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Islamist texts alert
Muslim researchers claim to have found extremist literature at an East Oxford mosque.
An Arabic text found at the Madina Mosque, in Stanley Road, entitled Correct Beliefs, suggested a lapsed Muslim could be rightfully killed or imprisoned.
The team working for London think-tank Policy Exchange also found a text that warned women might be tempted into prostitution if they listened to music.
Dr Denis MacEoin, author of a report called The Hijacking of British Islam, said two extremist texts published by the Saudi Ministry for Islamic Affairs were found at the Stanley Road mosque, off Iffley Road.
He said: "It's a worrying sign that extremist texts are being found in mosques. They could provide a bridge to terrorism."
Mohammed Khan, 66, the founder of the Madina Mosque, pictured, said he was "very concerned" to hear extremist literature had been found.
He added: "I will try to find out how it came to be there in the first place and, if necessary, I will get in touch with the police.
"Oxford is my home and my view is that Muslims and non-Muslims are one nation."
7:49pm Tuesday 30th October 2007
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CommentPosted by: Alan on 8:01pm Tue 30 Oct 07
Thats rich coming from you Mr Khan.
Thats rich coming from you Mr Khan.
Posted by: Oxford Crusader, Oxford on 10:37pm Tue 30 Oct 07
To undrstand the full significance of this, you should read the report on a national survey of British moques and what reseachers unearthed in today's London Times. It'll make your blood run cold.
Since 9/11 and 7/7, far from advocating integration, Muslims in Britain have been presenting ever more Islam in your face.
Will the British ever wake up?
To undrstand the full significance of this, you should read the report on a national survey of British moques and what reseachers unearthed in today's London Times. It'll make your blood run cold.
Since 9/11 and 7/7, far from advocating integration, Muslims in Britain have been presenting ever more Islam in your face.
Will the British ever wake up?
Posted by: Nik, Oxford on 7:22am Wed 31 Oct 07
When was the last time anyone could have an open day at a Mosque and see what goes on. There is no intergration, just seperation. The Mosque headquarters on the Marston Road is probably the most expensive building in oxford now, and one of the largest. i think it must be the head office - perhaps we all take a look in there - and see what is going on. You can see that place from the moon its so large. Money might have been better spent helping war torn people in other countries.
When was the last time anyone could have an open day at a Mosque and see what goes on. There is no intergration, just seperation. The Mosque headquarters on the Marston Road is probably the most expensive building in oxford now, and one of the largest. i think it must be the head office - perhaps we all take a look in there - and see what is going on. You can see that place from the moon its so large. Money might have been better spent helping war torn people in other countries.
Posted by: Brit Muslim, Oxford on 9:04am Wed 31 Oct 07
Some interesting comments there!!! As A British Muslim I have to disagree with the "Islam is a mediaeval, murderous religion that advocates force against non-believers" comment, you have to remember that its only a small minority of stupid idiots that are ruining the name of Islam.
Its like me saying "ALL" English people are football hooligans cos of all the trouble they cause. Thankfully I dont believe that, as I was born with a brain and I know that its only a small minority of English people that do that, LOL!!!
Some interesting comments there!!! As A British Muslim I have to disagree with the "Islam is a mediaeval, murderous religion that advocates force against non-believers" comment, you have to remember that its only a small minority of stupid idiots that are ruining the name of Islam.
Its like me saying "ALL" English people are football hooligans cos of all the trouble they cause. Thankfully I dont believe that, as I was born with a brain and I know that its only a small minority of English people that do that, LOL!!!
Posted by: Average Joe, Oxford on 10:06am Wed 31 Oct 07
[quote][bold]Brit Muslim[/bold] wrote:
Some interesting comments there!!! As A British Muslim I have to disagree with the "Islam is a mediaeval, murderous religion that advocates force against non-believers" comment, you have to remember that its only a small minority of stupid idiots that are ruining the name of Islam. Its like me saying "ALL" English people are football hooligans cos of all the trouble they cause. Thankfully I dont believe that, as I was born with a brain and I know that its only a small minority of English people that do that, LOL!!![/quote] i wonder what you say in the privacy of your own home?
Idiot.
Brit Muslim wrote:
Some interesting comments there!!! As A British Muslim I have to disagree with the "Islam is a mediaeval, murderous religion that advocates force against non-believers" comment, you have to remember that its only a small minority of stupid idiots that are ruining the name of Islam. Its like me saying "ALL" English people are football hooligans cos of all the trouble they cause. Thankfully I dont believe that, as I was born with a brain and I know that its only a small minority of English people that do that, LOL!!!
i wonder what you say in the privacy of your own home?
Idiot.
Posted by: dennis, oxford on 11:03am Wed 31 Oct 07
average joe etc.
i wonder what racist things you say in the privacy of your own home.
all the closet racists
are coming out.
did you feel the same way about catholicism when the IRA were doing their thing.
racist idiots[italic]italic[/italic]
average joe etc.
i wonder what racist things you say in the privacy of your own home.
all the closet racists
are coming out.
did you feel the same way about catholicism when the IRA were doing their thing.
racist idiots
Posted by: Average Joe, Oxford on 11:52am Wed 31 Oct 07
[quote][bold]dennis[/bold] wrote:
average joe etc. i wonder what racist things you say in the privacy of your own home. all the closet racists are coming out. did you feel the same way about catholicism when the IRA were doing their thing. racist idiots[italic]italic[/italic] [/quote] Thanks Dennis,im sure your family will be so proud of you when the day comes when you are forced to convert to Islam.
You are the racist,racist towards your own people who have tried to allow multiculturism to work and have had it spat back in their face.
You are a weak,spineless little man.
Im not a racist,im a realist.
dennis wrote:
average joe etc. i wonder what racist things you say in the privacy of your own home. all the closet racists are coming out. did you feel the same way about catholicism when the IRA were doing their thing. racist idiots
Thanks Dennis,im sure your family will be so proud of you when the day comes when you are forced to convert to Islam.
You are the racist,racist towards your own people who have tried to allow multiculturism to work and have had it spat back in their face.
You are a weak,spineless little man.
Im not a racist,im a realist.
Posted by: dennis, oxford on 12:09pm Wed 31 Oct 07
average joe
grow up.
or better still
why don,t you and the other heroes on here enlist,show us how much spine you,ve got.
you,re pathetic.
people like you breed hate ,but you,re too stupid to realise that.
i,m sure you.re family are proud of the racist thug you are
average joe
grow up.
or better still
why don,t you and the other heroes on here enlist,show us how much spine you,ve got.
you,re pathetic.
people like you breed hate ,but you,re too stupid to realise that.
i,m sure you.re family are proud of the racist thug you are
Posted by: Brit Muslim, Oxford on 12:19pm Wed 31 Oct 07
Average Joe - You are more than welcome to my house to find out what I say at home. You maybe suprised that I do not sit at home all day thinking "now how can I kill lots of people today" or "if i add this to that it will cause a bigger explosion".
Im not denying that there are extremists out there. But you cannot taint all muslims with the same brush. Just like I dont taint all English people as football holigans.
You can all have your opinions about me, my religon and whatever else, but all Im trying to portray to you all is that we are not all these spineless extremists that do not value another humans life.
A prime example of this is throughout my life (27yrs) I have raised £20,000+ for various charities, (like great olmond st hosp, cancer research, children in need, comic relif and many more), but does that make it to the front page of any daily papers, NO!!! WHY??? Because thats not going to shift newspapers thats why.
Brit Muslim, born and bred in Oxford and PROUD!!!
Average Joe - You are more than welcome to my house to find out what I say at home. You maybe suprised that I do not sit at home all day thinking "now how can I kill lots of people today" or "if i add this to that it will cause a bigger explosion".
Im not denying that there are extremists out there. But you cannot taint all muslims with the same brush. Just like I dont taint all English people as football holigans.
You can all have your opinions about me, my religon and whatever else, but all Im trying to portray to you all is that we are not all these spineless extremists that do not value another humans life.
A prime example of this is throughout my life (27yrs) I have raised £20,000+ for various charities, (like great olmond st hosp, cancer research, children in need, comic relif and many more), but does that make it to the front page of any daily papers, NO!!! WHY??? Because thats not going to shift newspapers thats why.
Brit Muslim, born and bred in Oxford and PROUD!!!
Posted by: dennis, oxford on 12:29pm Wed 31 Oct 07
brit muslim
ignore these racists,you can tell by there comments the level of intelligence you are dealing with.
these people are racists,always have been.
9/11 and 7/7 just gave them them the opportunity to air there views.
pathetic scumbags.
brit muslim
ignore these racists,you can tell by there comments the level of intelligence you are dealing with.
these people are racists,always have been.
9/11 and 7/7 just gave them them the opportunity to air there views.
pathetic scumbags.
Posted by: mike, oxford on 12:56pm Wed 31 Oct 07
oh dear oh dear oh dear ! its moments like this I am so glad I became an atheist. when will the human race wake up and get rid of all religions and finally come down out of the trees? so sad.
oh dear oh dear oh dear ! its moments like this I am so glad I became an atheist. when will the human race wake up and get rid of all religions and finally come down out of the trees? so sad.
Posted by: James, Wolvercote on 1:37pm Wed 31 Oct 07
Let's face it every race and religion have people that give them a bad image. The English are spoken about with disdain eve now in some quarters of South America because of the enslaving of black people and then demanding that they leave their country.Itook so much stick when I wentout ther , they think we are pure evi and don't realise it was down to our ancestors.
Let's face it every race and religion have people that give them a bad image. The English are spoken about with disdain eve now in some quarters of South America because of the enslaving of black people and then demanding that they leave their country.Itook so much stick when I wentout ther , they think we are pure evi and don't realise it was down to our ancestors.
Posted by: C on 2:01pm Wed 31 Oct 07
[quote][bold]mike[/bold] wrote:
oh dear oh dear oh dear ! its moments like this I am so glad I became an atheist. when will the human race wake up and get rid of all religions and finally come down out of the trees? so sad.[/quote] It's comments like this that show that atheists are no better than anyone else, no matter what they might like to think.
mike wrote:
oh dear oh dear oh dear ! its moments like this I am so glad I became an atheist. when will the human race wake up and get rid of all religions and finally come down out of the trees? so sad.
It's comments like this that show that atheists are no better than anyone else, no matter what they might like to think.
Posted by: Brit Muslim, Oxford on 2:41pm Wed 31 Oct 07
Average Joe - You seem quite set in your way, so whatever is said your opinions are not going to change. Let me give you an example though, Tony Blair and George Bush said it was for religous reasons they attacked Iraq, (both Christians) now does this mean I should hate all Christians. NO!!! Do you see where Im going with this, you cannot judge every muslim because of a handful of IDIOTS!!!
James summed it up best when he said "Let's face it every race and religion have people that give them a bad image".
Average Joe - You seem quite set in your way, so whatever is said your opinions are not going to change. Let me give you an example though, Tony Blair and George Bush said it was for religous reasons they attacked Iraq, (both Christians) now does this mean I should hate all Christians. NO!!! Do you see where Im going with this, you cannot judge every muslim because of a handful of IDIOTS!!!
James summed it up best when he said "Let's face it every race and religion have people that give them a bad image".
Posted by: Oxford Crusader, Oxford on 3:10pm Wed 31 Oct 07
There's always a purported British convert to Islam who pops up to make it appear an even exchange of views exists. I'm no Christian by a long shot, but those who convert to Islam ar thankfully an infinitesimally small number, whose reasons like most converts consists of inadequacy of one sort or another, should really no longer regard themselves as British - to refer to oneself as a British Muslim is a glaring contradiction. Islam is a universal and totally comprehensive way of life that seeks to convert/conquer all humanity, and nationality means little to it.
In a completely democratic spirit may I suggest Brit Muslim reads yesterday's article (all of it!) on the Civitas Website about the Saudis , which includes extracts from a TV interview with a Jew-hating three year old Muslim girl!
And, incidentally, what in the name of Buddha is LOL? I hope it's not lots of lashes for disobeying Sharia Law.
There's always a purported British convert to Islam who pops up to make it appear an even exchange of views exists. I'm no Christian by a long shot, but those who convert to Islam ar thankfully an infinitesimally small number, whose reasons like most converts consists of inadequacy of one sort or another, should really no longer regard themselves as British - to refer to oneself as a British Muslim is a glaring contradiction. Islam is a universal and totally comprehensive way of life that seeks to convert/conquer all humanity, and nationality means little to it.
In a completely democratic spirit may I suggest Brit Muslim reads yesterday's article (all of it!) on the Civitas Website about the Saudis , which includes extracts from a TV interview with a Jew-hating three year old Muslim girl!
And, incidentally, what in the name of Buddha is LOL? I hope it's not lots of lashes for disobeying Sharia Law.
Posted by: Blakey, Banbury on 3:25pm Wed 31 Oct 07
Well I'm not a believer of any relgion, i do believe all religons were 'invented' to control the masses (and to line the coffers of power). How much is the pope worth?? every body seems to forgotten the crusades from yesteryear were the catholic faith was forced upon others throughout europe in the most violent of ways..... But, bush & blair did not go to war with iraq because of religion, it was because of repression. we all can see now why saddam ruled the way he did. who ever wrote these storys of fantasy & farce (by that i mean the bible & the koran)did it for power & control. the joke that was the protests after that prophet was drawn as cartoon, to see the muslim faith dress up there babies as bombers says all we need to know about there faith, can anyone think of an example of another follower of a faith pulling such a stunt? & they say its a peace loving faith!! and doesnt blowing yourself up for 72 virgins seem a little far fetched?!? i could go on most of the day but i wont. I do wanna say that out of all religons on this plant its the muslims that need to pull themselves to one side and have chat, because until they can live with each other they will always be frowned upon around the world. let alone intergrate in our country peacefuly. [italic]no one has a right on this planet to say how everybody else should live.[/italic]
Well I'm not a believer of any relgion, i do believe all religons were 'invented' to control the masses (and to line the coffers of power). How much is the pope worth?? every body seems to forgotten the crusades from yesteryear were the catholic faith was forced upon others throughout europe in the most violent of ways..... But, bush & blair did not go to war with iraq because of religion, it was because of repression. we all can see now why saddam ruled the way he did. who ever wrote these storys of fantasy & farce (by that i mean the bible & the koran)did it for power & control. the joke that was the protests after that prophet was drawn as cartoon, to see the muslim faith dress up there babies as bombers says all we need to know about there faith, can anyone think of an example of another follower of a faith pulling such a stunt? & they say its a peace loving faith!! and doesnt blowing yourself up for 72 virgins seem a little far fetched?!? i could go on most of the day but i wont. I do wanna say that out of all religons on this plant its the muslims that need to pull themselves to one side and have chat, because until they can live with each other they will always be frowned upon around the world. let alone intergrate in our country peacefuly.
no one has a right on this planet to say how everybody else should live. Posted by: Brit Muslim, Oxford on 6:36pm Wed 31 Oct 07
Blakey - Im not gonna say anything other than read this:(http://news.bb
c.co.uk/1/hi/uk_poli
tics/4772142.stm).
Therefore according to some of you on here that means all Christians are ALL KILLERS!!!
Can anyone else see the stupidity yet???
Blakey - Im not gonna say anything other than read this:(http://news.bb
c.co.uk/1/hi/uk_poli
tics/4772142.stm).
Therefore according to some of you on here that means all Christians are ALL KILLERS!!!
Can anyone else see the stupidity yet???
Posted by: David, London on 7:11pm Wed 31 Oct 07
It is so odd that the Crusades are consistenly referred to as an example of Christian violence against non-Christians. Surely it's a little obtuse to disregard that the Crusaders were recovering land seized from them after 400 years of Muslim conquest?
It is so odd that the Crusades are consistenly referred to as an example of Christian violence against non-Christians. Surely it's a little obtuse to disregard that the Crusaders were recovering land seized from them after 400 years of Muslim conquest?
Posted by: Mary, Oxford on 10:25pm Wed 31 Oct 07
Firstly, Brit Muslim, I would like to offer you my support. As a Brit Catholic, history put my community in exactly the position that all British Muslims face today - namely of all being tarred with the same brush as terrorists/extremist
s through the actions of a minority. One day British Muslims too will be just another part of society.... (I won't get started on anti-Catholic prejudice..)
Secondly, why don't we all stop squabbling and work out how we are all together going to build a truly respectful and tolerant society, free from extremists. We should be proud of the fact that Britain has a world-wide reputation for tolerance and fairness.
Firstly, Brit Muslim, I would like to offer you my support. As a Brit Catholic, history put my community in exactly the position that all British Muslims face today - namely of all being tarred with the same brush as terrorists/extremist
s through the actions of a minority. One day British Muslims too will be just another part of society.... (I won't get started on anti-Catholic prejudice..)
Secondly, why don't we all stop squabbling and work out how we are all together going to build a truly respectful and tolerant society, free from extremists. We should be proud of the fact that Britain has a world-wide reputation for tolerance and fairness.
Posted by: Brit Muslim, Oxford on 9:17am Thu 1 Nov 07
Thank you Mary!!! Im glad not everyone has been brainwashed by the media.
If you have 1,000,000 muslims that do good and 1 that does bad. You will only hear about the 1 muslims that has done bad.
Thank you Mary!!! Im glad not everyone has been brainwashed by the media.
If you have 1,000,000 muslims that do good and 1 that does bad. You will only hear about the 1 muslims that has done bad.
Posted by: Hunt, oxford on 9:24am Fri 2 Nov 07
after reading all the comments..... quite frankly ppl are being racist,
about mosques not opening up...ive been to open days at central oxford mosque , manzil way, didn't see or hear anything anti any one !!!!!!
but i can see some ppl need to get out more
after reading all the comments..... quite frankly ppl are being racist,
about mosques not opening up...ive been to open days at central oxford mosque , manzil way, didn't see or hear anything anti any one !!!!!!
but i can see some ppl need to get out more
Posted by: christine, oxford on 11:52pm Mon 5 Nov 07
How scary! I would like to be able to say that I'm shocked at the racist outpourings before me. But while they are shocking, I'm not shocked. As my name suggests, I am a Christian but I don't believe that Islam is a faith which advocates hate or violence. This messageboard is proof that you only have to scratch the surface to find the racism underneath in Oxfordshire. Doesn't anybody else know what atrocities Christianity is responsible for in the world? I was raised 'Church of England' but I never forget that this church only exists because Henry VIII wanted a divorce. Islam accepts Jesus as a beloved prophet. If you want to begin to understand why some young Muslims in Britain feel alienated, just look in the mirror. However hard they try to integrate, they'll never be allowed. You reflect perfectly and accurately the hysteria that surrounds anything to do with Islam in this country. Keep on buying The Sun and The Mail though guys.
How scary! I would like to be able to say that I'm shocked at the racist outpourings before me. But while they are shocking, I'm not shocked. As my name suggests, I am a Christian but I don't believe that Islam is a faith which advocates hate or violence. This messageboard is proof that you only have to scratch the surface to find the racism underneath in Oxfordshire. Doesn't anybody else know what atrocities Christianity is responsible for in the world? I was raised 'Church of England' but I never forget that this church only exists because Henry VIII wanted a divorce. Islam accepts Jesus as a beloved prophet. If you want to begin to understand why some young Muslims in Britain feel alienated, just look in the mirror. However hard they try to integrate, they'll never be allowed. You reflect perfectly and accurately the hysteria that surrounds anything to do with Islam in this country. Keep on buying The Sun and The Mail though guys.
Posted by: Louise, Oxford on 10:24am Tue 6 Nov 07
What has going to muslim countries got to do with justification for bigotry? How many thousends of british tourists holiday in Turkey each year? with blatent diregard for the majority of the populations relgious views by sunbathing topless on the beach, getting wasted each night etc etc. Yes there are countries like somalia, iran and yeman where sharia law is active, these countries in proportion to the islamic religion are a minority! Texts to this nature are found in christianity all the time - women can't listen to music, how about men cannot take their shirts off in public - church of the latter day saints, you must die than refuse a blood transfusion - jehova witnesses but because a minority of their relgions havent been involved in bombings no one mentions it.
What has going to muslim countries got to do with justification for bigotry? How many thousends of british tourists holiday in Turkey each year? with blatent diregard for the majority of the populations relgious views by sunbathing topless on the beach, getting wasted each night etc etc. Yes there are countries like somalia, iran and yeman where sharia law is active, these countries in proportion to the islamic religion are a minority! Texts to this nature are found in christianity all the time - women can't listen to music, how about men cannot take their shirts off in public - church of the latter day saints, you must die than refuse a blood transfusion - jehova witnesses but because a minority of their relgions havent been involved in bombings no one mentions it.
Posted by: Michael, Oxford on 12:54pm Thu 13 Dec 07
[bold]It appears that this was fabricated, seems to me apologies are in order.[/bold]
Evidence of extremism in mosques 'fabricated'
http://www.guardian.
co.uk/print/0,,33154
3285-103602,00.html
Martin Hodgson
Thursday December 13, 2007
Guardian
A rightwing thinktank which claimed to have uncovered extremist literature on sale at dozens of British mosques was last night accused of basing a report on fabricated evidence.
The report by Policy Exchange alleged that books condoning violent jihad and encouraging hatred of Christians, Jews and gays were being sold in a quarter of the 100 mosques visited.
But BBC2's Newsnight said examination of receipts provided by the researchers to verify their purchases showed some had been written by the same person - even though they purported to come from different mosques.
Several receipts also misspelled the names or addresses of the mosques where the books were supposedly sold.
The report, the Hijacking of British Islam, was based on the work of four teams of two researchers each who visited 100 mosques. They claimed to have found the controversial material in bookshops attached to 25 mosques, including one at Regent's Park, London, and others in Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Oxford and High Wycombe.
Published on the eve of a state visit by Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah, the report prompted front page news stories. Tory leader David Cameron pledged to raise the revelations with King Abdullah, because much of the literature was said to have been sourced from Saudi Arabia.
According to the report, one book, which said that there can be "no brotherhood" between Muslims and non-Muslims, was bought at the Leyton mosque in east London.
But the address on a receipt provided by the researchers was found to be that of an unrelated bookshop next door.
A spokesman for the mosque, Dr Usama Hasan, said: "It has nothing to do with us. It is totally inaccurate and misleading information. It is completely false. In fact, we are considering taking legal action over this because it has the potential to damage the good name of our mosque."
Inayat Bunglawala, assistant secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, said: "Policy Exchange produced a report that was given a lot of publicity, and Newsnight deserve credit for exposing the incredibly shoddy and dubious methodology that Policy Exchange have resorted to. It would seem that Policy Exchange had already decided what they wanted to say about mosques and just went out to find or should I say invent the evidence to justify their prejudices."
Policy Exchange's research director, Dean Godson, insisted it stood by the report "100%". He said the thinktank had checked its evidence thoroughly and the allegations did not challenge the substance of the study - that such extremist literature was being widely sold.
"We are standing by our report and the Muslim researchers that helped compile it," he added.
The researchers were unavailable for comment because they were all on a religious retreat in Mauritania, Policy Exchange told Newsnight.
Watch video of yesterday's Newsnight programme here http://news.bbc.co.u
k/player/nol/newsid_
4670000/newsid_46799
00/4679986.stm?bw=bb
&mp=wm&news=1&bbcws=
1
For Osama Saeed's comments, see Rolled Up Trousers, 12 December 2007 http://www.osamasaee
d.org/osama/2007/12/
newsnight-rips.html
The Newsnight investigation concentrated on mosques in and around London but, as Osama points out, questions about the credibility of the Hijacking of British Islam report were raised at the time by the Edinburgh Central Mosque – where nobody had come across the literature that Policy Exchange claimed to have discovered on their premises.
Islamophobia Watch http://www.islamopho
bia-watch.com/islamo
phobia-watch/2007/12
/13/evidence-of-extr
emism-in-mosques-fab
ricated.html
It appears that this was fabricated, seems to me apologies are in order.
Evidence of extremism in mosques 'fabricated'
http://www.guardian.
co.uk/print/0,,33154
3285-103602,00.html
Martin Hodgson
Thursday December 13, 2007
Guardian
A rightwing thinktank which claimed to have uncovered extremist literature on sale at dozens of British mosques was last night accused of basing a report on fabricated evidence.
The report by Policy Exchange alleged that books condoning violent jihad and encouraging hatred of Christians, Jews and gays were being sold in a quarter of the 100 mosques visited.
But BBC2's Newsnight said examination of receipts provided by the researchers to verify their purchases showed some had been written by the same person - even though they purported to come from different mosques.
Several receipts also misspelled the names or addresses of the mosques where the books were supposedly sold.
The report, the Hijacking of British Islam, was based on the work of four teams of two researchers each who visited 100 mosques. They claimed to have found the controversial material in bookshops attached to 25 mosques, including one at Regent's Park, London, and others in Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Oxford and High Wycombe.
Published on the eve of a state visit by Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah, the report prompted front page news stories. Tory leader David Cameron pledged to raise the revelations with King Abdullah, because much of the literature was said to have been sourced from Saudi Arabia.
According to the report, one book, which said that there can be "no brotherhood" between Muslims and non-Muslims, was bought at the Leyton mosque in east London.
But the address on a receipt provided by the researchers was found to be that of an unrelated bookshop next door.
A spokesman for the mosque, Dr Usama Hasan, said: "It has nothing to do with us. It is totally inaccurate and misleading information. It is completely false. In fact, we are considering taking legal action over this because it has the potential to damage the good name of our mosque."
Inayat Bunglawala, assistant secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, said: "Policy Exchange produced a report that was given a lot of publicity, and Newsnight deserve credit for exposing the incredibly shoddy and dubious methodology that Policy Exchange have resorted to. It would seem that Policy Exchange had already decided what they wanted to say about mosques and just went out to find or should I say invent the evidence to justify their prejudices."
Policy Exchange's research director, Dean Godson, insisted it stood by the report "100%". He said the thinktank had checked its evidence thoroughly and the allegations did not challenge the substance of the study - that such extremist literature was being widely sold.
"We are standing by our report and the Muslim researchers that helped compile it," he added.
The researchers were unavailable for comment because they were all on a religious retreat in Mauritania, Policy Exchange told Newsnight.
Watch video of yesterday's Newsnight programme here http://news.bbc.co.u
k/player/nol/newsid_
4670000/newsid_46799
00/4679986.stm?bw=bb
&mp=wm&news=1&bbcws=
1
For Osama Saeed's comments, see Rolled Up Trousers, 12 December 2007 http://www.osamasaee
d.org/osama/2007/12/
newsnight-rips.html
The Newsnight investigation concentrated on mosques in and around London but, as Osama points out, questions about the credibility of the Hijacking of British Islam report were raised at the time by the Edinburgh Central Mosque – where nobody had come across the literature that Policy Exchange claimed to have discovered on their premises.
Islamophobia Watch http://www.islamopho
bia-watch.com/islamo
phobia-watch/2007/12
/13/evidence-of-extr
emism-in-mosques-fab
ricated.html
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