Governement urged to reconsider MCB boycott (From Hillingdon Times)

Governement urged to reconsider MCB boycott

5:28pm Friday 27th March 2009

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The Government was has been urged to reconsider the decision to sever links with the Muslim Council of Britain after senior members released a statement denying they supported violence.

The row blew up after it was disclosed deputy secretary-general Dr Daud Abdullah signed a public declaration of support for Hamas which appeared to endorse attacks on British soldiers.

At first the MCB lashed out at Communities Secretary Hazel Blears for her “high-handed and condescending action”.

But today three senior members of the group, which has received thousands of pounds of Government money, released a statement saying they did not “condone, encourage or support” killing of any human beings or attacks on British soldiers.

The statement, jointly signed by Dr Abdullah, other senior members of the MCB, Labour MP Mohammad Sarwar and two Labour Lords said: “We do not condone, encourage or support the killing of any human being, be they Jews, Zionists, Muslims and non-Muslims. Secondly, we do not condone, encourage or support attacking British soldiers and warships, in this country or anywhere else in the world.”

Ms Blears called on Dr Abdullah to resign his post after he put his name to the so-called “Istanbul declaration”.

It reportedly said: “The obligation of the Islamic Nation [is] to regard the sending of foreign warships into Muslim waters, claiming to control the borders and prevent the smuggling of arms to Gaza, as a declaration of war, a new occupation, sinful aggression.

”This must be rejected and fought by all means and ways.”

The document, which was signed by 90 Muslim leaders from around the world, was thought to indicate support for violence against Israel and to condone attacks on British troops.

Earlier this week the Government’s anti-terror strategy, Contest 2, promised to take a stronger line with groups which promote extremist views.

Communities Secretary Hazel Blears said the statement was a “positive sign”, but said “greater clarity” of Dr Abdullah’s views was needed.

She said: “We welcome the efforts made by parliamentarians to work with MCB in resolving this serious issue.

”The statement resulting from their meeting by the senior officers of the MCB and Parliamentarians, personally signed by Dr Daud Abdullah, provides some clarification of his rejection of the articles in the Istanbul declaration which called for violence against civilians and British forces. This is a positive sign that the organisation has recognised the serious issues at hand.

”However, we continue to believe that the Istanbul declaration does call for attacks on foreign warships - potentially including the Royal Navy - and also advocates violence against Jewish people and their supporters around the world.

”In light of Daud Abdullah’s other public comments about the Istanbul declaration, we will need to build on the parliamentarians’ statement to gain greater clarity on his views.

”We have not sought to intervene or interfere in the running of the MCB; it is an independent organisation that must make its own decisions.

”However, Government must take a clear stand against violence and hatred that can cause harm and sow division in communities.

”Nor can we, as Government, take lightly anything that might increase the threat to our forces deployed overseas. And in recent months we have seen a deeply worrying rise in anti-Semitic attacks.

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