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UK: MPs want curbs on 'unacceptable' religious slaughter Via the BBC : The government is facing renewed calls to curb the slaughtering of animals that have not first been rendered unconscious - a debate that pits religious sensitivities against the convictions of animal welfare campaigners. Senior Conservative backbencher Greg Knight has told MPs that the practice of slaughtering cattle, lambs and chickens in this way is "rife". ( source )

UK: Prisoners under pressure to convert to Muslim 'gang' Via the Telegraph : Inmates at HMP Whitemoor told researchers commissioned by the Ministry of Justice that they changed their faith for protection or because they were bullied into it. Prison guards said they had a policy of �appeasement� towards the powerful and growing Islamic population, particularly convicted terrorists who were feared to be recruiting future extremists. Non-believers avoided confrontation with any Muslim in case it led to retribution from the wider group, and said they even avoided cooking pork or bacon in communal kitchens or undressing in the showers in case it caused offence.   ( source )

Somalia: Al-Shabab plotting attack in Netherlands, UK Via RNW : A former commander of the Somali Al Qaeda-linked organisation al-Shabab has said that dormant cells in the Netherlands are secretly preparing terrorist attacks. The commander, who left al-Shabab because of a dispute with its leaders, said the militant Islamist group is actively recruiting and training members of the Somali diaspora in the Netherlands, United Kingdom and United States to launch attacks in the countries where they have a residence permit. ( source )

UK: Leicester, Ealing's first Muslim mayors  Via OnIslam (h/t Islam in Britain ): An Indian-origin Muslim councilor Abdul Razak Osman has been sworn in as the first ever Muslim mayor in the multi-cultural town of Leicester, the post seen as a challenge as Britain prepares for the Olympic Games. (...) �I'm proud to be the first Muslim councilor to hold the position � we've had Christian, Hindu, Sikh and now I'm able to bring the Islamic faith to the office which is a great honor," Osman added. ( source ) Via Ealing Gazette : ONE of the first Pakistanis to set up shop in Southall became Ealing�s first Muslim mayor this week. Councillor Mohammad Aslam was hailed by colleagues across the political spectrum in a rare show of unity at Ealing Town Hall on Tuesday night. The Southall businessman and Norwood Green councillor said he always dreamed of becoming mayor and was �excited� to finally take up his robes and chains.   ( source )

UK: Sikhs, Hindus complain of use of 'Asian' label in grooming cases Via the BBC : The joint statement was released by the Network of Sikh Organisations UK, The Hindu Forum of Britain, and The Sikh Media Monitoring Group UK. It says the reluctance of the media and the government to discuss the "disproportionate representation of Muslims in such cases" and the fact victims are "almost always non-Muslim girls" is adding to the cause of far-right groups such as the BNP. It said blanket use of the word "Asian" was "unfair to other communities of Asian origin". "We believe that in this case the government itself is sanctioning the use of term Asian as a way of clouding responsibility," the groups say. ( source )

UK: Tory cabinet minister Baroness Warsi calls on mosques to act after Rochdale grooming gang scandal Via the Daily Mail : Muslim cabinet minister Baroness Warsi today dramatically hit out at the 'small minority' of Pakistani men who see white girls as 'fair game' for sexual abuse. In comments following the Rochdale grooming scandal involving nine Muslim men, the Conservative Party co-chairman admitted that race was a factor. She urged Muslim leaders to address the issue and ensure that men who regard white women as 'third class citizens' are isolated by their communities. ( source )

UK: Al-Qaeda bomb plot foiled by British double agent Via The Telegraph : He was recommended by a close relative who was trusted by leaders of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), the network's Yemeni wing, according to US intelligence. His British passport made him attractive as a recruit for a suicide mission as he would be able to board a flight to America under the visa-waiver programme. But AQAP strategists were persuaded that he was a true believer willing to blow himself up on a plane to the US by what they believed to be his reliable family roots. The mole, who has been moved with his family to a country outside the Middle East under Western intelligence protection, was reportedly born in the region, but grew up Europe and had British citizenship.  ( source )

UK: Muslim leaders warn of far right exploitation of Rochdale child sex case Via the Guardian : Muslim groups say they have seen an upsurge in hate mail and abusive phone calls since the trial ended this week and community leaders are bracing themselves for more Islamophobic attacks on individual Muslims and mosques across the UK. "We are already receiving hate mail and hate phone calls even though we issued a very strong statement condemning those involved," said a spokesman for the Muslim Council of Britain. "If it can happen to MCB, you can just imagine what ordinary Muslims are facing as they go about their day-to-day business." ( source )

UK: Muslim woman scared secret boyfriend would send explicit pictures to her devout parents cried rape Via the Daily Mail : A Muslim woman who pretended she was raped by her boyfriend, leading to his prolonged torture by a gang, because she thought he would show explicit photos of her to her devout parents has been jailed. Sonia Begum, 21, had complained to her cousin Shahen Ahmed, 21, that the man had sexually assaulted her. Ahmed then rounded up a gang who kidnapped and set fire to the 22-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons. (...) Begum had claimed that the man was pestering her, and feared that her strict Muslim parents would disapprove of any contact between them, partly because he was Hindu, the Old Bailey heard. Judge Wendy Joseph QC told Begum: 'You were a young woman leading a double life, trying to comply with a strict regime imposed by your family while secretly having boyfriends, a Facebook account and phones for personal relationships. ( source )

UK: The truth about 'Asian sex gangs' Via the Guardian : In January 2011 the Times proclaimed a "conspiracy of silence" around groups of Pakistani men sexually exploiting white British girls. Political correctness and fear of appearing racist had trumped child protection, the paper claimed. Soon the terms "Pakistani" and "Asian" were being conflated, much to the disgruntlement of other British Asians and a heated media debate ensued around the "Asian sex gang" problem. Jack Straw demanded the Pakistani community take responsibility, while BNP leader Nick Griffin gleefully decried "Muslim paedophilia", campaigning with natty slogans such as "Our children are not halal meat". The EDL were regulars at major trials: either in the courtroom taking notes or outside spitting hate. The defendants in question are at most nominally Muslim. Practising Muslims certainly aren't supposed to have sex with children. But race has p...

UK: 'Wrong perception of Islam big challenge for Muslims� Via the Daily Times : The core challenge that Muslim community is facing at the United Kingdom was the wrong perception of the Islam prevalent among British and other communities,� said United Kingdom Islamic Mission (UKIM) chief Dr Zahid Pervez. Dr Pervez, who was recently on a visit to Pakistan, said this while exclusively talking to Daily Times, at a local hotel. He said, �To combat the issue, we availed all chances to interact other communities on various dialogue forums so as to convince them that the Islam is a religion of peace and harmony, and we got very positive impacts of measures in that direction. He said that Muslim community was playing a vital role in the UK. They were contributing in business, services sector and even armed and law enforcement agencies.   ( source )

London: Muslim voters in fraud row 'forgot how they signed registration forms' Via the Evening Standard : A senior official at Tower Hamlets has rejected allegations of postal vote fraud � claiming Muslim voters simply forgot how they signed registration forms. Isabella Freeman, borough legal chief, spoke in a bid to explain a spike in rejected ballots following a by-election. The Met has launched an investigation into claims of voter fraud. Today the �120,000-a-year monitoring officer was accused of failing to �face up to reality� and accept voter fraud is on her doorstep � ahead of tomorrow�s London-wide elections for the next Mayor and the 25-seat London Assembly. Asked about an increase in rejected postal votes from 10 per cent to 14 per cent, Ms Freeman said this was because �voters have forgotten how they signed the registered application in the first place ... this is not unusual in relation to Muslim voters.� The council would not comment on whether she was referring to...

Scotland: Forced marriage campaign targets mosques Via the BBC : A Muslim scholar has launched a groundbreaking campaign against forced marriage in Scotland. Shaykh Amer Jamil says the practice has no place in Islam. During the next few weeks leaflets and sermons are being given in mosques as part of an initiative to educate the community. "In the Muslim community there's a misconception amongst some people that religion allows this, that parents have an Islamic right to choose partner of their children, and that they don't have a choice in this," says the Glasgow-based Imam. ( source )

UK: Cardiff Councillor in racism blast at Border Agency Via Wales Online (h/t Euro-Islam.info ): A Cardiff councillor has levelled an astonishing broadside at the UK Border Agency by accusing the authority of �indirect racism�. Riverside councillor Mohammed Islam claims officers have targeted businesses in his ward following an incident last year where another councillor passed a constituent�s tip-off to officials. Coun Islam, who has represented the ward since June 2004, claims UKBA is �basically going to every single Asian and ethnic minority business� in the area to check whether staff are legally entitled to work. ( source )

UK: Imam caught on camera advocating female circumcision Via the Daily Mail : Mohammed Abdul, the Imam of a Bristol mosque, was filmed urging a follower to take women and girls abroad so they can be circumcised legally. (...) The footage was obtained by an undercover reporter working for the Sunday Times newspaper, who posed as a Muslim seeking advice. During a meeting with Mohammed Abdul at the Masjid al-Huda mosque: 'In this country, it is not possible, we cannot do that. (For) any other Muslim who likes to practise the way of Prophet Muhammad, the best way is to go to other countries. 'Some families, they go to Africa or Arab countries. 'In this country you have to fight for your religion, your cultures, They (the British) don't like your Muslim cultures.' ( source )

Cambridge: Muslims question militant's speech Via Cambridge News (h/t DW): Moderate Muslims are appalled that Dr Haitham al-Haddad, who is a judge on a Sharia law court in London, was allowed a platform at the Mawson Road prayer centre. He spoke to students from Cambridge University�s Islamic Society in a packed room, and has previously told Muslims �to prepare themselves for jihad, all over the world�. Hasan Afzal, director of the anti-extremism monitoring group StandforPeace, who was alerted to the visit by a concerned Muslim attending the mosque, said: �I understand the mosque is looking to expand and this has been a bone of contention with the local community and has attracted the ire of far-right groups, including the English Defence League. (...) Ahsan Mohammed, a Newmarket Muslim leader, said: �I am torn in that I want freedom of speech and think that is what makes Britain great but when the views are bonkers and dangerous we have to draw the line somewhere.� ( source )

Wales: Islamic teacher under fire for calling on Muslims to support fight for sharia law abroad Via Wales Onlines (h/t EuropeNews ): An Islamic teacher whose group was at the centre of an anti-terror raid on a Cardiff community hall has come under fire for calling on Welsh muslims to �physically� support the fight for sharia law abroad. Abu Hajar, of Grangetown, Cardiff, is one of the leaders of the Islamic group Supporters of Tawheed, which on its website says its core belief is the �domination of the world by Islam�. (...) In a video posted last month on YouTube called �Support the Muslims of Syria�, Mr Hajar said muslims should: snub western help abroad; demand an �Islamic solution� to problems in the Middle East; and impose sharia law there. In the 14-minute video he addresses the people of Syria, saying: �Our money is with you and, if need be and if we are able to, our muslims will come and respond to your call physically as well. ( source )

UK: PM launches campaign to target �aspirational� ethnic minority voters Via the Daily Mail : The Prime Minister will today launch a major campaign to target �aspirational� ethnic minority voters in the suburbs after warnings that he can�t win at the next election without them. Tory Chairman Baroness Warsi has revealed the party aims to woo female and older Asian voters who share the party�s views but who have traditionally voted Labour. She has told Conservative Cabinet ministers and MPs that they need to do more to win over non-white voters in key marginal constituencies. They will be ordered to discuss core Tory values � hard work, good schools, the perils of welfare dependency � rather than �pandering� to received Left-wing wisdom that Asian voters are only concerned with state handouts and foreign policy issues such as Afghanistan. ( source )

London: Don�t ban alcohol � we'll get blame, say Muslim students Via the London Evening Standard : Muslim students at a university considering banning alcohol from parts of its campus have hit out at the plan � fearing they will be blamed for the move. Students at London Metropolitan University said banning alcohol in the name of Muslims will cause tension on campus, divide the community, and could be exploited by far-Right groups such as the English Defence League. Malcolm Gillies, Vice Chancellor of London Met, has said he might stop alcohol being served in parts of the university because some religious students view it as �immoral�. But Syed Rumman, vice president of the Student Union, warned that any ban would be �catastrophic�. Mr Rumman, who is a Muslim, said: �I do not drink, but it doesn�t mean that I will deprive another student from having alcohol.� He added: �It is unethical, catastrophic and it will isolate Muslims further in society. This will go against the ethos of L...