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| Britain |
| Call for Birmingham mosque chairman to quit |
| 2005-07-28 |
| A Birmingham MP has called for the chairman of the city's Central Mosque to resign after he said the government could not be trusted. Chairman Dr Mohammed Naseem made the comments after terror suspect Yasin Hassan Omar was arrested in Small Heath on Wednesday morning. Perry Barr MP Khalid Mahmood said Dr Naseem had brought the role of mosque chairman into disrepute. But Dr Naseem said he did not believe he had been offensive or controversial. "To the best of my belief, I haven't said something I thought was unhelpful," he said. "I was trying to put the record straight. "We have got a long tradition of democracy and a rule of law and that's what I think we should uphold." On Wednesday, Dr Naseem said there was no excuse for terrorism, but he said Tony Blair had lied over Iraq. "Now we cannot give our blind trust to the government," said Dr Naseem who has recently actively supported George Galloway's Respect Party. Speaking to BBC Radio WM on Thursday he questioned the existence of al-Qaeda. "I don't think al-Qaeda exists because we Muslims all over the world have not known this organisation," he said. "The only information about this organisation is coming from the CIA. Now, the CIA is not known for telling the truth." Mr Mahmood said: "What he has done is brought into disrepute the role of the chair of the Central Mosque and the Muslim community in Birmingham. "If he wants to make cheap political points then he really ought to relinquish his position as chairman and let somebody who is neutral and has the interests of the community do it." Dr Naseem is one of the elder statesmen of Islam in Britain and has been a leading figure among Muslims for many years in Birmingham. His position in the city arguably means he runs one of the most important Islamic institutions in Britain, the mosque being regularly used by thousands of Muslims from across the west Midlands. However, he has previously clashed with Mr Mahmood as he has been active in Respect, the party led by MP George Galloway to oppose the government's involvement in Iraq. Dr Naseem, who stood for the Respect-Unity Coalition in Birmingham Perry Barr, Mr Mahmood's consitutency, received 2,173 votes at the last election, representing 5.6% of the votes cast. Mr Galloway, MP for Bethnal Green and Bow, has had success in wooing traditionally Labour-voting Muslims away from the party. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #9 If I saw that I'd cack my breeches. Allanu Akbar! |
| Posted by: Howard UK 2005-07-28 19:02 |
| #8 Hey Naseem! It's coming for YOU |
| Posted by: BigEd 2005-07-28 17:44 |
| #7 mmmmmm.... tornadinos con queso! |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-07-28 13:21 |
| #6 I've heard it reported, Howard, that the UK has the highest incidence of tornados in the world. It's just that they are little harmless ones - tornadinos - if you like. It may be quite likely that the wannabe bombers think Allan has intervened and chosen that they not be splodydopes. That's what we've got to convince them, anyway. |
| Posted by: Jake-the-Peg 2005-07-28 12:06 |
| #5 khalid muhammed, the MP is the moderate. Nasseem is NOT a moderate. The insistence of the MSM that folks like Nasseem ARE moderates, when they are NOT, has undercut the work true moderates, like Khalid Muhammed. |
| Posted by: Liberalhawk 2005-07-28 11:43 |
| #4 There was a tornado in Birmingham this afternoon - quite a rare occurrence for the UK. How long before this assclown claims it as God's punishment for the Kafirs? Get him on the plane now. |
| Posted by: Howard UK 2005-07-28 11:17 |
| #3 Community leader, spiritual guide, influential public figure, and pig nasty nutter. Wonderful. Given the standard conspiracy/slipspeak bs he's willing to utter publically I bet you'll find that he's actually quite full of the murderous seething rage Root Cause thingy. Respect. Sure. One problem old, CIA-fearing, evil man of faith. You've got to earn it as is the case with trust. These are not handouts. Piss off and begone. |
| Posted by: MunkarKat 2005-07-28 10:22 |
| #2 "I don't think al-Qaeda exists because we Muslims all over the world have not known this organisation," he said. Dr Naseem is one of the elder statesmen of Islam in Britain and has been a leading figure among Muslims for many years in Birmingham. His position in the city arguably means he runs one of the most important Islamic institutions in Britain, the mosque being regularly used by thousands of Muslims from across the west Midlands. Another "moderate" heard from. |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2005-07-28 09:39 |
| #1 Indicative of the problems the mainstream muslims who go down the pub, fornicate and generally indulge in other 'Kufr' activities face from the leaders of their community. Get him a one way ticket to Pakland pronto. |
| Posted by: Howard UK 2005-07-28 09:16 |