are holding a 'cyber' march and bombarding the site with so many hits it cant cope.
It could well be a glitch but it seems the islam4uk.com has been taken down by the ISP. Perhaps they took note of complaints like mine, and I am sure others sent to them. If they well done to them.
I know some people who have 5 or 6 'tabs' open all on the islam4uk site and all running an instant refresh programme.
There is more than one way to silence an extremist ranter! Now, if only the media would stop giving him the coverage he and his group craves, needs and feeds off.
I suppose it's the equivalent of a silent protest....cos the press sure as hell haven't picked up on it!
The Real Librarian
says...
11:33am Wed 6 Jan 10
Chowmai wrote:That sounds good.
Bobfm wrote: It could well be a glitch but it seems the islam4uk.com has been taken down by the ISP. Perhaps they took note of complaints like mine, and I am sure others sent to them. If they well done to them.It hasn't been taken down Bob. Protesters are holding a 'cyber' march and bombarding the site with so many hits it cant cope. I know some people who have 5 or 6 'tabs' open all on the islam4uk site and all running an instant refresh programme. There is more than one way to silence an extremist ranter! Now, if only the media would stop giving him the coverage he and his group craves, needs and feeds off. I suppose it's the equivalent of a silent protest....cos the press sure as hell haven't picked up on it!
How do you do an instant refresh program?
PaulD
says...
11:39am Wed 6 Jan 10
Bobfm
says...
11:46am Wed 6 Jan 10
Casual Observer
says...
11:47am Wed 6 Jan 10
Careful though DoS attacks are illegal ;¬)
Chowmai
says...
1:13pm Wed 6 Jan 10
http://www.who.is/do
main_archive-com/isl
am4uk.com/
Captain Sensible
says...
1:25pm Wed 6 Jan 10
The Real Librarian
says...
9:22pm Wed 6 Jan 10
Captain Sensible wrote:I don't suppose its occured to you that this is what Choudray wants.
What with all this freezing weather and the country potentially running out of gas setting fire to mosques would be one way to keep warm.
He is trying to push moderate Muslims in his direction by convincing them that the rest of us are a bunch of racist animals.
If any mosques burn, it will push some to do exactly that.
Lets just be grown up and British about it and realise that Choudray represents almost no-one but himself and a few other wack-jobs. The vast majority of UK Muslims are just trying to raise their kids and earn a few quid, just like the rest of us. He has about as much to do with them as Nick Griffin has to do with the rest of us. Leave him be and he will fade away.
I Too
says...
9:56pm Wed 6 Jan 10
www.pickledpolitics.
com
/archives/6388
A Soldier
says...
11:54pm Wed 6 Jan 10
The Real Librarian wrote:I couldn't agree more Librarian, Chaoudray simply lit the touch paper, stood back and is now watching the fruits of his labour. We all need to stay calm, ignore this fanatical idiot, and let it die down, we don't need any more vilolence than there already is.
Captain Sensible wrote: What with all this freezing weather and the country potentially running out of gas setting fire to mosques would be one way to keep warm.I don't suppose its occured to you that this is what Choudray wants. He is trying to push moderate Muslims in his direction by convincing them that the rest of us are a bunch of racist animals. If any mosques burn, it will push some to do exactly that. Lets just be grown up and British about it and realise that Choudray represents almost no-one but himself and a few other wack-jobs. The vast majority of UK Muslims are just trying to raise their kids and earn a few quid, just like the rest of us. He has about as much to do with them as Nick Griffin has to do with the rest of us. Leave him be and he will fade away.
silvergran
says...
7:32am Thu 7 Jan 10
Worz
says...
8:31am Thu 7 Jan 10
silvergran wrote:> maybe they'll just fade away
I totally agree with the sentiments expressed above, ignore the stupid fanatics and maybe they'll just fade away. Good for Mr Latif too, it needs more people like him to speak out against these idiots.
>
and maybe they won't. Clearly they're not a new organisation, they've been about for a while. It looks like the ostrich approach hasn't worked, what a surprise. "But we're British, dammit, that should be sufficient!" What a load of old cobblers.
Much respect to Mr Latif (and a few others), for daring to stand up and be counted.
Then again, talk is cheap, actions are much more difficult. Perhaps the islam4uk loonies read these comments from Mr Latif et al and think "Ahh well, he's a muslim he doesn't mean it, he's just saying that to curry favour with the infidels". Or perhaps the islam4UK nutters think "Mr Latif has turned infidel, he'll be up against the wall when the sharia revolution comes, along with the rest of the infidels". Who knows what the islam4uk nutters really think. ISTM that they are incapable of thinking logically for themselves at all.
I would love for the moderate muslim majority to reign in these islam4UK nutters i.e. for the muslims to sort themselves out. However, if they don't, then they shouldn't be surprised that there is a backlash, and the BNP et al start to gain supporters. If the moderate muslim majority want all this nonsense to go away, then they and they alone must destroy the small groups of nutters. I wish them the very best of luck and their god's speed.
yourbestfriend
says...
11:02am Thu 7 Jan 10
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Chowmai says...
10:16am Wed 6 Jan 10
Extremists, in any religion or cause, are not welcomed by the majority.
I applaud your public stance in this.