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20 Abu Hamza-style preachers still radicalizing British youth
UP TO 20 more imams who preach the same messages of hate as Abu Hamza could still be trying to recruit young Muslims in universities and prisons, the Governments terror watchdog warned MPs yesterday.Lord Carlile of Berriew told the Home Affairs Select Committee that not enough had been done to check the credentials of imams arriving from abroad to take up posts in Britain. His warning came as ministers pleaded with rebel MPs to back the Terrorism Bill tonight. It would ban the glorification of terrorism, which they insist is the only way to prosecute demonstrators who carry banners praising the 7/7 bombers. Amendments passed to the Bill by the House of Lords last month came before the recent protests in London in which Muslim extremists called for murder and a new wave of suicide attacks after the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. Peers removed clauses making the glorification of terrorism a new offence, arguing that they went too far. There was public anger that no demonstrator was arrested, although a paroled man dressed as a suicide bomber was recalled to prison. Charles Clarke, the Home Secretary, will avoid any direct reference to the protesters in todays debate. Tonights vote may be tight. The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats are opposed to making glorification a crime, and twenty-seven Labour MPs rebelled the last time the issue was debated, reducing the Governments majority to one. Downing Street insisted that there would be no concessions. We want to send a clear signal that we are doing everything we can to counter terrorism, a spokesman said. Lord Carlile admitted yesterday that there were no precise numbers on how many preachers of hate are still operating in this country. His warning comes just days after an imam at a West Yorkshire mosque where some of the July 7 bombers worshipped reportedly hailed their terror attack as a good act in a conversation with an undercover reporter. Hamid Ali, the spiritual leader of the Al-Madina Masjid mosque in Beeston, allegedly claimed that the bombings on the London Underground and a double-deck bus, which killed 52 rush-hour travellers, forced people to take notice when peaceful meetings and conferences made no impact. Lord Carlile said this month after studying secret Home Office documents that there was a real and present danger of more suicide attacks. In the aftermath of the jailing of Abu Hamza last week, he told MPs: My worry is that they are in places such as colleges and custodial institutions where there are larger numbers than elsewhere of impressionable young men. Some prisons sacked their imams after they were discovered to be distributing extremist literature to young inmates. The Muslim Council of Britain said last night that it was anxious to meet Lord Carlile to exhange information about extremist preachers. Arguing for police to get more than 14 days to question terror suspects, Lord Carlile said that he knew of one group who escaped prosecution because the deadline expired before detectives could gather the evidence they needed. Posted by: Dan Darling 2006-02-15 |
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