Posted on 09/09/2002 2:06:47 PM PDT by Prodigal Son
The Birmingham-based leader of an extreme Islamic group last night issued a warning to Tony Blair that a military strike on Iraq would be an attack on three million Muslims in Britain.
Dr Imran Waheed, of the Hizb ut-Tahrir political party, said America had engaged in a war against Islam, not against terror, and urged the Prime Minister to stop interfering in the Muslim world.
His comments came as Mr Blair said he will brief senior MPs about plans to tackle Saddam Hussein and his regime's weapons of mass destruction.
Mr Blair, who arrived back in Britain yesterday after meeting President Bush for vital talks at Camp David, is expected to publish a dossier of evidence against Saddam in the next two weeks.
Dr Waheed, a psychiatrist based at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, said Muslims believe that an attack in Iraq is inevitable and see it as the US aiming to gain a further stranglehold on Islam.
"The feeling in the Muslim world and amongst Muslims in Birmingham as well, is that an attack on Iraq is an attack on Islam," he said.
"To harm a Muslim in Iraq is to harm a Muslim in Birmingham or anywhere else in the world and that is something we shall always campaign against.
"Muslims in Britain feel betrayed by a world order that has turned a blind eye to Israeli transgression against them and to Israel's continual flouting of international law.
"How is it that the US and Britain allows one nation in the Middle East to ignore UN Security Council resolutions but bombs and blockades Iraq?
"Are the lives of Americans and Israelis of more importance than the lives of Muslims in Iraq? For Bush and Blair, apparently so."
Dr Waheed, who will speak to more than 20,000 Muslims at a conference in London next Sunday, said most Muslims would be happy to see the back of Saddam but protest over the killing of innocent Iraqi Muslims.
"Saddam is no friend of the Muslim people and many of our members have perished in Iraqi prisons for working to remove people like Saddam Hussein," he said.
"What America wants to do is get rid of Saddam Hussein and replace him with an 'Iraqi Hamid Karzai' (president of Afghanistan), a loyal agent. America simply wants someone they can trust in control of Iraq to meet their demands in the oil trade."
Meanwhile, the radical Al Muhajiroun Muslim group sparked anger in Birmingham during the weekend after putting up posters showing the destruction of the Twin Towers.
The posters were put on bus stops around the Saltley area of the city sparking fears among locals that they would create racial tension in the lead up to the anniversary of September 11.
West Midlands Police has already announced that it is to step up security during the week, particularly around public buildings in Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Coventry.
Anti-terrorist police in London have also been put on alert and called for extra vigilance from members of the public.
"The atmosphere after September 11 in cities like Birmingham has been very much one of every Muslim is guilty until proven innocent and are guilty by association," Dr Waheed added.
"Women who wear the Islamic dress are being verbally abused or even physically assaulted. You even get an atmosphere of hysteria sometimes and people don't know who to trust. It is not a conducive atmosphere."
Meanwhile, extremist Muslim clerics will meet in London on September 11 to celebrate the anniversary of al Qaida's attacks on the US.
The conference, which will be attended by the some of the most radical mullahs in the UK, will argue that the atrocities were justified because Muslims must defend themselves against armed aggression...SUPL:
They keep repeating this theme over and over but we refuse to listen.
A psychiatrist? < sarcasm > Isn't that Jewish science? < /sarcasm > You couldn't make this stuff up.
Only fervent heat, and a blinding light will end this nightmare....
If not, can we send it to them?
Yeah, the male towelheads came home from an evening with the young boys and sheep to find their women all dreamy-eyed and slightly disheveled. They hate being one-upped!
Bring it on, gobshite. Let's see where your loyalties lie.
Regards, Ivan
If you don't like England, you know where the airport is.
I'll pay your fare...one way.
How in the world did you get into my country?!
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