Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

UK government urged to overhaul Prevent and counter-extremism policies Letter from civil society groups also calls on Labour to suspend Michael Gove's proposed definition of extremism

(Middle East Eye) A coalition of leading civil society organisations has urged the UK Labour government to overhaul counter-extremism policies including the controversial Prevent programme, Middle East Eye can exclusively report. In a letter sent to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, the organisations also […]

Clerics & Preachers

Imam from extremist-led London mosque claims ‘Zionists’ behind violent riots that rocked Britain Ashraf Dabous said that rioters had been misled by 'individuals who do not have their best interests at heart'

(GB News) An imam from an extremist-led London mosque has blamed “Zionists” for the violent immigration riots that shook the UK. Ashraf Dabous, of the Lewisham Islamic Centre, said that rioters were being “manipulated and misguided” so that supporters of the state […]

Government & Politics

UK election: What is The Muslim Vote — and why does it matter? The campaign backs a list of MPs for the election, and has been driven by Labour's early support for Israel’s war on Gaza

(Middle East Eye) Launched in December 2023, The Muslim Vote (TMV) is a campaign in the UK supporting parliamentary candidates for the upcoming election in constituencies with a significant Muslim electorate. Much of its driving force has been the early support from the […]

Children & Teens

Mother facing jail for failing to tell police about son’s involvement in plot to bomb London Nabeela Anjum failed to tell police about what she knew of her son Sameer Anjum's cooperation with another terrorist.

(Sky News) A mother is facing jail after she failed to inform police that her teenage son knew about a terrorist plot to bomb central London. Nabeela Anjum, 48, a biomedical scientist at St James’s Hospital in Leeds, tried to persuade her […]

Government & Politics

Khairi Saadallah: The missed opportunities to stop Reading attacker An inquest into the deaths of Joseph Ritchie-Bennett, James Furlong and David Wails heard six weeks of evidence from witnesses including probation and immigration officials, police and MI5 officers.

(Sky News) When three men were stabbed to death in Reading’s Forbury Gardens on Saturday, 20 June 2020, Nick Harborne instantly knew Khairi Saadallah was responsible. “Something inside me just went cold,” he told Sky News. The chief executive of the Reading […]

Government & Politics

New extremism definition unveiled because ‘democracy at risk from far-right and Islamist extremists’ Michael Gove updates the description to include conduct that falls short of criminality, but the government still deems 'unacceptable.'

(Sky News) The government has unveiled its new definition of extremism despite warnings it could have a “chilling effect” on free speech. Michael Gove, the communities secretary, has updated the definition as part of a drive to clamp down on the Islamist […]

Government & Politics

Government’s new extremism definition will ‘vilify the wrong people,’ warn Muslim organisations Groups say the new definition 'signals an attack on civil liberties by attacking law-abiding individuals and groups that oppose government policy' by labelling them as 'extremist.'

(Sky News) The government’s proposal to redefine extremism will “vilify the wrong people” and “risk more division,” according to a coalition of Muslim organisations. Signatories include groups which fear they may fall under the new definition announced as part of the government’s […]

Demonstrations

Michael Gove says ‘good-hearted people’ at pro-Palestine marches should question potential ‘extremist organisers’ Tens of thousands of people participated in a Gaza protest on Saturday in London — the fifth march in the capital this year — which saw five arrests and a counter-protester de-arrested.

(Sky News) Michael Gove has urged pro-Palestinian protesters to question whether extremist groups are behind some of the demonstrations — days ahead of publishing a new official definition of extremism. The housing secretary said “good-hearted people” attending the marches should be aware […]

Academics & Education

UK to create ‘blacklist’ of Muslim groups under new extremism definition Government is bringing in robust changes to target groups and individuals 'undermining' British values

(National-UAE) The UK government is creating a “blacklist” of organisations under a new definition of extremism which would see their funding cut. Several Muslim groups are likely to be on the list after being singled out in government reports. The groups facing […]

Government & Politics

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

(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 […]

Government & Politics

Prevent review: Treat Hamas and Islamic State supporters the same, says Shawcross Counter-extremism reviewer says supporters of proscribed Palestinian movement should face full force of counter-terrorism powers

(Middle East Eye) Supporters of Hamas should be treated the same as supporters of the Islamic State group and subjected to the full force of the law, a contentious review of the UK government’s Prevent counter-extremism strategy has recommended. William Shawcross’s review, […]

Government & Politics

Government’s anti-terror programme failing to ‘understand and tackle antisemitism’ William Shawcross's long-[awaited] report into the Prevent programme includes references to cases that the author says show 'the prevalence of extreme antisemitism'

(Jewish News) The government’s anti-terror programme is not doing enough to “understand and tackle antisemitism,” a new report has concluded. The findings of former Charity Commission chairman William Shawcross’s long-awaited report into the Prevent programme included claims by the author he was […]

Government & Politics

UK’s Prevent terror strategy review to address classifying extremists as victims Shawcross report expected to warn that treating potentially dangerous people as vulnerable presents serious security issues

(National-UAE) The classification of extremists as vulnerable people is a “mischaracterisation,” the author of a review of the UK’s Prevent strategy is expected to say. William Shawcross, author of the review, is understood to have taken issue with how the government’s counter-terrorism […]

Government & Politics

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'

(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 […]

Government & Politics

Far-right terrorism rise in UK ‘masks threat of Islamist extremism’ Security expert concerned risk is being misjudged and warns of possible ISIS resurgence

(National-UAE) Britain cannot afford to underestimate the threat Islamist terrorism continues to pose to its security, an expert has warned, amid growing emphasis on the rise of far-right ideology among prisoners. Dr Paul Stott, head of security and extremism at Policy Exchange, […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Radical Islamist organisations being funded by Tory government’s counter-terrorism programme: report

(Breitbart) The British taxpayer has allegedly been handed out to radical Islamist organisations that have “promoted extremist narratives,” according to leaked draft excerpts from an independent review on the government’s counter-[terrorism] programme. A long-awaited review conducted by former Charity Commission Chairman Sir […]