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The East London Mosque would have you believe that it is a bulwark against extremism.
Don't buy it. It is part of the problem.
This Christmas it staged a two-day “Winter Family Programme" showing why.
The "current affairs" segment? Turn to the Islamists of MEND and Cage. 1/12
Don't buy it. It is part of the problem.
This Christmas it staged a two-day “Winter Family Programme" showing why.
The "current affairs" segment? Turn to the Islamists of MEND and Cage. 1/12
Aman Ali of MEND joined the Islamist ranks as a student at Queen Mary, one of the UK's worst universities for extremism at the time. He teamed up with Cage on campus. He went on to MEND and rose.
He is now a trustee at the East London Mosque as well. 2/12 https://twitter.com/habibi_uk/status/1338542896186863617
He is now a trustee at the East London Mosque as well. 2/12 https://twitter.com/habibi_uk/status/1338542896186863617
Yes, MEND and Cage are closely aligned. But Azad Ali liked Cage so much he joined it from MEND. A natural choice for a man who had professed his "love" for the al-Qaeda preacher Anwar al-Awlaki.
What does he want in mosques? More prayers for jihadis. 3/12 https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/extremist-leads-muslim-lobby-group-7q2hg30zc
What does he want in mosques? More prayers for jihadis. 3/12 https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/extremist-leads-muslim-lobby-group-7q2hg30zc
The American preacher Omar Suleiman set the tone for the East London Mosque "family event" session in introductory remarks. He offered fearmongering about “oppressed Muslims”, saying the “logical conclusion of the stigmatising of Muslims that we see in places like France... 4/12
...and Austria” was nothing less than "what we see happening to our Uighur brothers and sisters".
French and Austrian policies may be controversial as both countries tend to their terrorist wounds. But neither is tyrannical China, nor are they on any such path. 5/12
French and Austrian policies may be controversial as both countries tend to their terrorist wounds. But neither is tyrannical China, nor are they on any such path. 5/12
Suleiman had religious praise for Cage and the banned French Islamist groups CCIF and BarakaCity. He backed Cage for gathering "Muslim scholars and activists from around the world to have a response on behalf of our brothers and sisters in France” in the face of “evil”. 6/12
For his part, Aman Ali of MEND praised the French Islamist activist Marwan Muhammad, Marwan's old CCIF outfit, and BarakaCity.
The French brothers are “steadfast and not backing down”. Aman added an appeal to Muslims to donate to Cage as well as MEND.
Marwan spoke too. 7/12
The French brothers are “steadfast and not backing down”. Aman added an appeal to Muslims to donate to Cage as well as MEND.
Marwan spoke too. 7/12
In a Cage jacket, Azad Ali panned Prevent as "Islamophobic" and invoked the Nazis.
“You can find exact scenarios and examples of Islamophobia that you can mimic to the 1930s, of how the Jews were dehumanised." "And that’s the level of dehumanisation you have of Muslims now."8/12
“You can find exact scenarios and examples of Islamophobia that you can mimic to the 1930s, of how the Jews were dehumanised." "And that’s the level of dehumanisation you have of Muslims now."8/12
Not to be outdone in scaremongering, Marwan Muhammad went for the Nazis too. He also said “racism” is now “mainstream” in France and “Islam is in and of itself problematised”. The French government, he claimed, saw “a good Muslim” as one who “agrees with far-right ideology”. 9/12
Merely wearing a hijab, growing a beard, attending congregational prayers, or eating halal food is enough to be seen as “radicalised”, Muhammad maintained.
This is just not true. But if you want to fire up grievances and division, it can be a viable Islamist pitch. 10/12
This is just not true. But if you want to fire up grievances and division, it can be a viable Islamist pitch. 10/12
Muhammad raised Cage’s role in the context of a situation that could not be more dramatic.
“The end game”, he claimed, was “to dissolve, destroy any form of agency for the Muslim community”.
He also heaped praise on the East London Mosque. 11/12
“The end game”, he claimed, was “to dissolve, destroy any form of agency for the Muslim community”.
He also heaped praise on the East London Mosque. 11/12
No mosque standing against extremism and for real social cohesion would welcome and promote these agitators.
First, foremost, lend the mosque and its fellows in the UK no legitimacy.
There is work to be done here. A great deal of work. 12/12 https://www.eastlondonmosque.org.uk/news/duke-duchess-of-cambridge-visit-2020
First, foremost, lend the mosque and its fellows in the UK no legitimacy.
There is work to be done here. A great deal of work. 12/12 https://www.eastlondonmosque.org.uk/news/duke-duchess-of-cambridge-visit-2020
