09 February, 2007

Birmingham kidnap plot charges.

Five men have been charged by the West Midlands Police with a range of offences under the Terrorism Act 2006 and the Terrorism Act 2000. The BBC expects more details of the charges to be given at a conference later today.

The Guardian focuses on Abu Bakr's highly original interpretation of a police state and also offers a mass of links to terrorist related articles, including what looks to be a very useful Islamic terrorism archive.

Just a cynical thought. I have difficulty believing Abu Bakr's allegations that the police subject him to random questioning. Senior detectives are expensively well trained and questioning suspects is one of their areas of expertise. In such an important case, I would be very surprised if they had not followed a strict procedure within an agreed strategy. I cannot but wonder, therefore, if MI5 have turned Bakr and he is trying to divert attention from something else. It would be useful to have such an educated individual on the books.

Update: @ 9:50

In The American Muslim, the British Muslim writer, Emdad Rahman gives his thoughts on the Birmingham case. An interesting article, but wanting cake and also eating it springs to mind. Rahman criticises Islamic "self styled preachers (nutters) of truth" for creating the impression that Muslims support terrorism. He continues,
In a nutshell, it’s a bunch of fanatics who have screwed things up for the rest. The rest of the Muslims were seen to be not doing enough to denounce atrocities seemingly carried out in the name of Islam even though people like the Met Police Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur called for an independent judicial inquiry into radicalisation of young Muslims after the 7 July bombs. This in turn has led to a quarter of the world’s humans beings being victimized. Non Muslims should also be ashamed for their slumber regarding the policies and acts being implemented and carried out in their names.
No, it is the failure by the Muslim community to denounce terrorist atrocities which is the problem here, not any type of victimisation or discrimination. Moreover, the Muslim community is being targeted by the security services because it is the source of a dangerous, and very real, threat to UK citizens of all religions and none, Muslims included.

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