Simon Hooper

New Muslim group ‘supported by Labour’ aims to challenge MCB’s leadership Former army imam among prominent figures involved in new network which seeks to engage with Keir Starmer's government and 'influence public policy'

July 12, 2024 Areeb Ullah and Simon Hooper

(Middle East Eye) The Labour Party is supporting the creation of a new Muslim leadership group intended to become the primary point of engagement between Keir Starmer’s government and Muslim communities in the UK, Middle East Eye can exclusively reveal. A draft […]

Prevent review: Shawcross reforms risk ‘slide into authoritarianism,’ critics warn Coalition of civil society organisations, community leaders and rights groups urge the British government to withdraw Shawcross report

March 21, 2023 Simon Hooper and Areeb Ullah

(Middle East Eye) The UK is facing a “slide into dangerous authoritarianism” if the government proceeds with the recommendations of a contentious review of Prevent, critics of the counter-terrorism strategy have warned. In a joint letter issued on Tuesday, a coalition of […]

Jack Letts’s mother hails ‘rights victory’ as Canadians to be repatriated from Syria Sally Lane, mother of British-Canadian man detained in Syrian camp, exclusively tells MEE that judgement will have 'global implications'

January 21, 2023 Rayhan Uddin and Simon Hooper

(Middle East Eye) The mother of Jack Letts, a British-Canadian man held among suspected Islamic State group (IS) fighters in prison in northeast Syria, has hailed Canada’s decision to repatriate him along with 22 other of its citizens. Speaking to Middle East Eye, Sally […]

European governments accused over ‘suppression of Muslim civil society’ OSCE conference in Poland hears plea for member states to protect Muslim citizens from Islamophobia and 'state racism'

September 29, 2022 Simon Hooper

(Middle East Eye) Muslim civil society organisations have raised the alarm about a rising tide of state-sponsored Islamophobia in Europe at a major security and human rights conference in Poland. France, Denmark and Austria were among countries singled out over policies which […]

Turkey set to deport ‘Islamic State Beatle’ Aine Davis to UK Aine Davis, who was convicted of membership of IS in 2017, is scheduled to be released and flown to the UK within days

June 30, 2022 Ragip Soylu and Simon Hooper

(Middle East Eye) An alleged member of an Islamic State (IS) execution cell dubbed “the Beatles” is scheduled to be deported from Turkey to the UK within days, Middle East Eye can exclusively reveal. Aine Davis, who is originally from London, was […]

UK’s charity regulator urged to investigate Policy Exchange over ‘anti-Muslim agenda’ Complaint to Charity Commission accuses think tank of Islamophobia over report in which David Cameron said Muslim critics of Prevent were 'enabling terrorism'

May 11, 2022 Simon Hooper

(Middle East Eye) The UK’s charities regulator is being urged to investigate the Policy Exchange think tank for alleged racism and Islamophobia, over a report in which it accused Muslim critics of the government’s Prevent strategy of “enabling terrorism.” In a letter […]

European Parliament calls for repatriation of children from Syrian camps Resolution marking 10 years of the conflict also dismisses forthcoming presidential election in Syria as 'completely lacking in credibility'

March 12, 2021 Simon Hooper

(Middle East Eye) The European Parliament has called for the repatriation of children from European Union countries held in Kurdish-run camps in northeastern Syria since the collapse of the Islamic State group. In a resolution on Thursday marking 10 years of conflict […]

Notorious French militant leader arrested by HTS in Syria’s Idlib Omar Omsen, leader of the Firqatul Gharaba brigade, was detained on Saturday, as widening HTS crackdown also targets Hizb ut-Tahrir members

August 31, 2020 Simon Hooper and Harun al-Aswad

(Middle East Eye) A senior French fighter has been detained by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in a new round of arrests by the militant group in Syria’s opposition-held Idlib province. Omar Omsen, the leader of the Firqatul Gharaba brigade, was taken into […]

UK Muslim charity calls for investigation into ‘police harassment’ Human Aid also demands police apology over seizure of Gaza-bound aid money during Schedule 7 stop at Heathrow Airport

May 19, 2020 Simon Hooper

(Middle East Eye) A Muslim charity has written to the UK’s police watchdog calling for an investigation into the alleged harassment of Gaza-bound aid workers and the seizure of cash donations during a Schedule 7 airport stop last year. Human Aid on […]

‘End Prevent’: UK government faces new calls to drop counter-terrorism strategy Academics and activists call for 'alternative approach' as government's own promised review of contentious programme remains stalled

January 17, 2020 Simon Hooper

(Middle East Eye) The British government is facing fresh calls to abolish its Prevent strategy amid uncertainty over the future of its own suspended review of the contentious counter-terrorism programme. More than 100 academics, activists and public figures opposed to the strategy […]