Posted on 11/07/2005 11:59:37 AM PST by mdittmar
The government’s anti-terror legislation risks fuelling community tensions similar to those that provoked violence in France, the Islamic Human Rights Commission has warned.
“What may happen here, as in France, is a sense of growing alienation of Muslims that feels excluded from mainstream society and that could be very dangerous,” Massoud Shadjareh, the commission’s chairman, told the FT.
In recent weeks, Muslim organisations, including the Muslim Council of Britain and the Muslim Association of Britain, have raised concerns about the new terror laws.
But the critique of the government’s anti-terror strategy, published on Monday by the commission, challenged attempts by the prime minister to play down the concerns.
Tony Blair said earlier on Monday it was “patronising” to assume that Muslims would be particularly concerned about the prospect of people being held without charge for 90 days. “The Muslim community knows perfectly well how important it is to tackle terrorism, because terrorist acts cause difficulty for them,” he said.
The commission’s report argues that the proposed terror laws, such as extended detention without charge and the banning of certain Muslim groups, along with increased police anti-terrorist activity within the Muslim community, are contributing to a sense of legal segregation.
“As faith in the British justice system diminishes, Muslim communities may feel themselves under attack and may fade into ghettoes and away from the mainstream British community”, it warns.
“Communities that perceive themselves as under attack withdraw into themselves where they feel safe . . . they will not seek re-dress for social ills in a system which they have lost faith in and this will only lead to further polarisation of the Muslim community.”
In the immediate aftermath of the London bombings, the government and members of the Muslim community joined forces in a public statement to de-nounce political extremism.
But the report suggests that the hardening of the political language used by Mr Blair in August, and the government’s drafting of new terror laws, is setting back hopes of building a political consensus, and weakening the desire of Muslims to integrate into Britain’s multicultural society.
Drawing parallels with the support given to the IRA within the Catholic community in Northern Ireland’s “Troubles”, the commission says the legislation will be counter-productive, driving extremists underground and broadening their support.
“If there are indeed a handful of Muslims who may wish to use violence to resolve grievances, they may be protected by sections of the community unwilling to co-operate with the authorities,” says the report.
Ahmed Versi, Muslim News editor, said the unpopularity of the legislation was threatening to undermine more constructive government efforts to engage with moderate Muslim opinion. “There is a widely-held feeling that the anti-terror legislation as been drafted in a way that will only affect the Muslim community.”
If they don't like it I think most Britons would be thrilled if they would just go home.
"If you interfere with our attempt to show you we are peaceful religion, we'll burn your cars and your nursery schools."
Go ahead. I shoot for keeps.
This is a REAL test for Europe. Let's see how they respond. Will we have to bail their sorry asses out again? Was Bush right all along?? Of course he was :)
*Victims*
Sorry, but if they feel alienated, it's probably because they refuse to assimilate.
Overt threat. Not thinly veiled at all. Once the autonomous regions are established in France, they will demand them in Britain.
threat. The kids in Sacramento who were starting to act badly like these Parisians don't respect anything. They certainly don't respect the FBI who spends 6 figure salaries on people tailing the punk kids who like to play hide and seek with their tailers. They'll bankrupt us using low intensity civil disobedience. It'll be like boiling a frog. By the time the frog realizes the water's boiling, it's too late.
Sounds like a threat!
Obvious THREAT.
There was someone on Fox and Friends this morning (I can't remember who) he said BRITAIN IS NEXT!
If they try it here I'll be waiting with my gun.
no reason to believe they won't win. baby makers vs baby killers? I'll put my money on the army of discontented youth over a flock of aging, non reproductive, complacent, emascualated sheep.
You are correct. I'm waiting to see how France ultimately handles this issue. It's not going to just go away as the leftist clowns would prefer. So let's see their "solution". ;)
Well, a warning is more something like "it's going to rain, wear your rubbers" or put on a sweater or you'll catch a cold".
This is more like "give us what we want or we'll hold your country hostage". That's a threat.
"Do what we say and no one get's hurt."
You are dang right....in Texas...we have conceal/carry, and I have no doubt that they will be used if anything like what is happening in France starts here...
they know that. that's why they are prepping europe for conquest and the USA/Israel for destruction. Who are you going to use your gun on when the city goes up in a ball of fire? Your neighbor desperate for provisions? It won't be the enemy.
I wish I had a nickel for the number of times I've seen the words "Muslim group warns..." in a headline over the past two years.
... and then take you over. we prefer for you to cave in and concede so there is no violence. we will kiss you along the way and either way allah will prevail as that is his will.
HIJACKING IN PROGRESS!!!!
time to adopt shoot to kill, these immigrants allegedly came for a better life. Instead they imported their third world philosopy and dirt.
Show me where islam is superior. All it has generated is third world backward nations envious of what the G7 have done for their people. Show me where it is a GREAT religion.
All it is is cancer sucking the life out of all involved.
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