The Radical Middle Way, a government-funded organisation set up to counter radical Islamic teachings in the UK, recently held two events in Birmingham (15/01/08) and London (17/01/08). The views expressed by some of the speakers on the topic 'Why Europe needs Islam', arguably call the aims and methods of the organisation into question. Mustafa Ceric, the grand mufti of Bosnia-Herzegovina, told the audience in Birmingham, pre-dominantly made up of young Muslims, that living under the Islamic caliphate was "one of the "principles of Islam". He said:
"If, as Sheikh Qaradawi says, Islam is Aqidi, Shariah and Khalifah or Imamate, then we are missing one of the principles of Islam because we do not have global leadership."
Among those who also spoke were Fuad Nahdi, the editor of Q-News and director of the Radical Middle Way, who told the audience that the aim of the Radical Middle Way "is to try and make Islam exciting; to make it adventurous" and Mashuq Ally, head of Equalities and Diversity at Birmingham City Council, who told listeners that Muslims would soon become a majority in Birmingham. He said:
"In this masjid, what we have here are the future imams, the future leaders not only of the Muslim community but of this city."
The entire event in Birmingham was recorded by researchers from the CSC. Senior Research Fellow James Brandon appeared on Newsnight on Thursday 17th January commenting on The Radical Middle Way's decision to invite Kamal Helbawy to the events and suggested that the group's choice of speakers risked betraying its founding principles.
Kemal Helbawy is the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood in the UK, based at the Islamic Foundation in Leicester.
This is hardly 'the middle way' though it is certainly radical.
As long as a platform is given to Islamists whose aim is political - global Islamic domination - the aim of social cohesion is not going to be met, as, quite clearly, the majority of us are not going to embrace Islam, let alone submit to the likes of Kemal Helbawy!
These people are a danger to social cohesion, far more dangerous than the pathetic attempts of suicidal maniacs to panic us into embracing Islam.
devorgilla, maybe you should focus your energy on Christian extremism, as opposed to filling your soul with hatred against Islam and Muslims. Those maniacs are suicidal because you - Christians - have been killing and humiliating Muslims for the last 60 years with creation of genocidal state of Israel and with hatred towards anything Muslim. Take a look what your hatred-filled Biblical ideology has done to Palestinians? Now you call Palestinians terrorists, just because they kill Israeli soldiers? And you never seem to criticize Israelis for killing Palestinian children. Are Muslims lives worthless for you? Of course they are.
Please hate us more; let hatred eat you inside.
One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.