Reuters News ArticleThe Govt. and opposition in the U.K. were happy that the Muslim Authorities issued a notice, requesting that Muslims report any knowledge of terrorists. Seems that this was done just for the sake of lip service, most Muslim youngsters it seems would not oblige. Read further.....
British police pursue Canada "terror" link Thu 01 April, 2004 11:22 AM By Michael Holden LONDON (Reuters) - Police say they are working with Canadian authorities after a software developer was charged in Ottawa with aiding a "terrorist group" in Britain and Canada. Mohammed Momin Khawaja, a 29-year-old Canadian with Pakistani parents, was arrested at work on Monday by Canadian police who accuse him of "knowingly facilitating a terrorist activity" in Ottawa and London. Details of his arrest and charge came as British police were given three more days to quiz eight men arrested during London and southeast England in dawn raids on Tuesday in Britain's biggest anti-terror operation since the September 11 2001 attacks. Both Canadian police and British anti-terror officers were tight-lipped about whether Khawaja's arrest was directly linked to the London swoop in which officers found half a tonne of ammonium nitrate fertiliser -- prime bomb-making material. "We are aware of the developments in Canada and are liaising with the Canadian authorities," a UK police spokeswoman said. She declined to comment on whether British officers had flown to Canada to work with police there. Canadian Justice Minister Irwin Cotler said on Wednesday he had no details about the investigation. The arrest of Khawaja, a computer expert, fuelled newspaper speculation that the UK suspects had been using e-mails to communicate with al Qaeda "mentors" abroad. It also followed Wednesday's seizure of computer equipment from an Internet cafe in Crawley, Sussex, where three of the arrested Britons lived. The eight, who police sources say are Muslims of Pakistani origin, were arrested on suspicion of preparing to carry out acts of terrorism and are being questioned at a top-security London police station. They can be held until late on Saturday, although under UK anti-terror laws police can apply for further extensions. Their arrest has stoked fears that disaffected young Britons may be as much a threat as foreign militants. British Muslim leaders have sent a letter to every imam in the country's 1,000 or so mosques, urging them to help police in the fight against terror. However radical group leaders said the country's two million Muslims should ignore the plea. "Muslims have a unique way of life. Co-operating with the authorities against any other Muslims, that is an act of apostasy in Islam," Sheikh Omar Bakri Muhammad, head of the radical Islamic group al-Muhajiroun, told BBC radio on Thursday. "Having said that, Muslims in Britain have the right to defend themselves, but without the use of violence. They can gather together, speak with the imams." Some young British Muslims appeared to share his views. "Why should we help the police," one 19-year-old in Derby, told the BBC, adding he felt the authorities were targeting innocent Muslims. "Tony Blair and (U.S. President) George Bush are the real terrorists in our opinion." ########################################################################## # Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts # # More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################
