Over the course of the last couple of weeks, UK counter-terrorism police have conducted a series of raids and arrests, all in connection with Syria. Whether it has been Moazzam Begg, the Tahari family, or the heads of UK Muslim Charities, a message is being sent by the UK authorities that contributing through civil society to aid the humanitarian catastrophe in Syria is being made forbidden to the Muslim Community specifically.
PREVENT Officers have been swooping Muslim Communities up and down the country, from London, Manchester, Birmingham, Bradford, Leeds, Blackburn, Leicester to name a few.
The human rights organisation CAGE has documented concerns received that have been categorised as follows:
1. In almost all cases the allegations have centred on fraud but the raids have been carried out by counter terrorism units so as to reinforce a perception that such forces are used disproportionately to target specific communities.
2. The treatment of the Muslim community and the Muslim charitable sector in particular, through the lens of counter terrorism is gravely concerning. This appears to be a continuation of the policies CAGE has documented in its report on the PREVENT strategy which argue that Muslims are the new ‘suspect community’ in the UK.
3. Allegations of fraud levelled against any organisation have the potential to damage its credibility and reputation. All of the individuals arrested have been released without charge on bail to return to the Police station in September. The high profile raids, leaking to the press coupled with unsubstantiated allegations of fraud can only be seen as an attempt to damage the organisations. This tactic will only lead to further alienation and mistrust.
4. In research conducted last year, Muslim communities of the UK were considered to be the most generous religious group, giving over £100 per person more than the next religious group per year. Instead of this being recognised by the UK authorities as being a praiseworthy quality, it has led to disproportionate suspicion and scrutiny.
It is clear that the British Government is not interested in dealing with actual crimes and is more concerned with demonising the Muslim Community and creating a climate of fear. Charities are doing great work to alleviate the pain and suffering of the people in Syria, yet they are being targeted and harassed. Director of CAGE, Moazzam Begg, was investigating rendition and torture arranged by British intelligence agencies and is now being held on trumped-up charges. When a lawful protest was organised in support of Moazzam, it was PREVENT Officers themselves who went to every Masjid in Birmingham and insisted they discourage Muslim support for the protest.
It was PREVENT Officers who also contacted all coach organisers around the country to stop them from coming to Birmingham for the protest, going to extreme lengths to tell them they wanted to give them a “police escort” and the address for the protest outside West Midlands Police HQ was incorrect and “miles away”, this was blatant lying. As part of the Police force these officers went beyond mere policing and initiated a campaign of lies and deception… against their sworn oaths to deal “with fairness, integrity, diligence and impartiality, upholding fundamental human rights and according equal respect to all people” (if they even view the Muslim Community as real people).
The Police and their PREVENT teams have stepped outside the bounds of policing and in doing so have breached our trust and confidence in them.
It is has also been confirmed that Commander Richard Walton has just been removed from his position at the Metropolitan Police as Head of Counter-Terrorism, after he has been caught up in the Stephen Lawrence spying scandal. The Black Community was the target and the Lawrence camp was spied on. Similar underhanded PREVENT-style tactics were also used back then to cover-up the truth, lie, deceive, withhold information, and pervert the course of justice when it came to dealing with a minority community (while the right-wing criminals were roaming around free). So is it possible that the Lawrence cover-up was a Police testing ground for PREVENT?
Under such circumstances and under strict legal advice the Muslim Community needs to be aware of the following when getting visits or calls from PREVENT Officers.
1. The PREVENT Strategy is merely a policy and does not create a duty upon individuals or organisations to work with the Police.
2. There is no legal or moral obligation to cooperate with PREVENT Officers.
3. If anyone from the Police makes contact to discuss PREVENT related matters, then do not agree to speak to them without a Solicitor being present. Inform them you are under strict advice to stop all cooperation and then contact a Solicitor with a written account of the contact and names and details of the officers attempting to make contact with you (solicitor details below).
4. DO NOT talk to them, DO NOT give them information, DO NOT answer their questions, just say “talk to my Solicitor”.
The community needs to send a strong clear message to the Police, the Home Office, and indeed the British Government themselves that demonising our community and targeting those who do so much great work is simply not acceptable, we do not trust the government and we do not trust the Prevent Strategy.
Bayyina Foundation's - Solicitor details:
Mohammed Akunjee LLB
Waterfords Solicitors
0208 5686464
For more information on PREVENT visit
the human rights campaign group CAGE:
Bayyina Foundation
Great post.
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