Last week you published several articles criticising my decision to ban al-Muhajiroun, Islam4UK, and the other offshoots of what is essentially one organisation. …. This decision was not taken lightly. Nor is it a process that happens overnight – such a step takes months, not days. It had nothing to do with the proposed Wootton Bassett demonstration.
There is a high legal threshold defined by the 2000 Terrorism Act that must be met before the government can outlaw an organisation. The fact that al-Muhajiroun and Islam4UK frequently expressed views which most people – including Muslims – find abhorrent, would never be enough in itself to trigger a ban. In our democracy, only actions can be illegal, not beliefs. [guardian.co.uk] Read more
Free speech martyrs .... But to fight such a dangerous disease requires a tough, nuanced strategy. That strategy requires British civil society to embrace, not erode, freedom of speech, and it also requires British Muslims and non-Muslims to recognize that challenging radical ideologies such as those espoused by Islam4UK cannot be done successfully until all quarters of civil society recognize their role in the struggle. Chipping away at the freedom of speech only emboldens Mr. Choudary and his ilk. [altmuslim] Read more
