The bombing of London on July 7, and the subsequent fast-moving hunt for the potential suicide bombers, four of whose devices on public transport failed to explode, have placed serious strains on the British Muslim community, which is over 1.5 million strong and growing fast.
On July 24 The Observer reported that there had been:
“...a 500 percent rise in faith-hate crimes in the past two weeks. More than 1,000 race and faith-hate incidents have been reported to the police across the country since the London bombings, though community leaders believe the actual number of incidents is at least four times higher.”
The Observer suggested:
“Most of the reported crimes are ‘low-level’ attacks such as graffiti and verbal abuse. However, race monitoring groups across the UK have seen a significant increase in the number of reports of arson attacks on mosques and Muslim women being spat at in the street... Police are investigating several serious assaults and one murder related to the backlash.”
Right-wing elements in Britain, led by the British National Party, which is campaigning for an “all-white Britain”, are thriving in this climate. They accuse British Muslims of being traitors. They are furious that some of the bombers had received good education in Britain and had respected positions in society. One of them taught primary school children. It has been revealed that one of the suspects being hunted had lived off benefits paid for by British taxpayers.
These terrorists, born and brought up in Britain, went on to volunteer to blow up their fellow countrymen into small pieces in crowded public places. They selected not the high and mighty, but innocent commuters, mainly low-paid office workers, to be their victims.
The British Muslim community largely arrived in Britain after World War II and Indian independence in 1947. They were mainly Pakistani, Indian and Bangladeshi. A small number arrived from North Africa. In recent years some of the Pakistanis have been influenced by the growth of militancy in Pakistan. Two of the July 7 bombers had visited Islamic centers in Pakistan. Some of those the police wish to interview come from Somalia. While Pakistan has moved against its extremists, Somalia is a failed state with all kinds of political problems.
On arrival the main centers for Muslims tended to be in the Midlands, for example the old pottery towns. The authorities treated them with the traditional British hands-off approach as far as their religion was concerned. There are now over 1,000 mosques. Jews and Buddhists were treated similarly. (Catholics have lived in Britain for centuries and have a different history.) The authorities tended to hold back from drawing attention to Islamic extremism, no doubt aware they knew little about it. Many of the foreign-born imams still cannot speak English. There was also a fear that highlighting extremism would play into the hands of the far right and damage the community in general. The police have been well aware that some way-out imams advocated violence but were anxious they should not be forced underground.
There is a sea change taking place with the British Muslim community. Shahid Malik is the new Labour MP for Dewsbury, West Yorkshire. One of the suicide bombers came from that town. Malik, a Muslim himself, has spoken out against extremism:
“We are no longer in denial. We will no longer pretend not to see or hear the fanatical few who stand outside our mosques, polluting young minds. The events of 7th July have changed that. The choices are stark yet clear — we either confront the enemy within, or are seen to condone.”
Against this troubled background of distrust from without and divisions within, British Muslims can take a little comfort from the two Blairs and their respective positions — as can the rest of us. Prime Minister Tony Blair is interested in religion and considered becoming a Church of England priest as a young man. Since the attacks on America in 2001 he has made a point of studying the Qur’an.
After these attacks he at once worked flat out to prevent a backlash against Muslims in general, and gave a splendid lead again after July 7. He believes the “ideology” of the suicide bombers represents a poisoned perversion of Islam (Some Pakistani newspapers have deliberately misrepresented him on this point). No other political leader in Britain could have handled it better — leaving Iraq aside.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair is comparatively new and shows every sign of being outstanding. His approach is that: “The police and intelligence agencies are not going to defeat terrorism. People and communities are.”
He has had numerous meetings with Muslim leaders in Greater London and is seeking to foster a community-based network. This must be the way forward.
