[IslamCity] UK Muslims Blast "Flawed" Terror Glorification Bill

[S A Hannan]

UK Muslims Blast "Flawed" Terror Glorification Bill A file photo of British Muslims protesting the new anti-terror bill. CAIRO, February 28, 2006 (IslamOnline.net) – Forty-two British Muslim organizations have pressed for the exclusion of "glorification" provisions in the recently adopted "flawed" anti-terror law. "The overwhelming majority of the Muslim community opposes the ill-considered measures in the current Terrorism Bill relating to the undefined crime of ‘glorification of terrorism’," the groups said in a press release posted on the Wes site of the umbrella Muslim Council of Britain (MCB). They asserted that the glorification provisions will criminalize people who defend the legitimate rights of people under occupation or those voicing support for legitimate resistance to illegal military occupation in places like occupied Palestine. "The Terrorism Bill is seriously flawed because it is built on a definition of terrorism that includes legitimate armed struggles against violent autocratic regimes," read the statement. "It is impossible to justify laws that would have criminalized the supporters of Nelson Mandela, and that could put behind bars opponents of the current odious regimes in, say, Burma, Chechnya and North Korea." Earlier this month, the British parliament backed an amendment to the anti-terror bill, making glorification of terrorism a crime. Home Secretary Charles Clarke has watered down the glorification provision after harsh criticism from the opposition and human rights activists. People will be charged with glorifying terrorism only if it can be demonstrated they intended to encourage their audience to commit terrorist attacks. The original bill read: "A person commits an offence if he glorifies, exalts, or celebrates an act of terrorism whether in the past or in the future." The new bill further grants sweeping powers for police, including detaining terror suspects before charges are laid and closure of places of worship being used by alleged extremists. British Muslims, estimated at some 1.8 million people, had denounced the grisly London attacks which killed 52 people, saying there was no justification whatsoever to take innocent lives. Mistrust The Muslim groups, including the Muslim Association of Britain, Islamic Society of Britain and Association of Muslim Schools, warned that criminalizing non-violent behaviors would have serious ramifications. "Far from assisting the fight against terrorism, this will result in a loss of trust between the Muslim community and the police, leading to a reduced flow of important information and intelligence," they said. The groups said that the Muslim minority has made clear its determination to work with the authorities to stamp out terror, citing calls by Muslim leaders to open a public inquiry into the events that led to the terrorist 7/7 attacks. "Terrorism will only be defeated by united communities working together - not by a Bill that is perceived as unfairly targeting Muslims and stifling legitimate debate." In September, British Muslims launched the first ever National Advisory Council of Imams and Mosques to nurture home-grown imams and set standards for preachers. A poll showed on February 19 that 91 percent of British Muslims are "loyal" to Britain and 80 percent still want to live in and accept Western society. British politicians and MPs have criticized the new anti-terror law, saying that it would be counter-productive in combating terror. London Mayor Ken Livingstone said the law would reduce the trust, and therefore the information, from the communities whose help is indispensable to the police. A cross-party coalition said in a statement last October it backed steps to prevent bombings like those in the capital on July 7, but opposed any measures that would trample on political freedoms or alienate Muslims whose help is needed to combat radical groups. Back To News Page Please feel free to contact News editor at: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *************************************************************************** {Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.} (Holy Quran-16:125) {And who is better in speech than he who [says: "My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness)," and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: "I am one of the Muslims."} (Holy Quran-41:33) The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim] The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)  also said, "Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all." [Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah] -------------------------------------------------------------------------- All views expressed herein belong to the individuals concerned and do not in any way reflect the official views of IslamCity unless sanctioned or approved otherwise. If your mailbox clogged with mails from IslamCity, you may wish to get a daily digest of emails by logging-on to http://www.yahoogroups.com to change your mail delivery settings or email the moderators at [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the title "change to daily digest". SPONSORED LINKS Holy quran YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS  Visit your group "islamcity" on the web.    To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:  [EMAIL PROTECTED]    Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.

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