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Muslims must help police more, urge leaders

Hugh Muir

London: Britain’s most influential Muslim umbrella group on Tuesday signalled a significant shift in policy as it urged its communities to play a key and potentially decisive role in the fight against terrorism.

Declaring that “condemnation is not enough”, leaders of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), which has 400 affiliate organisations, voiced its most robust message yet and appealed to all Muslims to work hand in hand with the police. The message carries dangers for the MCB, which has been criticised by radical activists for being too close to government and the establishment. But Muhammad Abdul Bari, the MCB’s secretary general, said the current crisis meant that issues of conflict between the Government, police and Muslim communities — who have clashed in the past over anti-terrorist incidents and foreign policy — needed to be put to one side.

“When the house is on fire, the concern must be not to blame each other but to put the fire out. Our country is under threat level critical.” He added: “Those who seek to deliberately kill or maim innocent people are the enemies of us all. There is no cause whatsoever that could possibly justify such barbarity.”

He said the police and security services “deserve the fullest support and cooperation from each and every sector of our society, including all Muslims”.

The MCB has called a meeting in London on Saturday of key imams and activists from all over the country to discuss what Muslim communities can do to confront the threat and to discuss whether more should have been done in the past.

“It is our Islamic duty not only to utterly and totally condemn such evil actions but to provide all the necessary support to prevent such atrocities from taking place,” said Dr Bari.

Inayat Bunglawala, the MCB’s assistant general secretary, said anyone with information should not feel conflicted. He said the MCB was confident that affiliates would back the new stance. “The overwhelming majority of Muslims will understand the predicament our nation is in.” Though shocked by the failed terrorist attacks on London and Glasgow, there are signs that the MCB and Government are seeking to seize the moment. —

Guardian Newspapers Limited 2007

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