Monday 28 May 2007

Speaking for Muslims - World Media Coverage

This is below all the media outlets I have been quoted in over the past day about the UK Government's attempts to introduce Stop and Question

(Reuters, UK, World News Australia, National Post, Canada, Gulf Daily News, Bahrain, Manawatu Standard, New Zealand, The Nelson Mail, New Zealand, Waikato Times, New Zealand, The Age, Australia, The Timaru Herald, New Zealand, Marlborough Express, New Zealand, The Dominion Post, New Zealand, Auckland stuff.co.nz, New Zealand, Reuters India, India, Sydney Morning Herald, Australia, The Age, Australia, Reuters AlertNet, UK, ABC Online, Australia, Brisbane Times, Australia, The West Australian, Australia, Malaysia Star, Malaysia, Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia, NEWS.com.au, Australia, The Australian, Australia, Stuff.co.nz, New Zealand, Sunday Times.au, Australia, Courier Mail, Australia, Daily Telegraph, Australia, Advertiser Adelaide, Australia, Javno.hr, Croatia, Yahoo News, UK, EU Politics Today, Brussels )

Mohammed Shafiq, spokesman for the Ramadhan Foundation, a Muslim youth organisation set up to counter extremists, voiced concern it would be mainly minority communities that
would be stopped and questioned under the proposed new powers.

"We feel that the government's proposals are going to alienate the Muslim community further," he told Reuters.

Blair sparks row with anti-terror powers bid

By Adrian Croft

LONDON (Reuters) - Civil rights and community groups criticised a proposal by Prime Minister Tony Blair on Sunday to give police broad powers to stop and question people as part of a new anti-terrorism law.
Critics said the proposed measure risked alienating the Muslim community whose support the government needed to combat militants and an opposition politician said Blair was pushing for the powers of a police state.

An interior ministry spokeswoman said the government was looking at including the "stop and question" power in new anti-terrorism legislation.
It would enable police to question people about who they are, where they have been and where they were going, according to the Sunday Times newspaper.
Plans for the measure emerged as Blair, who is due to resign in a month, attacked as a "dangerous misjudgement" Britain's determination to defend civil liberties rather than take tougher action to counter extremists.

"We have chosen as a society to put the civil liberties of the suspect, even if a foreign national, first. I happen to believe this is misguided and wrong," he wrote in the Sunday Times.
Police Minister Tony McNulty said the government would consult widely on its proposals before introducing new legislation in October or November -- by which time Blair will have handed over power to finance minister Gordon Brown.

Mohammed Shafiq, spokesman for the Ramadhan Foundation, a Muslim youth organisation set up to counter extremists, voiced concern it would be mainly minority communities that would be stopped and questioned under the proposed new powers.
"We feel that the government's proposals are going to alienate the Muslim community further," he told Reuters.

COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE

Doug Jewell, of civil rights group Liberty, told the BBC the measure was unnecessary and would be counter-productive.

One of Blair's own ministers, Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain, urged caution on new anti-terrorism powers.

"We've got to be very careful that we don't create circumstances that are the domestic equivalent of Guantanamo Bay," he told the BBC, referring to the U.S. prison camp for terrorism suspects on Cuba.

Nick Clegg, of the Liberal Democrats, accused Blair and interior minister John Reid of "pushing for the powers of a police state".

Blair's government passed tough anti-terrorism measures after the September 2001 attacks on U.S. cities and again after four British Muslim suicide bombers killed 52 people on London's transport network in July 2005.

Some measures Blair wanted -- such as a police power to hold terrorism suspects for up to 90 days without charge -- have been blocked by parliament or the courts.
Last week, the government was embarrassed when three men suspected of planning attacks on British or U.S. troops abroad absconded.

Wednesday 23 May 2007

Asbos for terror suspects ‘shock’ Mohammed Shafiq interview

A CAMPAIGNING Muslim youth organisation has attacked the government’s suggestion of giving Asbos to people they suspect are involved in terrorism.
The Rochdale-based Ramadhan Foundation said they were "appaled" following the Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith's announcement for plans to use special police and legal teams to target those preaching hate, using anti-social behaviour orders where they cannot be prosecuted.
He said the idea follows the successful use of Asbos to stop animal rights extremists from harassing the public.
Spokesperson for the Foundation, Mohammed Shafiq said: "The fact that this is coming from Lord Goldsmith - the Attorney General - whose role is to ensure that the process of law is being carried out and that the due process reaches its conclusion is appaling.
"This proposal smacks against the right to a free and fair trial and goes against many principles of justice gathered over hundreds of years.
"Those that are suspected of involvement in terrorism and extremism should and must be put on trial and the evidence presented, if they are found guilty, so be it.”

Friday 11 May 2007


This is a short webcast by Mohammed Shafiq, Press Spokesman about the Government's refusal to hold a full and public inquiry into the 7/7 attacks, for further information www.ramadhanfoundation.com
Your feedback is essential, email at contactme@mohammedshafiq.org.uk