Posted on 08/02/2005 10:12:27 PM PDT by Aussie Dasher
BRITISH officials are trying to get a key suspect in the London bombings extradited from Italy, as figures show a sudden and dramatic rise in religious hate crimes.
Ministers in London say they are trying to get Hamdi Issac, also known as Osman Hussain, extradited as fast as possible so British police can quiz him along with the three other primary suspects in the case. The four men, three of whom were held in Britain last week, are suspected of having carried out botched attempted suicide bombings on tube trains and a bus on July 21, in which no one was hurt after the explosives failed to fully detonate.
The attack was a near-carbon copy of the July 7 bombings on London's transport system in which 56 people, including four suicide bombers, died.
The four dead bombers were all British Muslims, three of Pakistani origin and one Jamaican born.
Since July 7, London's Metropolitan Police said crimes motivated by religious hatred had soared by almost 600 per cent in the British capital.
Police figures showed there were 269 such incidents reported since the first blasts, compared with 40 over the same three-and-a-half week period in 2004.
"There is no doubt that incidents impacting on the Muslim community have increased," said London's Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner Tarique Ghaffur.
The majority of incidents were minor assaults or low-level abuse, but they had a great "emotional impact" on communities, he said.
"It can lead to these communities completely retreating and not engaging at a time when we want their engagement and support."
British Transport Police, which patrols the London Underground, have confirmed they are targeting specific ethnic groups – notably blacks and south Asians – for "intelligence-led" random ID checks and searches on the streets.
The news has prompted anger from some Muslim groups, and warnings that such tactics could alienate communities.
Junior interior minister Hazel Blears, in charge at her ministry while Home Secretary Charles Clarke is on holiday, tried to allay fears during a day of talks with Muslim community leaders in the north of England.
"Counter-terrorism powers are not targeting any community in particular, but are targeting terrorists," Blears said, saying the stop-and-search tactics should be used "proportionally, fairly, and in a non-discriminatory way".
Although three of the suspected bombers are among these – with Issac, a 27-year-old Briton born in Ethiopia, also in custody in Rome – police have warned that the threat of further attacks remains "very real".
Excuse me?????
I don't remember reading about any attacks on muslims in Spain after those train attacks killing 190+ Spaniards. I guess the London bombing crew figured the same would happen in the UK, guess they were wrong.
He's a Pom. Hard to get them to work even when they're not on holidays.
I'm sorry, which ones are the ones committing hate crimes again?
Why yes, they had an outbreak of religious hate crimes on 7/7 and again on 7/21 - or am I missing something?
The Mormons Stupid, the are the ones committing the hate crimes.
Them and the Baptists.
I say we do more business with Great Britain. Help their economy, take vacations there.
Italy and Austrailia as well. All of our allies.
Don't forget the Shaolin priests.
Hey Ali....get used to it, you scum!
The Mormons Stupid, the are the ones committing the hate crimes.LOL! OH yea, I guess that's why we try to confine them to one state.
thats right, if we let them into any state they wanted they would pick on the other poor unreligious folk.
Yes, Hate Crimes are up in the UK ..
Slaughtered by Muslims .....52
Slaughtered by Christians....0
You'll be very welcome. Summer is not too far away!
If the moose-limbs get mad, they might start setting bombs off in London or something. /sarcasm
Nam Vet
Ya think?
Italy and Austrailia as well. All of our allies.
Side trip to Poland
Dang! If I was home, I'd dig up those pics of the hot female Polish soldier babes.
yes there were attacks on Morroccans in Spain. However, they are far far fewer in number than Asians in the UK
Nor the Hundus & Budhists
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