Terror threat is no excuse for mistakes
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the high-profile arrests of 12 overseas Muslim students of Pakistani origin, as part of massive anti-terror raids across the North West of England.
Scotland Yard's anti-terror tsar Bob Quick was forced to resign after being photographed with sensitive documents; the arrests dominated media coverage for days, with exclusives on who and what the targets were; football stadiums amongst them; the governments of Pakistan and Britain blamed each other; the police were, initially, given more time to question the alleged conspirators under the new extended detention laws – individuals can be held up to 28 days without charge.
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Muslim in Bristol column
All of those arrested have now been released without charge. The Government is now seeking to deport these individuals on the grounds of national security. There was not enough evidence to even hold them for any further questioning, let alone to charge them.
As I said then, Britain is facing a clear, terror threat. Mistakes are bound to happen. People will inevitably be arrested on dubious intelligence, only to be later released without charge. But, as I said then, and repeat now, each time it happens, we, the general public, will lose confidence in these kinds of operations, making the job of the security services that much harder.
Clearly, the Muslim communities specifically will be affected by these kinds of failures more than anyone else. But, we have to be calm, and we have to be patient.
Just as the members of the Muslim community sadly, have to get used to being stopped at airports more than anyone else – a process that is humiliating, degrading, embarrassing, just ask anyone who has had the misfortune to go through it, repeatedly, each time they travel.
But, we have to get used to it. We have to get used to getting suspicious looks on the buses, on the streets, in the shops. We have to get used to the far right leafleting door-to-door, stoking up hatred and suspicion of Muslims.
We have to get used to the "Muslims are the bad guys" plot lines of our favourite movies and of our own favourite TV shows.
It is the sad face of a new reality.
That does not mean to say we just sit idly by and let it all just happen. We must show our true nature, our true worth, as Muslims, as citizens of this country.
But, having spoken to many Muslims here in Bristol on this specific subject, there is also one more thing that both our Government and our security services need to be aware of. True, the security services can count on our total support. All we ask in return is honesty.
When a mistake is made, be open and honest. When a mistake is made, do not then congratulate each other on a job well done.
It is counterproductive. Do not then, to avoid embarrassment, target individuals that have not been charged with other unconnected charges.
As in this case, the students, released without charge will now be subject to deportation, even though they have done nothing wrong under the laws of this land. Doing such things is perceived as an abuse of power.
The security services are there to protect all of us. Muslims included.







14 Comments
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by sara, Bristol
Tuesday, May 05 2009, 1:09PM
“Ruddie ,
You really are ignorant beyond belief - so consumed with your hate ¿ I cant believe you have the audacity to put the kind of deluded ramblings you have to paper. I think either you need to go and get educated (and no The Sun is not an encyclopaedia) or you need to come off the opium you have obviously been buying in Afghanistan! The same opium that was virtually eradicated by the Taliban and that has been produced en masse since the USA decided to lend a helping hand!!
You obviously have severe difficulty differentiating between fact and fiction, you don¿t even know what deluded comments you are making, I quote:
¿The Taliban ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001 when they were ousted by the United States in response to 9/11, up to that point the US had no involvement in Afghanistan¿
Then you say:
¿the US helped the Mujahideen to fight the communists, these were the Russians¿
Uh ¿ which comment do you think is true Ruddie? Did the US really have no involvement in Afghanistan prior to 9/11 or Did the communists come after 9/11, in your parallel deluded universe? Or does it depend on which medication you are at that time??
Please go and get yourself some treatment, before you become even more twisted and consumed with hate ¿ you anti-Semitic!”
by Sara, Bristol
Tuesday, May 05 2009, 1:05PM
“Brendan, Pakistan did not create the Taliban - Please don¿t be so naïve - everything has a consequence and the Taliban were indirectly the creation of the USA, the consequence of a power vacuum and a lawless society that was created by the US use and abuse policies ¿ when they had finished their use they were abandoned. Everybody with half a brain knows and acknowledges that Taliban was the Monster created by the USA, Pakistan may have tried to control the monster but they didn¿t create it!”
by Ruddie, Doncaster
Monday, May 04 2009, 9:56PM
“Well Anon another comment from a poorly informed "reader", the US helped the Mujahideen to fight the communists, these were the Russians, in case you get a bit confused with all this information, along with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia they armed this Muslim country to rid them of the threat posed by the Soviets, after the withdrawal of the Soviets Afghanistan wasn't a major concern for the US as it had achieved what it set out to do, that was stop Russia from siezing control of Afghanistan, for Afghanistan to remain a free country they needed the help the US offered. The US had no involvement with creating the Taliban, the Taliban in their infinite stupidity decided to repay the US for their help by attacking them, that's logical thinking isn't it, without the weapons supplied by the US, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia they wouldn't have been able to mount any kind of defence against the Russians but as soon as the Russians left they attacked a country that helped them. When the US responded in like they are painted as the antagonists!!
But we've seen this kind of rationale before when Israel retaliated against the constant attacks by Palestine. You are a racist and anti-semetic to boot.”
by anon, Bris.
Saturday, May 02 2009, 3:29PM
“I don't want to sound like a supporter of the Taliban, because i'm not. But who put the Taliban in power? Oh yeh the American government and these barbarians were imposed upon the Afghani people by the USA you idiot. And the production of drugs increased by 700%
I am afraid it's people lke you and Proffessor Singh that have a problem with islam, not Islam that has the problem.
And Islam is NOT going to go away. I know this makes you sad.”
by Anon, Bristol
Saturday, May 02 2009, 1:55PM
“I am afraid professor Singh, it's not Islam that has a problem, it's you that has a problem with islam.”
by Ruddie, Doncaster
Thursday, April 30 2009, 5:37PM
“Sara, what books have you been reading? The Taliban ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001 when they were ousted by the United States in response to 9/11, up to that point the US had no involvement in Afghanistan, YOU get your facts right. The most prolific industry of the regime was the production of opium, whilst denying the women of Afghanistan their basic human rights and forcing Sharia law on the population they were smuggling drugs to the west, drugs that destroy lives and corrupt our children, that alone is good reason to exterminate these sick people.
After the Russians withdrew in 1989 the SOVIET backed government soon lost control and Kabul was captured by the combined forces of the Mujahideen, but like many Islamic countries they couldn't get on with each other and started a killing spree, Afghanistan was split and warlords ruled over the many different territories. The United Arab Emirates along with Pakistan withdrew support for the Taliban following the unprovoked attack on America. Along came Osama Bin Laden and his money and each warlord vied for his funding, not to protect their people but to enable them to retain power by force. The attack on America was an example of the lengths they would go to to be patted on the head by Bin Laden, July 7th was another.
We now have British born muslims going to Islamic extremist camps to learn how to kill us. If our security forces make a mistake in their endeavour to protect us from these murderers then so be it. However could somebody please let me know what mistakes were made. They have managed to deport so called students here on false papers.
As for Charles De Menezes, he was here illegally, if he had gone home when his visa had run out then he would still be alive. He made a mistake like the security forces, these things happen.”
by Brendan, Bedminster
Thursday, April 30 2009, 11:54AM
“Sara, you don't know much about Pakistan. The Taliban came into being a long time after the former Soviet Union left Afghanistan.”
by Sara, Bristol
Thursday, April 30 2009, 8:37AM
“Professor Singh, I¿m sorry to hear that you feel so threatened by ¿halal biscuits¿! I doubt very much you are being forced to eat halal products or indeed vegetarian or kosher products. And how you conclude that those halal busicuits are cruelty to animals is absolutely mind boggling. Prof Singh you clearly do not even know the basics ¿ such as what Halal is, so please do not even attempt to pass yourself off as some kind of expert on history, with misleading and utterly made up information.
Mr Siddique is absolutely correct we need some honesty and openness- why are all the comments here so against that? I see nothing wrong with accountability.
The muslim community is as much responsible for terrorism as is the rest of the population. If you recall Mr Bin Ladens comments after 9/11 - he said he holds the entire British and US population accountable for his actions because of our lack of political participation and for being complicit in allowing our governments to take us to wars with countries we quite frankly have no business being in. So all of us are responsible for the current world climate- stand up and recognise that.
And Brendan it was the US that created the Taliban to deal with Russia. No debate!
The security forces and police have made countless bumbles in their efforts at so called counter terrorism, and we are supposed to sit back and pat them on the back? I don¿t think so. When mistakes are made (inevitable) and wrongs are committed ¿ whatever the investigation- be it terrorism, be it Ian Tomlinson ¿ the security forces need to be held accountable.”
by Martin, Clifton
Tuesday, April 28 2009, 9:26PM
“If the police arrest you for one crime, and find that you have committed another, then they will prosecute you for the other crime. You seem to be asking for special treatment of musllims by asking the police not to investigate the other crimes.
If these men were here illegally, and this may have been what led the police to arrest them in the first place.
When the police perform anti-terrorism raids, we often hear from muslims about how it gives them a bad name, and makes their lives more difficult, but we almost never hear of muslims condemning atrocities commited in their names, or of muslims protesting for peace.
You mention the muslim communities in this country, well they are a large part of the problem. By regarding yourselves as part of a separate community rather than part of this country in general, you are creating a them and us culture which feeds extremism and creates distrust between the different groups.”
by Ruddie, Doncaster
Tuesday, April 28 2009, 6:51PM
“Professor Singh you are correct to highlight atrocities carried out in the name of Islam, especially in this instance where once again Mr Siddique represents the British muslim community as being targeted by our security forces, however if a series of bombs were planted in mainly muslim communities by an ante- muslim group I think he would call on the same security forces to leave no stone unturned to bring to a speedie arrest those responsible. The three muslims from Beeston in West Yorkshire were acquitted of plotting a terrorist attack BUT two of them admitted attending extremist training camps to kill our soldiers abroad, I call that a result, we will now remove them from our society, hopefully for a long time but still have to pay for their upkeep whilst they are housed in comfort in jail crying about their human rights. The very human rights denied to the victims of Al Qaeda and extremist bombers. I am hoping the Bristol Evening Post opens the column up to other communities, such as the Sikh, Hindu, Jew, Buddhist and Christian to get a more balanced view. I would like to hear the points of view from another community just to compare it to the hard done by life lead by the Bristol Muslim community, according to Farooq Siddique. For somebody who purports to have an open mind and tolerance he represents himself in this column very poorly indeed.”