Dear All
The Islamist group set up by Anjem Choudary is to be banned by the Labour Government under counter-terrorism laws.
Anjem Choudary had orginally planned for his group to march through the town of Wootten Bassett carrying coffins, this created outrage as the town is famous of lining the streets to honour British war dead returning home.
Home Secretary Alan Johnson said;
"I have today laid an order which will proscribe al-Muhajiroun, Islam4UK, and a number of the other names the organisation goes by. It is already proscribed under two other names - al-Ghurabaa and The Saved Sect. Proscription is a tough but necessary power to tackle terrorism and is not a course we take lightly”.
But that doesn’t solve the problem of Anjem Choudary and his followers; Choudary is effectively a preacher of hate.
And he and his followers can set up a new group with a new name.
So, did Alan Johnson jump the gun?
Is it not better to have these people out in the open rather than drive them underground?
Under the Terrorism Act 2000, a group can be banned if it "commits or participates in acts of terrorism, prepares for, promotes or encourages terrorism or is otherwise concerned in terrorism".
The march by Choudary was certainly offensive, in bad taste and designed to promote anger and I would opine racial hatred but did breach the terror laws?
Islam4UK was clever in citing the reason for their march as to highlight the plight of muslims in Afghanistan.
By acting in the matter that he has Alan Johnson has reacted too hastily, the problem of Anjem Choudary isn’t going away and despite the ban, he and others will found a new group and attract new followers.
Anjem Choudary hasn’t been slow off the mark telling BBC Radio 4;
"What the people will see is if you don't agree with the government and you want to expose their foreign policy, then freedom quickly dissipates and turns into dictatorship."
It will take a lot more than banning orders to solve the problem of extremism in the Muslim community.
I think decision is too hasty, lacks focus and doesn’t deal with the long term problem.
Anjem Choudary and his followers preach hate but the way to deal with them is to get evidence against them and prosecute them in a court of law.
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
The Islamist group set up by Anjem Choudary is to be banned by the Labour Government under counter-terrorism laws.
Anjem Choudary had orginally planned for his group to march through the town of Wootten Bassett carrying coffins, this created outrage as the town is famous of lining the streets to honour British war dead returning home.
Home Secretary Alan Johnson said;
"I have today laid an order which will proscribe al-Muhajiroun, Islam4UK, and a number of the other names the organisation goes by. It is already proscribed under two other names - al-Ghurabaa and The Saved Sect. Proscription is a tough but necessary power to tackle terrorism and is not a course we take lightly”.
But that doesn’t solve the problem of Anjem Choudary and his followers; Choudary is effectively a preacher of hate.
And he and his followers can set up a new group with a new name.
So, did Alan Johnson jump the gun?
Is it not better to have these people out in the open rather than drive them underground?
Under the Terrorism Act 2000, a group can be banned if it "commits or participates in acts of terrorism, prepares for, promotes or encourages terrorism or is otherwise concerned in terrorism".
The march by Choudary was certainly offensive, in bad taste and designed to promote anger and I would opine racial hatred but did breach the terror laws?
Islam4UK was clever in citing the reason for their march as to highlight the plight of muslims in Afghanistan.
By acting in the matter that he has Alan Johnson has reacted too hastily, the problem of Anjem Choudary isn’t going away and despite the ban, he and others will found a new group and attract new followers.
Anjem Choudary hasn’t been slow off the mark telling BBC Radio 4;
"What the people will see is if you don't agree with the government and you want to expose their foreign policy, then freedom quickly dissipates and turns into dictatorship."
It will take a lot more than banning orders to solve the problem of extremism in the Muslim community.
I think decision is too hasty, lacks focus and doesn’t deal with the long term problem.
Anjem Choudary and his followers preach hate but the way to deal with them is to get evidence against them and prosecute them in a court of law.
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
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