Second Muslim leader Yaqub Zaki questions 9/11 and 7/7

[Keith Mothersson]

The following appeared in the Scotsman today (monday 22nd Aug): The language of Mr Zaki is angry and indiscriminate (what about the tea ladies in Number Ten?) but it is interesting that a second Muslim of standing has spoken out.

Outspoken religious leaders put community relations in Scotland under new pressure

COMMUNITY relations in Scotland faced new strains yesterday as a Muslim leader appeared to condone terrorist attacks and a senior member of the Church of Scotland suggested some British Muslims should leave the country.

Greenock-born Yaqub Zaki, deputy leader of the Muslim Parliament of Great Britain and a member of Glasgow central mosque, was quoted as saying that he would be quite happy if Muslims were to mount rocket or bomb attacks on No 10 Downing Street.

"I say go ahead, I would be very happy. The IRA did it. They had rockets that were ready to rain down on No 10," Mr Zaki was quoted as saying. "It would be a shame because it's a beautiful Georgian property.

"I wouldn't like to see it destroyed but as for its inmates, well, I don't care much for what happens to them."

Asked if he was saying that he would not be upset by a bombing of Prime Minister Tony Blair's office and residence, he said: "No, I wouldn't be upset, no. But I'm not calling for his execution."

I will write to him today, Keith

Mr Zaki also was quoted as saying that he did not believe Muslims were responsible for the London attacks or the 11 September 2001 attacks on the United States.

Instead, he said, it was possible that the London attacks were carried out with the collusion of the security services in order to demonise Muslims.

Meanwhile, the Rev David Lacy, Moderator of the Church of Scotland, used a separate interview to issue a strong message to a small number of Muslim preachers he said were encouraging hatred and terrorism.

"They have been welcomed as brothers and have treated us as enemies. It is hypocrisy - they should leave," the Rev Lacy told Scotland on Sunday.

"If we are their enemies they should have nothing to do with us, but they don't. They speak out against us from within and get heart operations and care on our system. And we are happy to do that for them, to give them rights and care, but we expect them to love us in return and accept our right to be who we are."

The government has announced plans for legislation to outlaw the encouragement of terrorism, and has identified up to ten preachers for expulsion, though all are appealing to the courts to block any move to remove them from Britain.

[Keith Mothersson]

Have just phened the Muslim Parliament who tell me that Mr Zaki was in the Sunday Times on Sunday (from which the Scotsman had summarised doubtless).
Anyway, reading the whole piece it seems my good news story of a second Muslim leader swpeaking out about 9-11 and probably 7-7 turns out to be a abad news story, because Mr Zaki didn't just indulge in a fantasy about a mortar attack on Downing St, but also announced his determination to defy Blair's law on glorifying violence. If he wants to praise a Palestinian who blows 'himself' (sic) up on a bus in Israel then he'll not be deterred by Blair's laws.
If the man is genuine then he is blinded by anger and hatred, alas.
If he isn't genuine it wouldn't be the first time that the State gets its assets to discredit a cause by making extremist statements. It is obviously vital we have no truck at all with suicide murders of civilians.

Anyway, we will have to be careful how the 9-11 and 7-7 movements get bracketed by the media and state in the coming months.