Readers may remember that back in April, counter terrorism officers arrested 12 students in the North West of England as part of Operation Pathway.  The government has now released an update about the arrests and subsequent detentions, which have caused much consternation among some British Muslims, who (in some cases justifiably) saw the arrests as another example of the increased suspicion and victimisation of Muslims in the UK.

This is a guest post by CSC Research Intern Thomas Bumstead

Polls like prophecies tend to be self-fulfilling. They also share a dangerous sense of certainty about the claims that they make- of all people priests and pollsters are perhaps the only ones who believe their analysis to be infallible. Unlike other mediums there is no mechanism for the sceptic to challenge the diktats which they bring forth; he or she is forced to merely regard them somewhat suspiciously and see how things turn out. This impoverishing effect upon the discussion can be seen acutely in an Observer article by Jason Burke and Ian Traynor entitled 'Fears of an Islamic revolt in Europe begin to fade' which uses as its springboard the recent Gallup Coexist Index 2009- a poll which aims to explore 'attitudes and perceptions among Muslims and the general public ... about issues of coexistence, integration, values, identity, and radicalization' (p. 10) with a special section on France, Germany and the UK.

The Muslim Association of Britain, a Muslim Brotherhood front-group, has warned a Nottting Hill art gallery to expect "a strong reaction from Muslims" for exhibiting painting which appears to show a Muslim woman cradling a pig.

Mokhtar Badri, MAB's vice-president told The Telegraph: “Although we condemn violence, Muslims have a right to express their disgust at this work” adding that the artist "clearly wants to provoke a strong reaction from Muslims and that is what she will get.”

The government's new Young Muslim Advisory Group (YMAG), launched yesterday by the Home Office as a way to "help deepen its engagement with young Muslims," has been criticised by a conservative Peer as divisive and ill-judged.

The group of twenty two young Muslims aged 16-25 - chosen for their commitment to community work - will have direct access to senior cabinet ministers and discuss issues affecting their day to day lives including tackling discrimination, increasing employment levels, preventing extremism and boosting civic participation.

The head of Blackburn's only state girls' Muslim school pledged his support for an oath of allegiance to be introduced in British schools.

Head of Tauheedul Islamic Girls High School, Mufti Hamid Patel, agrees with former attorney general Lord Goldsmith that encouraging school-leavers to swear an oath of allegiance to Queen and country would give teenagers a sense of belonging.

Reaction in Pakistan and Iran to the knighting of Salman Rushdie has not been celebratory.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Mohammad Ali Hosseini has said: ‘Honouring and commending an apostate and hated figure will definitely put the British officials [in a position] of confrontation with Islamic societies.’

A poll by the respected Pew Research Center has caused concern in America with its finding that one in four young American Muslims consider suicide bombing sometimes acceptable.

But to us here in Great Britain, one figure ignored in the States stands out even more.