Progressive British Muslims: concern over Islam4UK grows

Press release - 10th February 2009

By Richard Noakes, Policy analyst

Progressive British Muslims today announced their concern over the increased activity of the extremist group Islam4UK, which seems to be nothing more than a new front organisation for the banned terrorist organisation Al-Muhajiroun.

The founder of Al-Muhajiroun, Omar Bakri Muhammad, is given a prominent platform on the Islam4UK website, as is the former head of Al-Muhajiroun in the UK Anjem Choudary. Both have spoken at events held by the organisation with Omar Bakri Muhammad addressing followers by video-link from Lebanon.(1) Both men can also be contacted through the website.(2) The aims of both groups are very similar; to implement Shari'ah law in the UK, to build fear within the Muslim community, to convert non-Muslims to Islam, and to unite all Muslims in Britain under the banner of extremism to achieve these goals. Whereas Al-Muhajiroun was more global in intent, Islam4UK focuses primarily in establishing its aims in the UK.

Progressive British Muslims believe that Islam4UK is nothing but a front organisation set up to circumvent The Terrorism Act (2006) that prohibited Al-Muhajiroun as a terrorist group. A number of Al-Muhajiroun's supporters have gone on to become involved in suicide bombings, for instance the bombing of Mike's Place in Tel Aviv in 2003 and the attempted multiple bomb plot in 2007 that targeted a shopping centre in Kent, a nightclub in London and Britain’s domestic gas network.

The Islam4UK website contains plenty of examples of extremism:

They claim that joining the police force is apostasy since anyone who seeks to uphold man-made law is an enemy of Islam.(3)
They relate homosexuality as a problem equivalent to rape, paedophilia and homicide.(4)
They warn that Muslim children are not safe in the hands of non-Muslim teachers (using the divisive term Kufaar, or 'unbeliever') since citizenship, Shakespeare and learning Christmas carols is part of the education system in Britain.(5)
There is an article entitled: “Land of the baby killers”.(6) In response to the rape and murder of Hannah Foster they write; “The fallacy of freedom has failed society and furthermore made people victims of a corrupt man-made system, for which Islam is the only solution”.(7)

More worrying still, there is evidence to show that their activity as an extremist organisation is increasing:

08/08/08, demonstration against Chinese oppression of Muslims(8)
14/10/08, demonstration outside the US Embassy(9)

Conferences:

15/08/08, “Khalifah for Britain Conference”(10)
06/09/08, “Have the lessons from 9/11 been learnt?”(11)
26/10/08, “Rise to defend the honour of Muslims”(12)
25/11/08, debate: “Should the UK have full Shari'ah law?(13)
30/11/08, “Not so Great Britain Conference”(14)

Responses to current events:

05/10/08, article on the publication of the “Jewel of Medina” which it describes as “another chapter in the continuing war against Islam and Muslims”.(15)
25/10/08, press release describing the Global Peace and Unity event as the “Devils deception” criticising the music, boy bands and gender mixing at this event as “haram” (forbidden by Islam)(16)

Selman Ansari, a board member of Progressive British Muslims said:

“We're concerned that terrorist organisations are dodging their bans by simply reforming under a new name. We can't let the extremists intimidate people and spread their lies within the British Muslim community. I call upon the police to investigate whether Islam4UK is just Al-Muhajiroun by another name.”

Richard Noakes, a policy analyst at PBM said:

“Whilst many detest their views and question our tolerance of such groups, it is only on the plane of ideas that their number will decrease, and it is the Qur’an itself that is best equipped to diminish the number and credibility of those such as Omar Bakri Muhammad and Anjem Choudary, who attempt to distort the teachings of Islam. More needs to be done to provide a platform for representatives of the majority of British Muslims presenting their arguments against these minority extremist groups.”

- ENDS -

For more information email, michael.harris@pbm.org.uk, or use the contact page for further contacts.

Footnotes:

the sudanese in the uk

progressive british muslims survey of the sudanese community living in the uk

Progressive British Muslims

Progressive British Muslims: concern over Islam4UK grows

Press release - 10th February 2009

By Richard Noakes, Policy analyst

- ENDS -

Footnotes:

the sudanese in the uk

join us on facebook

Copyright © 2009 Progressive British Muslims.

Site Map:

Progressive British Muslims

Progressive British Muslims: concern over Islam4UK grows

Press release - 10th February 2009

By Richard Noakes, Policy analyst

- ENDS -

Footnotes:

the sudanese in the uk

join us on facebook

Events

Copyright © 2009 Progressive British Muslims.

Site Map: