Thread by @habibi_uk, *Thread* Would you invite a hateful conspiracy theorist to preach to families [...]

*Thread* Would you invite a hateful conspiracy theorist to preach to families and young people?

The East London Mosque’s answer is a clear yes in the shape of Abdur-Raheem McCarthy. He featured in the mosque’s “Winter Programme” this Christmas. 1/15

He has long been welcome at the mosque, including being given the honour of the Friday sermon. 2/15

Now see this shocking video. Adopting a mocking tone, McCarthy denies that terrorist attacks in France have been committed by Muslims. "Nonsense!" Instead, the French government staged them to make Islam look bad. 9/11 was an "inside job" too. 3/15

Governments do this, he says, because they prefer plots to "debates" with Muslims, who would "smash" and "crush" them on democracy and secularism.

There is one model, though: Donald Trump's take on "fake news". It could bring "peace and harmony" to the world, McCarthy says. 4/15

Here's another one. Grinning and mocking, McCarthy exclaims "how convenient!" that a terrorist slaughtered people in a church in Nice as Muslim anger at France grew for its "attacks" on the prophet of Islam. 5/15
https://www.instagram.com/p/CG75whRDEqX/

Indeed, apart from Trump's "fake news" take, the "enemies of Islam" abound.

France is now chief among them. Here McCarthy lauds Khabib Nurmagomedov's words on Macron: "May the Almighty disfigure the face of this creature and all its followers."

Yes, stamp on the "vermin". 6/15

Here's another celebration of Nurmagomedov's hatred. Punishment and humiliation are what the "rodents" deserve.

The ugly message is "nice for us, at least someone has the courage to stand up".

Fight "the enemies of Islam", whatever it may cost you. 7/15

Naturally Israel too is an "enemy of Islam".

Here's why: "The Christians and the Jews, they will never be pleased with you until you follow their religion."

"They will contine to fight you and to kill you until they make you leave your religion." 8/15

But never fear. The Muslims will "take" Jerusalem (Al Quds), no matter what. This message was part of a sermon praising the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. They're not quite Islamic enough for McCarthy, but "they tried". 9/15

Yes, be strident for Allah! 10/15

McCarthy studied Islam at the Islamic University of Medina in Saudi Arabia. And it shows - nasty social separatism is a duty. Wishing someone "Merry Christmas", for example, is as bad as murder. 11/15

As for same sex marriage, it is a path to the destruction of nations.

(The East London Mosque claims it opposes homophobia.) 12/15

McCarthy has been welcomed at mosques across the UK, not just in London. Here's a tour taking in Bradford, Halifax, Huddersfield, Manchester, and Middlesbrough as well as London. 13/15

The Government has pledged to ban foreign hate preachers. It should ban the American McCarthy, who is close to preachers who have already been excluded, such as Zakir Naik, Hussain Yee, and Bilal Philips, who McCarthy calls "our sheikh". 14/15

Covid would make a ban symbolic, but symbolism counts in this fight.

By the way, we're helping to fund all this. As a registered charity, the East London Mosque receives Gift Aid payments from HMRC.

Er, I can think of better uses for taxpayers' money right now. 15/15

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