SNOW-MLESS

More from Mr. Snow and his pre C4-news outlets:

Homelessness on the rise?
========================

Are the homeless homeless? Or is it all one big scam? Conflicting views
as Christmas approaches and new official figures show an increase in
the number of homeless families.

Dashed out at lunchtime to sing a carol on Euston station for a
homeless project I'm involved with. The young homeless there appeared to be
homeless but then what is homelessness?

Tell you one thing, attitudes on Euston station were interesting. The
better heeled tended not to drop anything into the bucket, the less
well-dressed gave more often.

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Z.M.C. REPLY:

This is the reply I got from my friend who works at www.shootingpeople.org. on whether channel 4 is a "Zionist Media Conspiracy" or not


hey fella, nice to hear from you, sorry to hear about your schtuck.

oh jesus christ, tell the boys to grow up. yes there are lots of
powerful jewish people in the world. to then think they all sit around
in smoky dark rooms deciding how to lie to people through commercial tv
is kinda crazy.

there is certainly an anti muslim agenda of many broadcasters / news
outlets, but that's as much christian as jewish. as much anti-terrorist
and ignorant as anything

c4 is probably the most pro-muslim big broadcaster in the uk.

but what's their fear? you make the film, c4 either show it or they
don't - conspiracy or not, it's not like they can turn a pro muslim
film into a work of anti muslim properganda. shurely?



Funny enough thats EXACTLY what they are suggesting and EXACTLY what has held up a realistic depiction of events at Finsbury Park getting on TV for over a year now- As far as I know.

BLUNKETT

That was a suprise! Blunkett, great enemy of bnp "extremists" and muslim "extremists" is gone.

HA! HA! HAW! HAW! HAW!

IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE

14 December 2004

PARLIAMENT SQUARE PEACE CAMPAIGNER WINS AGAIN IN COURT

Brian Haw, the Parliament Square peace protester, who has spent over
three and a half years in a continuous anti-war protest vigil opposite
the Houses of Parliament (1), had a charge of assault against him
dismissed today at Bow Street Magistrates Court. The police claimed
that Mr Haw had attempted to assault an officer yet they failed to
produce any evidence and gave conflicting accounts; the judge was not
satisfied that any attempt at assault had been made by Mr Haw. A
further
charge of 'failing to leave a cordoned area' was upheld against Mr Haw.

Mr Haw was arrested and his extensive protest display removed in a
sudden midnight police operation on 10 May 2004. The police claimed
there was a security threat in the area and said that a security cordon
had been imposed. When Mr Haw refused to move he was arrested.

THE ZIONIST MEDIA CONSPIRACY

Although I knew that the good people of Finsbury Park Mosque believed in a Zionist media conspiracy, lstening to Jamal's CD's and tapes has given me a new perspective of how they, and others I know in the "underground media" relate to the "mainstream media."

This was brought home to me last night when I suggested approaching BBC London to activists at a nearby squatted church I have commented on before. I was told that they would only agree to do stuff which they edit and present themselves and they had many approaches which they had already turned down.

I mentioned what Christine had done about us on BBC London and suggested that they were squandering a great opportunity for the issue of positive use of empty buildings to be up again on mainstream TV.

My main purpose of this blog is to report what I can tell from street level in Finsbury Park which all the other journalists missed out by coming with accusations and dissapearing. I am really, really proud of what I have.

I do not hate or fear the mainstream or underground media. Rather than complaining about it or shunning it I would prefer to try and get stuff up on it that I like. I don't care if I get turned down, its been fun trying.

As for things I don't know for certain, I am honest about them. When people ask me what I believe in, I usually say that I don't believe in belief. As far as I can tell there either IS a God, or there isn't. In the same way there either IS a Zionist media conspiracy or there isn't.

I have told Hajj and Jamal that my job is to report their views, and my honest impressions acurately. I still believe that this is the most important story in my country. If TV would not accept what I have, I don't mind but I believe the public should know ALL this.

I heard from Patrick at Idealworld that the commisioner of Independent film and video said this story was "What channel 4 was all about." I agree with this.

I get the impression that althought the Finsbury Park Muslims believe that Channel 4 is part of a tightly controlled "Zionist media conspiracy" the I.F.V. commisioner does not. A friend of mine has worked with her so I am gong to make enquirys.

I think that channel 4 would be proud to have this documentary,and include all the accusations of "Zionist media conspiracy" in uneditted form.

It interests me that both the Muslims and the squatters are quite possibly squandering possibilities for the truth to come out because of their beliefs about strangers.

Of course it could be me that is wrong. I don't mind, I loved making my last film, which I have not made anything out of, I love doing this one though it is considerably harder.

A Zionist media conspiracy? I'd have to start interviewing a lot of people outside Finsbury Park to do that one properly.

LEPROSY?

My Islamists treating me like I have leprosy comment was way off too looking back. Finsbury Park's Muslim community treats me exactly the same as most people in London do. If the worlds media hadn't been consistently up here looking for terrorists my story would be incredibly boring.

TURNING TO ALLAH

My documentary is up in the air, after I managed to upset the main character in it, Mr. Abdullah. I accused him of being

" An obstacle to the truth"

because I thought (incorrectly) that he was stopping me talking to Hajj and Jamal.When I spoke to him at the mosque I got that impression because I didn't see either of them.

I found out yesterday from Hajj that he wasn't actually at the mosque:

" It's a sad situation up there, with the trustee's and the commisioner's and the opening and closing times. A mosque should be open all the time, serving food and providing a place for people to sleep; If Mosques and Churches did their job properly there would be no need for social security."

In times like this I open the Koran at a random page and read the first thing that appears to me.

" It may be that Allah will ordain love between you and those of them with whom ye are at enmity. Allah is mighty and Allah is forgiving, merciful."

I hope Mr. Abdullah is.

Talking to Jamal and Hajj last night I realised the main problem which has been holding me back for a year.

" Channel 4 will not put this on TV because they, and the BBC and the worlds media are run by the yehud." said Jamal.

" Well if you don't let me make it they DEFINITELY wont be able to put it on." I replied.

As it is such a major issue I think that accusation should go in the opening, before the titles. I can't see why channel 4 would not put an accusation like that on TV. I think that from Abu Hamza's friends people would expect nothing less.

At this point I honestly don't care if this gets on TV or not. I just want to finish this to the best of my ability. The media picture of the Finsbury Park Islamists is this:

1. They are EVIL.

2. They HATE THE BRITISH PEOPLE.

3. They want to kill INNOCENT PEOPLE.

I think that making something which shows a different side of this story with what I have is like shooting at an open goal, and as far as I can tell it's not channel 4 who are taking the ball away. Sure, I can make this for small scale release, or for documentary festivals and have other intellectually superior documentary makers come up and pat me on the head saying

"Ha, ha didn't you do well with those Islamists for a first attempt?" before I stabbed them with a fork.

But if there was just one chance, I would prefer the people of my country to know the reality of what I have seen and whom I have come to know over the last two years.

ISLAMISTS ON DRUGS?

surfing through god fearin' republican blogs I found 2 slick which has claims reportedly from an American soldier that the Islamists they fought used speed, crack and heroin.

Of course these reports are not supported by the official military and 2 slick features an advert for an "ultra-realistic" wargame all these republican geeks can play along with at home- without getting into any trouble themselves of course.

ITS SNOW JOKE

Before the channel 4 news comes out, Jon Snow, or whoever is at the desk of channel 4 news write a quick report online. Todays shows a little bit of what soldiers go through before being sent to "fight for this country"

DEEP SHOCK OVER DEEPCUT
=======================

Deep shock over Deepcut barracks where four suicides by young soldiers
provoked a major police inquiry. Its report has been leaked and it is
unimaginably awful. Initiation rites that involved a young woman recruit
swimming across a septic tank full of excrement, hanging another
recruit upside down outside a window and gang-raping another. We are on the
case.

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HAVE I GOT LEPROSY?

Maybe being evicted again is making me a bit morbid. I'm sort of staring into an abyss at the moment at the thought that my documentary may never actually happen.
I thought I had a meeting with Mr.Abdullah and co on sunday, set in stone. All week I prepared for it, I didn't go to the mosque on friday because I didn't want to hassle them, I came home early on saturday night. Because I never phoned to confirm it was off again. My fault.

With everything skywards again, being evicted over and over, this doc has often been the only thing my life has focussed around. I've dedicated two years of my life to this because I believed that Mr. Abdullah and co were NOT the terrorists the press described them to be. I still hold that view.

You would have thought with all the adverse publicity around them that they would be pleased to find a non-muslim willing to take up their story. But its been dawning on me that a few people in the mosque treat me like I have leprosy. I can't for the life of me understand why.

If it wasn't for Hajj and Jamal and a couple of the Algerians I would walk away now.
Their spiritual leader, Mr.Hamza is in Belmarsh prison. They are being sold as terrorists by the media worldwide. If they are all innocent, a film depicting their views would have more influence with the British people than shouting through a megaphone in front of Big Ben (see PARLIAMENT SQUARE TERRORISED)

What do I have to do? If they didn't want to do this they could have told me a year ago and I could have been a qualified teacher by now.

I've kept as many fridays free as possible. What more can I do?

EMAIL TO ABU ABDULLAH

I am not sure exactly what i wrote to Abu Abdullah when he pulled out of our meeting this time but it went something like this.

I am sorry that our meeting has again not taken place and as you say it is my fault for not confirming. I'm afraid that I do not understand how you think that I would arrange a meeting with you and someone who has to come all the way from Oxford and not turn up. What on earth do you think I have been doing for the last year and a half? If you didn't want to do this you could have told me over a year ago and I might be a qualified teacher, or in Africa by now.

Another thing I do not understand is the fact that you are shy about cooperating with me yet you have totally cooperated with BBC and ITV news every time they come to Finsbury park when you know that all they will put on the TV is close up of your masked friends and anything you say which may be construed as threatening. If you worked for MI5 yourself you couldn't have engineered things better.

As I have said, if I was going to stitch you up with my footage I'd have done it by now, instead I am being evicted over and over again, I have no idea where I will be living at Christmas. I live below the poverty line. What do you want me to do?

FUCKING SHEEP! BAA! BAA!

Because Mr. Abdulah has never told me

“Definitely no. Go away you stinking infidel bastard.”

I have had to keep on this one. His best mate is the most famous Islamic hate figure in the country. There has to be a fair chance that people will be interested in this around the world when his trial eventually starts so my window must still be open.

Whenever the idea of TV looms he quite understandably freaks out a bit because he does not believe for a minute that the “Evil Zionist media” would allow his views to be presented on TV without some evil person re editing it to make him look like a threat to British society. I don't know. He has never said anything to me I couldn't concievably see on TV.

This has recently become frustrating to the point where I have raised my voice, though I feel totally stupid doing so. What am I going to say?

“ I am making a documentary on you whether you like it or not and you will all co operate?”

On Friday we had an excellent chat. I was trying to get another younger Muslim there who used to be a big fan of Rage against the Machine to write something for Socialist Wanker

Mr. Abdullah had found out and thought I was going behind his back. Apparently Islamic law is such that when a leader is chosen by a committee everyone has to do what that person says. He objected to something Islamic being on my website because there is swearing on it. He is in a strange position he cannot have forseen, in that the only serious attempt to get to the truth of what has been happening in Finsbury Park is on a website covered with swearing, squatting and blatant drug use.

I want Jamal to stick up what he likes on my site and I’m looking for a Republican to do the same. Though I have serious misgivings about Islam, I definitely don’t about Jamal, who I would consider to be more of a friend nowadays.

At these points it is actually fun being me. If you had told me even two and a half years ago that I would be having such a conversation with Abu Hamza’s best pal I wouldn’t have believed it.

I had written a frantic email to Mr. Abdullah the previous night outlining the subjects I intended to cover in this obsessive documentary journey. At one point I stated that when he had said to me on camera:

“ You and the rest of the media who come here- you’re not exactly like those”

it was one of the best moments in my tiny cinematic career.

On Friday he asked me why I wasn’t like the rest of the media. Sitting in the doorway of Finsbury Park mosque, skint, in the only pair of shoes I own I only had one answer.

“ I don’t know. Why do you think? Because I’m not a sheep!” I shouted angrily.

We left on good terms and I think I’ve resurrected my chances a bit.

HEAVEN AND EARTH SHOW

I recently saw Nigel Wingrove on the BBC’s vaguely religious Heaven and Earth show. Because he had been the only person to ever successfully get his film banned under British blasphemy laws I set about trying to track him down for an article. I wrote to the Heaven and earth show and got this from the series producer:

Obviously, I can't just give out Nigel Wingrove's contact details, but you might find something of interest on the attached site.

http://salvfilm.valuehost.co.uk/search.php?DIRECTOR=Nigel+Wingrove

I wrote back asking if they wanted a sort of “mosque in the street” story for their vaguely religious show and got this back:

David - Thanks for you email. I don't think your footage would be quite right for us - but I'll pass this on to Liz - our development Exec who might be interested. I'll leave it to her to email you back if she thinks it could be useful for any of her slots.

Thanks.

I wasn’t surprised. Can you imagine all these cosy “Vaguely Buddhists” and “Vaguely Christians” and “Vaguely Middle class New Ageists” and “Vaguely Cliff Richard fans” sitting down to a cosy Sunday mornings viewing and then Mr.Abdullah comes on:

“ SODOMITES!!! PAEDOPHILES!!! RULING OUR SOCIETY!!! “

HAPPY DIWALI!

I went up to the Neasden Mandir for Diwali this year, for the third year in a row. I have been for the fireworks before but had never realised there were further celebrations the next day. These celebrations involved cueing for about and hour and a half to get into the actual temple. I was one of three white faces in a sea of middle class Indian people. Men and women were separated.

I am more at ease with Hinduism that Islam, though I have enjoyed filming with the guys in Finsbury Park. Hinduism is not a converting religion, and so people gave us the feeling that they were pleased that we were interested, happy to answer questions and proud of their temple rather than trying to convince us that their way was superior to anyone elses.

No one spoke to me at first, but after I broke the ice a bit we were soon laughing at the difference between Diwali here and in India where people are more likely to aim fireworks at each other and joyful pandemonium reigns.

I remember once coming out of the Parvati valley with friends who were moving charas over Diwali. They thought that during the festivities the Police were more likely to be caught up with other things.(When we got on the bus we found every other passenger was moving charas with the same idea.)

I was coming up on acid as we waited for the bus. Within minutes we had to run for cover as fireworks came at us from across the river. We managed to duck into a nearby shop and buy handfuls of rockets which we were soon lining up along the rocks and firing back. As dusk was falling we went back to the shop to reload twice. The shopkeeper was very happy. As we left, we waved goodbye to our opponents across the river. There had been no casualties though the roof of one of our opponents shops had briefly caught fire.

Hindu's are justly proud of Neasden Mandir. The interior is without doubt the most amazing structure in London. It was carved piece by piece in Mahabalapurum, the stone carving capital of South India in stone shipped from Bulgaria and Italy. I always have an amazing feeling of peacefulness take over when I am inside.

As there were so many people we were politely herded through and into a room where a guiness world record number of sweets had been accumulated. Someone gave a talk in Hindi and a candle was passed around. As we were herded out I went past a large door which a vision of beautiful Indian women were pouring out of in their best saris. Wow.

Happy Diwali!

London TV news isn't really so bad...

Michael Palin

This is well late, Things are going on behind the scenes in documentaryville which I can't surmise in words yet so meanwhile:

I am sad to see the end of Palin's journey through the Himalaya on TV this Sunday. A couple of weeks back I watched him do almost exactly the same trip I did in 1999. I cried when I saw the kallash tribe a few of whom I recognised.

He did the same English lesson in the same school that every westerner who visits does (hand,finger,leg,foot etc.)only when I did it, as soon as the teacher left the room they all started attacking each other really violently. The teacher came back in and hit one of them with a thin branch.

This saddened me, but when he left they ignored me and started hitting each other again. Amazing, almost ferral kids with thick hard dead skin on the front of their feet from long, cold winters sitting by the fire.

Muslims gave me such a hard time in Pakistan these guys were like an oasis to me. I remember meeting a few Pakistani, Afghan and British Taliban who were passing through the valley at the time. I wonder if the change in political climate has affected the Kallash. What a beautiful people.

entertaining fellow kaffirs in northern pakistan

Can you look more scary please? You are supposed to be terrorists.

Abdullah: I love Abu Hamza for the sake of God

Very scary muslims from Finsbury Park Mosque

GUANTANAMO

In all the excitement surrounding autonomous anarchists vs Socialist Wankers I forgot to mention the highlight of the whole ESF for me.
A guy called Mr.Gurdul recently released from Guantanamo bay spoke from behind a screen at a debate entitled Genoa to Guantanamo. He apparently had to be hidden because the BNP were targeting him.

He said that in his whole time in Guantanamo he was never interogated once. He was chained to floors, taken into rooms, insulted and blaphemed at, his prayers were disrupted, dirty pictures were put in his Koran etc. but no one ever asked him what he was doing in Afghanistan or anything about 9/11. He was really shaky and sounded really uncomfortable.

SO WHAT 'S GOING ON AND WHY NOW?

Abdullah was explaining to a National News journalist (who syndicate to the sun, the mail etc.) how it was actualy humane to cut someones head off with a sharp knife as it severs the nerve endings so they don't feel pain. He insisted that it was a valid message that anyone who supported the US invasion forces in a Muslim country was a target and the message was DONT GO.

Nightmare.

Anyway on a lighter note I was discussing with Hajj the strangeness of Hamza now being charged with stuff they looked into and released him for some years ago. We wondered if it wasn't just the usual doddering British judges getting up the noses of government. Miffed at Blunketts readiness to surrender British rule of law to an American judiciary it seems like the sort of thing they would do, judges being the only effective opposition to government at the moment.

Our friendly journalist had been in court on tuesday and said that Hamza's lawyers were looking pretty confident.

SNOW PLOUGH

Channel 4 news seems to be always picking at the seams of the special relationship. No wonder the Standard are pissed.

Alex T:

Tony Blair insists the Black Watch
trek north into US-occupied Iraq is a MILITARY not a political decision.
Will people believe him? Not cynical, just never seen cabinet ministers
or Prime Ministers taking orders from the army before.

snowmails

THE EVIL LONDON POLICE

Riot culture seems to be dead in London though the met still send huge amounts of kitted out Police to make sure.

I caught up with the Critical Mass bike ride in Trafalgar square. There were maybe 15 cyclists standing in the rain, and round the corner there were 50 police on amazing mountain bikes.

The protest of the century HAS to be the storming of Alexandra Palace.

the Riot Police must have been really confused...

the debate in the indymedia article is fantastic unearthing stories of Socialist Workers historic plans to shoot anarchists "come the revolution..." fantastic, pure Socialist Wanker stuff!

Round the corner in Tufnell Park some friends are trying to make a community centre in a long abandoned church, currently under planning application to be turned back into a church.

(Iron Maiden filmed a video there a long time ago.)

I turned up this morning to find loads of Police outside talking to the squatters through a locked gate. One of them wanted to take my details. It was raining so this time I told him that if he wasn't going to arrest me I didn't want to keep giving out my details just becaucse Policemen asked me.

A HUGE policeman in stab proof overalls stood forward and said.

"Wait a minute, I recognise you from Finsbury Park!"

We chatted about Finsbury Park, Hamza finnaly going on trial, Barry's relationship with Muslims and media (top man for the job said my friend in blue) and my chances of getting Hamza's friends side of what was actually happening on TV.

Meanwhile A Police seargant negotiated between the owners and the squatters. All was amicable when I left.

BRITISH JUSTICE 16 TIMES

here we go....

London (AP)
Reuters
Bloomberg
ITV
Al-Jazeera
Xinhua,China

etc.etc.etc.

SNOWBLIND

Snowblind was a Black Sabbath track about cocaine. Snowmails is a little candle attatched to my favourite news service:


Greetings all - Alex T here with the way it's looking for C4 News at
6.35 tonight…

THE DRUGS (POLICY) DON’T WORK
==============================

First up a new twist in society's heroin and crack dilemma. We've know
n for years that just clamping down on the dealers is only ever of
limited effect -- but now for the first time it looks like tying the police
battle to providing treatment doesn't appear to work either. So where
do we go from here? It's a compelling illustration of how attempted
joined-up thinking on drugs policy didn't join up at all. The implications
strike at the heart of the government's drugs policy.

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BRITISH JUSTICE FOR HAMZA

So Richard Littlejohn gets his wish, suprise suprise.

It felt like I was the only one who was suprised when Hamza was arrested.
Now I can't quite believe they are going to try him in this country and not use Mr. Blunketts specially made one size fits Hamza non reciprocal extradition treaty. Am I incredibly naive?

Channel 4 item here

Over the last couple of days I've watched a loop of news footage on TV with Hajj and Abdullah in the background. All publicity good for my doc. I told Hajj about this on friday.

" They think I am a terrorist?" he said.

If they had moved forward with Patrick all those months ago (see CAN I DO A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT YOU MR.ABDULLAH?) would their perspective be on the TV by now or is Patrick "evil Zionist media?" I don't know. He seems like a nice guy to me, but I am naive eh?

PARLIAMENT SQUARE TERRORIZED!!!

Over the weekend I went to Parliament square where the Supporters of Shariah held a protest. Again I missed some fantastic film moments. The Police inexplicably took me to be part of the protest group and took my name, D.O.B and website details etc.
(Hi guys! If you are reading this.)

Hajj was talking at length to a Policeman about smoking den’s in South London. The Policeman was secretly eating a Mars bar, putting it back in his pocket between bites. There were maybe 15 protesters, Abdullah took centre stage screaming at the houses of parliament, and curious tourists through a megaphone. A larger and stranger looking pro-life protest came by complete with carts and little donkeys.

Paul from www.potp.co.uk turned up to take photos (see HAMZA ARRESTED) I felt silly talking to Paul then walking a few steps and talking to Hajj. I like both of them and wanted to introduce them.

“ He sell’s his pictures and they print lies next to them, he knows what is happening. Why do I want to talk to him?” said Hajj.

“Well tell him.” I said.

Even without a camera I’m still obsessed with opposite sides talking. I remember trying to convince Hamza to talk to a representative of the U.B.A. I relayed what Hajj said to Paul but he was also unenthusiastic about talking to Hajj. I spoke at length to the Police who admitted that Hamza’s friends didn’t quite look how they were portrayed on TV.

“ But why didn’t Hamza himself make sure he came across in the media better when he was free then?” he asked me.

That’s a question I’ve often asked myself as week in, week out I watched the brothers almost gift wrap a threatening portrayal of themselves to hysterical mainstream TV crews.

Brian, Britain’s longest running one man protest came over and asked the brothers for a placard. His conversation with them would have made great TV. I’m glad they met. The Finsbury posse seem to isolate themselves so much from un-Islamic protest groups. Even when I told them that someone was organizing a forum where one of the ex-Guantanamo prisoners would be a secret unanounced guest they were not interested, seemingly because it came from me and not another Muslim. It was nice to see them give Brian the respect he deserves.

From Parliament square the protest group moved up to speakers corner. I wasn’t going to go at first but was glad I did. I cycled on ahead to find the brother who blocked me from entering the mosque last week (see THE BROTHERS GONNA WORK IT OUT ) in conversation with a good friend of mine, Magic Dave who was ranting to a small crowd and handing out 9-11 dollars. It was obvious the two had known each other for a long time and had engaged in much debate here.

This was to be the first time I would see Abdullah address a predominantly non-Muslim audience and I was worried how he would come across to the crowd. I thought he would loose his temper once the many regular hecklers got into their stride. In Finsbury Park I’ve often seen passers by judge him to be a threat simply because of his angry delivery.

Speakers corner is contextually a long way from Finsbury Park and the crowd that gathered just saw his style as entertaining as the next shouting person halfway up a step ladder. He actually came across really well to Muslims and non Muslims alike, although he strangely never mentioned Hamza or Finsbury Park once. He took a lot of questions from the audience who clapped when he finished.

A great day out with loads of documentary potential agonizingly flushed down the drain for me. I hope they do it again.

mosque reopens

THE BROTHERS GONNA WORK IT OUT

As promised the Mosque reopened yesterday. Everyone had a meeting the previous night and decided to set aside their differences for Ramadan. There was a genuinely good feeling outside, with all those involved with last week’s arguments in a conciliatory mood. I tried to get in but a Muslim I didn’t know blocked my path, (UPDATE: This turned out to be my first ever meeting with Mohammed Hamid ) so I stood outside with the other infidels corner regulars and a Policewoman called Rachel. Barry popped by briefly but I forgot to ask him if he would write something for socialistwanker. Before he left he told a journalist that he hoped the demonisation of Finsbury Parks Muslim community would now stop.

Eventually some Algerians I knew got me into the entrance of the Mosque, camera running. After two years standing outside it was quite a big moment for me. I found that I wasn’t the first infidel inside. I was beaten by none other than Jeremy Corbyn. Much as I try and dislike politicians, seeing Jeremy surrounded by Finsbury Park’s Muslims, papers in hand trying to help them with their worries was an idyllic scene. I told him I was from socialistwanker.com and he told me that he was proud to be there with the Mosque open. He had always been a guest here for Ramadan before and was looking forward to coming next week.

A couple of people tried to get me out but a very animated Algerian who claimed to be recently released from Belmarsh insisted I stayed. I’m still trying to work out what else he was saying on my tape, but I can already see that this guy will make great TV and he has a story he really wants to tell. I checked with a couple of Muslims who I had told about this blog and they all said I had represented their side fairly.

I am continually amazed by how totally under whelmed everyone is by my language and drug references. So many Muslims here have reverted from a lifestyle similar to mine, they don’t seem even to notice. Mr. Abdullah eventually came out. He didn’t seem downhearted or defeated; although it was obvious he had taken a step back.

“ The Muslim community is happy, I suppose the government is happy…”

An Imam had come in whom all sides respected. Everyone agreed that to be enemies with each other was not Islamic and that they should all talk and refer everything they said to the Koran. I told Mr. Abdullah that I had seen him on a BBC program the previous night called The Asian Invasion.

They had used a clip with Abdullah preaching and Hamza in the background shot the first week I arrived at Finsbury Park (not by me) to demonstrate “British Asian Extremists” and implied that the majority of British Asians were embarrassed by them. Abdullah and co all thought this was hilarious.

As far as I know, the Mosque will be reopen for prayers everyday now, and I can feel my documentary coming to a conclusion. I haven’t really spoken to the other side, ie the trustee’s, but it would be great to negotiate access to the conversations between the two sides as the Mosque reopens, film of this may help to “rehabilitate” the Mosque in the eyes of the great British suburban sofa. I’m going to keep trying to get in with or without a camera anyway.

I found it strange the choice of vehicle that people left in. Jeremy Corbyn MP tucked his trousers into his socks and cycled off. Barry disappeared in an unassuming white Vauxhall Astra while the Imam left in a posh, sleek, streamlined gun metal grey Beemer.

IM NOT YOUR ENEMY! MING IS!

" I'm not your enemy! Ming is! Let's all team up and fight him!"

from the film FLASH GORDON

One of the main reasons I first came to hear what Mr. Hamza had to say was because I wondered whether there could be a genuine alliance between all those who wanted to stop the oil rollercoaster and create a genuinely fair society.

(In between making my own mind up as to whether he was a terrorist threat or not)

In the short time I was "active" as an activist I realised how hopelessly split and riddled with cliques and infighting the "left" was and so I wasn't suprised to eventually find similar things in the Islamic community. I certainly don't revel in it, but it is very human.

On this vein I was interested to come across a representative of Al-Mujhaaroun handing out leaflets in Finsbury Park on Friday who told me that they had officialy dispanded due to this problem of factionality. The intention was to unite everyone who believed in the Koran as it is written and his leaflet had many critisisms of the MCB and Mosque committees all backed up with words from the Koran.

He reckons Muslims have been banned from mosque's in favour of kaffirs, managers have become dictators, committees are silent about Palestine, Kashmir Guantanamo and Abu Graib whilst they invite their followers to commit apostacy by voting for man made law and inviting George Galloway into mosques and allowing him to distribute kaffir leaflets outside.

I have personally only ever committed this apostasy once when I was 18 and voted for the Liberal/SDP alliance (remember that political farce) I would advise anyone against voting for George Galloway because he is a wanker. If it was a choice between him and Blair on a voting card I would puke up on the card.

In the same way I was really excited at the prospect of a night at the rampart including The Synergy Project, The Wombles and The E.C.F. in the same building. A couple of people thought it important to network between all groups, there was certainly no infighting but I wonder whether a genuine alliance to produce genuine change is possible or factionality and tribalism are just part of our species. I'm very confused.

TALES FROM INFIDELS CORNER part 53

Between chaotic squat moving spasms I actually got a chance to get to the mosque yesterday to find that Mr. Abdullah had found my blog. I was relieved that he didn’t hit me or stand in the street and issue a fatwa against me. Not until I can get a camera running anyway. I wasn’t really intending to keep it a secret. I just didn’t want to influence events in what I thought to be a very important story.

He made some criticisms from Islamic law which were fair, as I was in their mosque. I agreed to update anything we both agreed were factually incorrect. It felt good to be out in the open a bit more. He preaches a lot about the truth standing clear of all falsehood. I hope any Muslim who now finds this will see it as an attempt to report the truth as I see it and excuse some of the language for the sake of truth.
(Though I can’t find a verse in the Koran to back me up in this request.)

I asked a few of the guys who appear in the background of shots I intend using if it was OK to include them. They were all proud to be standing next to Abu Hamza but pleased I had asked them and in this new spirit of glasnost I also got a chance to make up with my Muslim bookseller friend {see EVICTION, EXTRACTION AND EXTRADITION)

As far as drama was concerned if I had 5 cameras here I could have made my documentary in real time today. I’m lucky my blog didn’t provoke Mr. Abdullahs anger as he seemed to have a whole lot instead to show to another brother before, during and after his hudba until quite a long time after the Police were gone. Everyone got involved except for the 20 or so bemused Police.

He seemed to think this guy was a spy who was doing a deal with Barry to arrest Abdullah before reopening the Mosque. He preached that he’d rather have a gun to his head than accept man made laws and addressed most of this to Barry by name at some decibels though he came up to me afterwards and told me that Barry was a credit to the Police force.

Absolutely no idea whether the guy is a spy, actually feel a bit bad reporting the internal politics of Finsbury park mosque now, you can see the same thing at any religious or political institution. Better out than in I always think.

Although it would have made great TV action and as a tabloid fan I’d love to call this

“Bust up at Finsbury Park mosque!”

Suffice to say that it was nothing the Police took the slightest interest in arresting anyone for- just like the last 21 months really.

I heard a strong rumour that an attempt to reopen the Mosque was coming next week. I know Barry agrees that nothing has actually happened outside the Mosque in all this time that could not have concievably happened within and so as such this part of the war on terror can be declared an absolute waste of taxpayers money, but nevertheless a grandstand for sensitive Policing.

I hope the brothers can hold it together to get the place open next week and that it becomes all the best things they say a Mosque should be. The four of us regulars in Infidels corner are hoping to be invited in this time. Whilst the brothers were arguing we had a long discussion and agreed that Religion and Politics should in no way be expected to be separate issues. We quite enjoy all this Blair and Blunkett bashing and can’t remember hearing a lot which threatens our way of life whatever the fucking Sun says.

ABDULLAHS 9/11 MESSAGE

I wish I had filmed all this. Mr. Abdullah basically said that no-one who kills children can call themselves Muslims, and neither can anyone who claims to stand for Muslims in this country and justifies the killings in Belsan. A Muslim is someone who prays five times a day and does good to those around him and never, never, never does he kill innocent children. He also spoke of 50,000 children murdered by Putins soldiers in Chechenya.

He called for a dialogue between Muslims and non Muslims wherever they would be happy to meet to stop further atrocities on either side and defeat those who would carry them out. He said that since his beloved sheik Mr. Hamza has been in Belmarsh four people have become Muslims as a result of talking to him and that they have all been removed from his presence. He wouldn't tell me how he had come across this information but swore it was true. He asked the media to tell people that the Muslims here want to talk on neutral ground with whoever is up for it.

Even the Police I was standing with seemed surprised by all this and Mr. Abdullah only said the word sodomite once during the whole hudba. He said he wasn't a terrorist and only fought with his tongue. Strong stuff eh?

UBA

Finally had a look at the new UBA site and its very interesting. In one of the forum threads there are lots of UBA guys who are not suprisingly sounding off about recent events in Belsan. They are being answered by Muslims Stephen has encouraged onto the site who say they are sad about what happened. The "Proud to be British" guys then come back and tell the Muslims to piss off as they don't go far enough in their condemnation and ask them to condemn Omar Bakri's recent comments. Stephen moderates all this quite sensibly, encouraging the Muslims to stay on board. He seems to be a tad weary of running the site and nervous of Police attention.

At Hajj's place last night I asked him what he thought about Bakri's comments about hijacking schools. He said that if he saw Omar Bakri again he would slap him across his face for what he said. I think the UBA guys would be suprised that Hamza's friends have no time for Bakri or Al-Mujaaharoun. Some of the guys here believe Bakri secretly works for the government. One of Hajj's Muslim brothers also told me that he believed Russian soldiers had killed 45,000 Chechen children between the age of 9 and 16 in the last 10 years and reduced the population from 2 million to 800,000. I doubt if the Russian people are hearing that on the news and neither are we.

I asked Hajj if he would meet one of the guys from the UBA for a chat if I could arrange it for my film. He said he would talk to anyone, even racists.

" Arrange it. We meet in equal number or just one on one, in a cafe with nice food and talk about anything they want to talk about. We need communication."

Abdullah advised him against being on film. I feel now that I wouldn't want to make it without him. Hajj is a fucking diamond.

Interviewing a friendly Finsbury funamentalist

Dan Rivers, ITN in classic dumplings block (see DUMPLINGS ANYONE?)

Hajj and Abdullah as Hamza does C4 interview. (unbroadcast)

KAFFIR AND CHIPS

I visited Hajj and Abdullah again on Wednesday. Abdullah took us all out for fish and chips in his people carrier. Again I kick myself that I didn't do this with Mr. Hamza around. We talked for a long time about what we believed. It's much harder without a camera as I have to justify my own beliefs rather than just soaking up someone else's. When we got back to Hajj's place Mr. Abdullah tried hard to make me understand his views about God and about homosexuality. I told them a lot about my life too.

It was great being so honest with no one taking offence. Hajj told me that when his neighbours had seen him on TV next to Hamza they were worried. As he had been living there for such a long time he had been able to convince them neither he nor Hamza were terrorists. I'd like to speak to them for my doc.I spoke to Hajj before about Mrs. Ujaama. Apparently she is in this country and I wondered if she would have anything to say. They believe that Mr. Ujaama has sold Hamza to the Americans because he wants to see his 3 year old child again. A fucking sad story I would be very unlikely to get from his wife.

Abdullah has a lot of respect for Mr. Bin Laden, he doesn't believe he was resposible for september 11th, he thinks all the Jewish people working in the world trade centre took the day off and Mossad did it. I think all this is contraversial enough in itself to get on TV. Balanced with some views of people who hate Hamza and I've got a seriously emotive documentary I would be proud to present. He was still understandably touchy about TV and told me that Patrick (from Idealworld now IWC Media) had tried to arrange a meeting with him without me, ie. he was trying to cut me out of my own doc.

I haven't spoken to Patrick for a while as I don't want to waste his time without something more solid. I don't want to believe he would fuck me over, I hope it was just a misunderstanding. I can't imagine Patrick posting on www.shootingpeople.org which has 40,000 members with an official call for new directors, only to cut them out of their own projects. I told Mr. Abdullah that he had two choices. We could go the independent route, where I would make a film which may get a small scale cinema release which would be viewed by a small number of people who were curious or sympathetic, or we could go the TV route, where he would risk being re-edited to look bad, but he would also get a huge audience of curious Muslims and the sun newspaper's fans who fucking hate Abu Hamza. I told him that I would like people who hate Abu Hamza to watch it, and fully intended to include their views in it. I want to interview people from the sun as well. I would also get a budget which would cover getting news footage to contrast with my own etc.

On Friday Mr. Abdullah was preaching, as he has done a couple of times against people with Mohican's, coloured hair and rings through their ears and noses.

" That's you that is!" said an attentive policeman I was standing next to.

" Same time next Wednesday? " I asked Mr.Abdullah afterwards.

" Yes OK. "

Barry the Boss (see BARRY THE BOSS)

ITS ALL NONSENSE

Still without a camera.

This week,as Abu Hamza was finally being questioned about terrorism in this country, amongst other things Mr. Abdullah was telling the Police that the maggots would eat them and that they are puppets of the government because they don’t tell the government to ban pornography on TV.

Barry was back {see BARRY THE BOSS}and I asked him if he had a nice holiday.

“ Where did you go?”

“ Nowhere really.”

I asked him what he had been talking about with the trustee’s a couple of weeks back.

“ I don’t know, you try to help people…” he said cryptically.

“ Do you think these people here are the rightful occupants of the mosque?”

“ Well yes...”

“ Is there any evidence that these people are threatening so called "moderates" to stay away? It must be hard being in your position when these guys leader is being called the Bin Laden of Britain...”

He expressed a personal view on that subject which I can’t report. (the clue may or may not be in the title)- and walked away leaving me stunned.

As the mainstream media did their piece to camera at the back Barry was arranging a meeting between himself, the trustee’s and 5 of the guys here with a view to reopening the Mosque. I told Hajj and Abdullah what Barry had said. I can’t exactly remember Abdullah’s reply but it was certainly negative as far as trusting Barry was concerned.

He has told me before how he thought Barry had a different attitude behind closed doors. It maybe true. If I had to make an instinctual judgement I would personally doubt it. I’m not sure what Barry will achieve but he, and all the Police here seem to deserve an end more worthy than maggots.

DRUGS IN SPORT

I’ve had so many Paula Radcliffe moments about this documentary its driven me crazy.Or is it the meditation or the drugs?

With so many misunderstood atheletes driven out of the games isn’t it high time there was an Olympics for drug takers? And what drugs do they feed the horses in the dressage anyway, as they stagger diagonally? Ketamine? Many years ago I took two blue planets with a friend and cycled from Parliament hill to Piccadilly, we were fine till we got off the bikes. I would say our performance was definitely enhanced.

Would a shit faced Olympics catch on?

If it did I’d like to represent my country at free style levitation. All competitors would have a week to train however they wanted, then would have 10 days in silence with their eyes closed to levitate. Whichever competitor levitated the highest would win. If I won I wouldn’t be able to stand the national anthem due to the offensiveness of the lyrics. I suppose Jimi Hendrix playing the star spangled banner would do as an anthem for everyone.

And what about a venue? Goa? Byron Bay? The Boom festival in Portugal? I’ll have to start looking into this, I could make a fortune. Whilst on the question of sport I don't really care about rich footballers but Beckham and co's press boycott after the Poland game was a classic.

"You dont support us when we draw so when we win you can go fuck."

IN THE LAIR OF THE FUNDAMENTALISTS

This week we got an explanation of the Shariah laws on adultery. It was quite graphic considering there were children present. Mr. Abdullah had the adulterous Mr. Blunkett in his sights for stoning. For the stoning law to apply however, there apparently had to be four independent witnesses to the actual act of penetration (Mr. Abdullahs words) If one of them said that the adulterers were just laying on top of each other the law wouldn’t apply.

Only if Mr and mrs Blair, and Gordon Brown and his wife actually witnessed them having sex, and they would swear to it before God would Mr. Blunkett have to worry. Mr. Abdullah assured us he would receive his punishment in the next life. Whether there is a God or not I can never imagine having the urge to stone a complete stranger. I can’t imagine anyone at Finsbury Park being keen stoners either. Maybe I am wrong.

At these times those of us in infidels corner and the Police look at each other and smile at strange customs we don’t understand. I had an advance preview of all this on Wednesday when I finally got myself invited into the “ lair” I refered to in the title. Well, not really a lair but Hajj’s house.( Talking about keen stoners see HAJJ ON DOPE)

Hajj on Muslim attitudes to sexuality is going to be even more compulsive viewing than Abdullah’s preaching. I hope he talks like this with the camera on. He has an amazing Turkish Cypriot attitude and frank, almost crude way of speaking which is priceless. He has made a journey from being a very wordly man to being a very devout man, and boy can he tell it. He's got photo's of his life as a hippie, he's amazing. Just the sort of person NO ONE who reads the Sun would expect to find standing next to Hamza. Hajj has always been the person I could most relate to in Finsbury Park mosque and has always been the person who trusted me the most. Finally being in his house after a few false starts made me wish I had visited ages ago when Mr. Hamza was still amongst us.

With no idea as to who Hamza was I had always been too scared to get too close to what I had assumed MI-5 would have been all over. What an idiot, I’ve really missed out. It’s so weird to see the alleged Bin Laden of Britain’s closest supporters come across like an orthadox church group. Abdullah and Hajj had apparently had an argument . They are like brothers. Comical, human and un-terrorist like. I hope I can get this across on camera. I wasn’t filming or recording, I had broken Nick Broomfield’s rules about having a camera running at all times to my cost, though this was a necessary excercise in trust.

While Mr. Abdullah was talking to me Hajj was in the background smashing a Video machine on the floor in frustration. Abdullah talking about Islam with Hajj in the background mullahing the video in a London council estate is just the sort of picture of British fundamenal Islam I was looking for.

“I’m going to be very angry with my daughter when she gets home.” said Hajj, frustrated.

“ It was an innocent act. She put the child lock on for the protection of children.”
Mr. Abdullah gently admonished.


We had originally arranged the meeting as a chance for Mr. Abdullah to look through my footage (some 40 hours now) before he would decide whether to do this doc. Instead the meeting turned into an opportunity for Mr. Abdullah and Hajj to explain to me in a lot more detail what Islam was to them. I used to be part of a converting religion myself as a child, which involved knocking on complete strangers doors to tell them about Jesus on a Sunday afternoon in suburban Dorset.I didn’t feel like I was being preached at.

Mr. Abdullah left early and I carried on talking to Hajj until 11:30. He told me a little bit about how he had become a Muslim and how Hamza had become his teacher. He also tantalizingly started to tell me how it was he who had first spoken to Mr.Abdullah on his journey to Islam.

Before Mr. Abdullah left he set out some terms for my doc to continue. He wanted copies of all the tapes the film was to be cut from, just so as if anything was re-edited he would have the originals. He also wanted a list of questions signed by Channel 4 and Hamza’s lawyers. He had very little hope that what he said would get past the Zionists he thinks runs the media, but I get the feeling he at least believes my intentions are honourable.

MORE SNOW

Regular readers may know that I have been enamoured of Jon Snows snowmails, which come out just before C4 news comes on air. This time Alex Thompson says:

No charges yet on terror arrests:
=================================
Terror first -- or was it anything to do with terror? After the
high-profile daylight arrests of what the police called terror suspects we
still have no charges and a quarter of the men lifted have been absolved
of any serious possible charges.

In fact nobody's yet been charged and one of those set free says the
police beat him up. The fact is British police have now arrested hundreds
of young Moslem men and brought hardly anybody to trial in what our
politicians call ' the war against terror.'

MOSQUE REOPENS! AND CLOSES AGAIN

I don’t know if the evil Zionists have access to my computer but this is my third attempt at writing this, the first two mysteriously disappeared. After such a long time I couldn’t help but feel pleased for the brothers seeing the mosque finally reopen. The first person I met on the scene was Barry the Boss (see BARRY THE BOSS) who was supervising the reopening with the trustee’s. I had heard so much about them I was looking forward to seeing what they looked like.

Officially the mosque would only be open for prayers and no Hudba would be delivered. Unofficially the brothers all steamed in and within minutes Mr. Abdullah’s raised voice could be heard from within. Police went no further than just inside the doorway. Mr Dumplings (see DUMPLINGS ANYONE?) also seemed to take position as an unofficial doorman so I asked him what was going on inside and if he was pleased that the mosque was open. He didn’t really answer and told me I should wait for Mr. Abdullah to come out.

Mr. Abdullah eventually came out and spoke to the press. They all asked if Hamza’s supporters had taken over, I asked if they would be challenging the trustee’s over their alleged misappropriation of mosque funds in court. Eventually Mr. Abdullah went back inside. He came out later in a much angrier state. Apparently negotiations with the trustees had broken down fairly quickly.

“ Who are the trustee’s? “ after 20 months I was dying to see them. Eventually two conservative looking Muslims came out tight-lipped and grim faced. Escorted by three police they disappeared round the corner to talk to Barry. Meanwhile Mr. Abdullah gave an improptu hudba in the doorway of the mosque.

“ Sodomites like with sodomites! Paedophiles like with paedophiles!” he started.

It seemed to me that he had grown used to giving sermons in the street and maybe he would miss it. He spoke, as usual against Blunkett, Zionist media, government and police. As we saw later on BBC London he actually threatened to fight the Police for the Mosque. At this time Barry was actually standing just behind him in the doorway.

After he had finished a lot of the brothers began telling each other not to leave the mosque. The police told the cameras to move away from the doorway and I began to wonder if riot police were around the corner. Barry looked pretty calm though and although I knew he had no idea what would happened, he appeared to very much believe in his long established relationship with Mr. Abdullah, despite his preaching.

Eventually the brothers were persuaded to leave the mosque.

I heard Barry in his parting comments to Mr. Abdullah:

“ I am going on holiday for two weeks. I can disrupt my holiday to be here if you like, but you wouldn’t want me to do that would you?”

Barry and Abdullah’s relationship is one of my favourite things about this story. A very British Police commander talking to a very British fundamental Islamist, and the fact that its working says a lot to me about Britain. Again I ask, in what other country would any of this be happening? Amazing.

Barry came over to talk to the press. He said he had demonstrated that the mosque in the street had caused no real disruption to traffic. He said that he had known the Muslims for a long time now and knew when to speak and when silence was wiser. He said that he had to ask Mr. Abdullah and co a number of times to leave the mosque, but they had eventually complied and retired to the park to consider their next move. He said that there would no doubt be a continuation of discussions the next week.

The BBC reported that Hamza’s followers had taken over the mosque. Are these Hamza’s followers or the Mosque’s rightful community? The trustee's certainly had no supporters here except the Police. Were they scared of Hamza's followers? They have been standing in the street for the last 20 months protesting the mosques closure, obviously they are quite attatched to the place. As they left some of them shouted at the trustee's who were behind Police lines:

" Apostates!"

Mr. Abdullah complained that the Police were treating them like children. In practice I could see what he meant but it seems unintentional. As there has been no trouble between Police and Islamists all they can do is talk to each other. This being Britain and everyone resorting to British politeness has always made the situation appear quite childlike. Its interesting that at no point have any of the Police treated these people like terrorists, despite recent events.

JERRY! JERRY!

I started watching the democratic party convention on TV in the early hours.It's wierd, I try not to get caught up in this strange personality facade they call elections but its hard to keep away. Michael Moore might just have done it for the democrats, with a little help from Jerry Springer in the wings. People told me that under Clinton nothing was different. I'm sure they are right but it definately felt different. It was great to see a different "face of America" come forward on TV. I'm so sick of Rumsfeld, Bush and co but I remember Blairs words when he was first elected and Robin Cook's "ethical defense policy." Could the democrats do it with a war on? Would anything change? Maybe all this my country right or wrong bullshit isn't the real America.

TOURISTS AND TERRORISTS

Ridiculous. Al-Muhaajiroun call a protest in Trafalgar square and who turns up? Well first a group of Sikhs maybe 50 strong with blue turbans. Apparently Al-Muj have been slagging off Sikhism on their website, prompting all these people to organise themselves to come down without even a communal website.

The next group to turn up were the National Front, the smallest protest group here who had a flag saying that Britain should be for whites. I tried to talk to them, to get their views but they were unforthcoming.

"We've got photo's of you just the same as you have of us. We know what you are doing."

" What am I doing?"

I hoped they would enlighten me as I am not sure myself. I don't see anything wrong with recording peoples views. Do I look like a journalist? Do I look like a Muslim? They made further derogatory comments about my piercings and asked if I knew Graham Norton and if the spots on his arse had healed up yet. They also had a banner saying "British and Proud"

It was such a beautiful day, the square seemed to be teeming with beautiful black women, and a small pen full of pale faces who would rather they were not here. I'd love to be racist but I'm afraid I can't help thinking that mixed race women are often the most beautiful things about this planet, besides I am half second generation immigrant myself. Are these guys really only attracted to white women? One of the reasons I wouldn't move out of London is that I would be surrounded by white English people.

The NF site is interesting though. Along with a plan to peacefully repatriate people of colour over a 15 year period they also advocate workers running their own factories and believe there should be as diverse media as possible without monopoly ownership from abroad. It's a shame these people wont talk to me.

A larger group of UBA guys (and one or two girls) turned up. They had the largest "British and proud" banner by far. I recognised a few of them and was hoping to talk to them. I asked for Stephen ( the UBA guy who made contact with me) and said that I had arranged to talk to him.

" Course you have..." they said, instructing each other not to talk to me.

There were two minor scuffles, I think one person from the UBA was arrested and one from the NF. And Al-Muhaajiroun? I've heard a rumour they were in Essex.

EVICTION, EXTRACTION AND EXTRADITION

Another amazing day. Spent the morning in court myself. The judge bent over backwards to be nice but had to evict us again. The prosecution started off angry but we left on good terms. He was genuinely interested in our intention to become an official itinerant security service. If we can convince Camden councils surveyors that we wont hinder their work there could be continued life in the squat yet. Just got to enjoy it while it lasts.

I cycled up to Finsbury park. I knew Hamza's case was starting today but was unsure whether the brothers would be in Finsbury park or outside Belmarsh. When I arrived one of the brothers told me that they had all decided that I was unwelcome to film anymore. The only person in the entire country who is trying to get what they believe on TV and they don't want me. I asked why and he just told me to stop or else. I said that I didn't believe they were terrorists or that he was threatening me.

" We are people." he told me.

Fair enough. I tried not to take it too personally, they must be really paranoid of TV.

I've got a lot of film of this guy and I didn't want him to think that I was trying to stitch him up. Maybe he saw Secret Agent about the BNP and thought I was on the same tack. For the record, and for anyone who reads this- I am not. If any of the guys told me they were terrorists or intended harm to anyone in the UK I would film it, but I dont expect them too and have no intentions of making it up. I have been after the other side of this story for almost 2 years now. Its only because I got contact I could work with from the UBA that I ever considered showing both sides of this strange British situation at all. I was originaly exclusively after their side.

I was worried at how angry the guy was and checked with Abdullah, Hajj and Samir if I had upset them. They didn't seem worried, or to have any derogatory information about me.
Mr. Abdullah started asking why I had piercings again.I don't know if in the back of his mind he is thinking something he's not saying. That maybe my piercings are connected with something evil? I don't understand why with his friend in Belmarsh he is talking to me about my piercings.
It's almost like they don't want their side of the story to be out there, or they cannot accept that a non muslim like myself would be interested in the other side of the story.

Hajj actually helped me out by trying to explain to Mr. Abdullah what a hippie was but I think Mr. Abdullah was unhappy with my previous filming with Hajj( see HAJJ ON DOPE)

" Hippies have died out!" said Mr. Abdullah.

He told me that if I was on my own I wouldn't have piercings, so they must be for how I appear to others. Maybe this is true. Their views on how I as a product of British secular society look to them are really good for my film. Maybe we all misjudge each other. I hope so.

I am looking forward to seeing all sides of the story tomorow. The Police will be keeping UBA and Muslims apart. I hope I can get to speak to both sides this time. The icing on the cake for me would be to film a conversation between Mr. Abdullah and Stephen from the UBA. Presuming it could be kept under control I think these two could learn a lot about each other's perspective. Its a tricky one which will be hard to organise with the Police.

I am seriously wondering whether I may have wasted the last couple of years. I've put so much effort into this, should I just give up and do something else? Maybe only I and people who read this will have any idea of the sort of Muslim who really attends Finsbury park mosque- and everyone else will have to remain content with what the Sun says about them. Most people probably are.

MICHAEL MORONS

Just watched Farenheit 9/11 four times in a row. I borrowed a cracked div-x with shite sound so right wingers reading this will be pleased to know Moore didn't get any of my money. What an amazing film. I’ve been following and contributing to a debate about it on the shooting people website. Some (jealous) people have been criticizing Moore for “dumbing down” documentaries. For fuck’s sake, if my target audience was the sort of person who signs up for the US military I would speak very slowly too. Moore calls Bush exactly what he is. What would be the point of calling him an orifice usually associated with female reproduction just to keep intellectual documentary makers happy? Fuck them.

http://slate.msn.com/id/2102723/#ContinueArticle
http://www.mooreexposed.com/
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/004/322qvfeb.asp
http://www.f411.com/challenge.html
http://film.guardian.co.uk/fahrenheit911/0,14736,1254483,00.html

NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS..ITS NICK GRIFFIN!

Very much enjoyed Mr. Griffins recent contribution to British Society. I’d like to pick out his reference to “ Punk Islamists” in our community. I think he was saying this in reference to young people of the Islamic faith from ethnic communities who would propagate the faith by rape. No idea who he is thinking of. How many of these people does he believe exist? I would love to introduce him to Samir and his brother or any of the young fundamental Islamists who pray in the street here. Maybe follow it with a phone in vote as to who is more proud to be British.

Listening to Mr. Griffin live on TV made me miss Mr. Hamza. What is it about the eyes? Blunkett is nuts and his eyes go all over the shop, Hamza is quite strange and has one glass eye and bloody hooks, Now we get Griffin with one Davaros eye. What the fuck is happening? It feels like Men in Black. Is David Icke right? Are aliens disguises malfunctioning before us on our TV screens? Can I get arrested for saying any of that? Relax guys! Everything is O.K. Most British people get on fine, now if we can just eliminate world poverty…

Maybe I have already witnessed a fight between Hamza, Griffin and Blunkett in Finsbury park, but someone in a black suit with sunglasses zapped me. I will search my tapes.

I’d love to send Barry the Boss in to arrest Mr. Griffin and co. They would have a very polite conversation then Barry would offer to come round Griffins house for tea. Fuck. I heard Hamza say that he had long conversations with Mr. Griffin and that he had some interesting theories. I’d like to get his take on Hamza for my film. If anyone reading this can lend me a camera…..HELP!!!
This war on terror is the ultimate nothing continued to happen story. Where are these waves of Islamic rapists? Keighly?
Hey! Maybe the Finsbury Park security guys are really masked because THEY are also aliens whose disguises are slipping!
My question for Mr. Griffin: Are you an alien? I wished I had asked Abu Hamza that.

SNOWING AGAIN

I havent been able to attend Finsbury park mosque for a couple of weeks, so not a lot to update except for it seems impossible to get Hazma's lawyers to meet channel 4 lawyers. With Hamza's trial so close I wish I was further into the middle of it. If I had never approached a production company maybe I would be. Getting evicted was quite uneventful. Its nice to be back home, even though we are in court again within the week for the "new" place.

I've got to hand it to Jon Snow again for his snowmails. Apparently the Evening Standard are printing them. Probably for very different reasons to mine:

Lord Butler himself was at the very top of the Mandarin tree before his resignation and remains there tonight, not one of his mandarin fruit has been bruised by his deft weaving of fault and no fault, though his team found such fault with the new head of M16 John Scarlett that they have had to plead for his continuance.British establishment in full bore. Forget that people died for these 'mistakes' and 'misjudgments'. That was never mentioned today. More at: http://www.channel4.com/news/2004/07/week_3/14_butler.htmlEveryone survives. Only Dyke and Davies of the BBC had to go. Shoot the messenger. The rest ride out to fight again. The full monty at seven. What indeed would Monty have made of it? Biggest failure in the 'cousi belli' since Suez? Well hang on, even then, Nasser had actually seized the Suez Canal! At seven as ever is, see you then..in haste..Jack straw beckons me to the FCO,

Jon Snow

sign up for snowmail

CYCLOPTIC HOOK MAN

someone posted this on Mikes blog

Cycloptic Hook Man is so,so(too) perfect as a bogeyman I really believe he could be a C I A plant(Wittingly or otherwise)..And,who f-in cares if he is extradited? Even if he is authentic he is per se your enemy,David,and would happily deny you your "democratic rights"(an oxymoron if I ever heard one)-and much,much more-given the opportunity..And Bush is displaying double standards..Well; fuck me...who would have thought it...and such a pleasant man,too.

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I imagine most people think this about Hamza including Ruth (23) from Bolton and Michelle (21) from Oldham. Both page 3 girls in relevant issues of The Sun's campaign against Hamza. Have we been misinformed? I didn't get the feeling Hamza thought himself my enemy. I didn't really find him a very interesting preacher but I'm sure I would have noticed if he was threatening me. I'm sure you are right about extradition too. Very few people care if Hamza is extradited.

To some Muslims he is a religious martyr isn't he? I found myself going back over my tapes to find out what he did say. I'd love this documentary to reflect the cartoon nature of Hamza's media-isation in some way.

JON SNOW

this is an advert for Jon Snow's snowmail which comes out just before the news goes on air. As you can see it has slightly more personality than he can get away with on the news:

9/11 Commission: No evidence that Saddam aided al Qaeda:
========================================================
At last, America's own 9/11 investigating commission has come out and
said it. They ve poured buckets of cold water possible links between
Saddam and al Qaeda. There is no evidence that Saddam aided the terrorists
in attacking the World Trade Centre, said the commission. Vice
President Dick Cheney has consistently pedalled the lie, yes, lie that Iraq and
al Qaeda were closely connected. As recently as LAST WEEK repeating
that there were 'long established ties' from Saddam to al Qaeda.

Will anyone in the coalition of the willing complain? Will Dick Cheney
resign? Is the Pope a Catholic?

sign up for snowmail

CAN ANYONE LEND ME A XXXING CAMERA?

Fantastic. First contact with the UBA is good. Looked through my footage and have their words. Was dreading someone from the UBA finding this blog but got this from Stephen:

Thanks,for your quick reply. I have read the content on your site and do find it very interesting, im sure there are many things we do agree on but also many we don’t!! What I want is for the people of this country who I feel get a very different report on many things from the British press to hear the truth, something that should not to be hard to give. It would be difficult to talk like this over the web so I would not mind contacting you or even meeting. As you can see the people on the UBA are from different backrounds and areas and many have different views but we all share the same thing, we want ourselves and family’s to be safe, and a country that we can be proud of again. As im sure you have seen we don’t want to clear the country of Muslims we simply want it clear of extremists, something you to I assume want.

I've looked into the UBA on the web. Some people just hate people from Pakistan. They call it P@kistan. But others use the forum to say that they have moved away from their racist past yet still see that they represent Britain. From my camera I hope to include these guys as I think we can have an honest debate about what it means for us now to be British.

Got a visit from the younger guys from Finsbury Park. Cheers Samir, (I didn't ask your brother's name.) Sorry.It turn's out that these guys have had dealing's with Channel 4 before. They dispute a piece called Dispatches which, they claim fabricated Abu Hamza's voice in a previous documentary. I think Mr. Abdullah thinks a Zionist will edit my documentary at the last minute.

My gut tell's me they want to do it. I'm in the interesting position of trying to give both "side's" some footage ( UBA and Finsbury Park Muslims.) but unfortunately the tape they both want a copy of is stuck. I want everyone to tell me what it now means to be British. Before Hamza was sent down he agreed to a live interview with GM T.V. which they chickened out of- allegedly. I'd have no problem's doing this live. 97% want Hamza extradited before they've heard the evidence. I've seen him move from the street into the public imagination, next stop: Southpark.

No one can speak with him or report his word's. Samir want's to use this documentary to sit opossite a certain trustee who they believe has been dodgy with Mosque funds. Who are the villans? Who are the heros? I've seen two brother's sitting opposite me in my house tell me how Hamza used to call them up all the time to check they were O.K. and give them advice on moral Islamic living. They didn't look inclined to self destruct.

I am drawn to something Hajj said last week to our Canadian cameraman. ( in a real Blame Canada southpark moment)

" Put people on the television. Show what they really say. Get rid of the politicians. "

DUMPLINGS ANYONE??

I’d like to start by apologizing for not voting. For my part in a responsible democracy I am trying to introduce the frightened masses that watch T.V. news to the evil people who attend Finsbury Park Mosque- and they are just the journalists. My documentary (if it ever gets made now) will hopefully demonstrate how they plan to blow the living shit out of us and destroy our wonderful British way of life from the pavement every Friday then go round the corner for chips all under the roving eye of a C.C.T.V. camera.

This week I actually got the main man who has been blocking my lense for the last year to talk on camera. For future reference, I will always know that the person who complains the loudest about having his picture taken is a closet star in the making. More of him later. Hajj was talking to me about skunk. I’m going to get the lowdown on what Allah thinks about weed from Hajj next week- I promise.

My main character believes George Bush sacrifices children to an Owl god. My secondary character has just been dragged off to Belmarsh and is being called The Bin Laden of Britain. Finsbury Park Islamists on the street say he has been like a father to them. Do I believe George Bush sacrifices children to an Owl God? Well I think that anyone who refuses even to ratify the Kyoto treaty must by default be sacrificing a lot of people’s children to something.

Britain is fantastic. While editors control the media from newsrooms (or the evil Zionist government if you believe Mr. Abdullah) On the street in Finsbury Park the media has been controlled for a year and a half by a small number of locals with sinister looking masks and an amazing Jamaican who has told almost every eminent TV journalist in the country to

“ Go home and cook your wife some dumplings.”

Whilst standing in front of their camera. All sensitively policed by the Met. If I organized a protest in the street what sort of Police would I meet and how long would it last? Yet this is Britain and because of religion the Chief Superintendent himself comes down for a polite chat with everyone to make sure everything is O.K. and I am fine with that. Especially when I get to talk to Mr. Dumplings

This is why taxpayers are paying to keep the mosque closed:


POLICEMAN: Can you take this conversation on the footpath so that we can get the road open, thank you very much?

DUMPLINGS: You want to talk to me?

BONES: You’ve told almost every famous journalist in this country to go home and cook his wife dumplings; what would you like to ...

DUMPLINGS: The reason being, at this time the summer is drawing nigh. You know what nigh mean? Near. The Christian use near. Black people they use nigh…and the most food you can think of right now is dumplings. Go in the West Indies and get dumplings. And don’t use nothing else except salt fish. You know salt fish? Salt fish and Akee. What you think…what you eat?

BONES:Dumplings?...

DUMPLINGS: Tell you what Fish and rice. Proteins. Good for the human body...don’t eat those fish from the market...Computer fish...don’t eat those computer fish. Real Caribbean fish.

DRUNK(Who happened to be walking past): Fish makes the brain work.

DUMPLINGS: The brain work? How can the brain work without beard? The brains cannot work without beard. You got to have beard on your mout’ you know brain. You know bre-ard...You know; Beard? On your face. And you activate the brain. I tried it man. Look at me. Nine years...anything else? Please don’t ask me anything about Islam. Ask me about Black people and white people. There’s a difference. You know?
One of the most important things I like about Finsbury Park...the only quiet place in Finsbury Park? The mosque...Quiet and decent. You understand? Look at all the brothers here. All the brothers standing here, they are very rich. They are rich people. We’re not poor people. Look at he way we dress.

MYSTERY MASKED MUSLIM: Versacci, Gucci, Armani, Prada...

DUMPLINGS: You know what kind of car that brother drive?...Believe me...We come all the way here on a Friday. You know what Friday is? ...Judgement Day. Judgement day? You don’t believe that do you?

BONES: I have no idea...I don’t know. Really.

DUMPLINGS: What day do you think judgement day will be?

BONES. Friday.

DUMPLINGS: How you know?

BONES: Because you told me?

DUMPLINGS: Because Thursday? No good. Everyone wants to go pay their bills...don’t mention Wednesday. Every Christian and non-Muslim, they burry. Tuesday? You cook the most important food on a Tuesday. Monday they give you benefits? In England they give you benefits. I’m not social security. Do I look like social security? ...The last benefit I get? ...I get sentenced in court...Three weeks ago…that’s my only benefit. I was accused convicted and condemned in court…you know why? Cos I’m Black.

I’m sure we will see more Dumplings in due course. A few weeks ago when the UBA were here someone actually said to my camera

“ Isn’t the environment a more important issue?”

It’s taken a year and a half of filming for someone to actually come here and come up with that- and he was on his lunch break. Now there’s someone with the taxpayer’s interest at heart.

A picture of Mr. Dumplings is here:

Hajj and Abdullah

Mr.Abdullah, Hajj and Hamza with journalists

HAJJ ON DOPE

Really quiet at Finsbury Park. Barry came down and spoke to everyone. A drop of sanity in an ocean of, well, calm for a change today.

“ These Zionist Jews, probably a very few people sitting round a table. They decide what is in the media.”

Mr. Abdullah was on his usual preaching vibe. A mixture of orthadox islam, Bush bashing and the internet.

He referred to www.biblebelievers.org
“ Evil rituals that Zionists do.” quoting the Talmud:

“Adam had sexual intercourse with all the animals in the garden of eden. This is in the Talmud people. The knowledge is there for you... but you want to...continue being enslaved by these people. Sanhedrin 55,3. A Jew may marry a 13 year old girl. Specifically 13 years and a day. Paedophiles!…Sanhedrin 45,3 A Jew may have sex with a child as young as 9 years old. Paedophiles! Perverts! Ruling our society and you blindly give them your allegance...Come on people get a life! These... Zionists entrap you and you give your alliegance to these, to imprison and kill my brothers and my children and to rape my sisters!”

Is this anti-Semitism? Hamza said specifically that he had many Jewish visitors to the mosque and that as Muslims they were the first to condemn the burning of synagogues. He said he didn’t like Zionists or freemasons. I don't know,look up bible believers or come to Finsbury Park to judge for yourself. I have no idea if a secret group of Zionist freemason sits round a table ruling the world. A female journalist from a Jewish newspaper carefully checked Mr.Abdullahs scriptural references with him afterwards. Anyway that’s the heaviness out of the way, and I know you all want to hear Hajj on dope...

A Canadian news team was about. A girl called Jane was interviewing. She had been in Afghanistan and said that she felt safer with the Taliban than the Northern Alliance, who were prone to raping and stealing. They interviewed Mr. Abdullah. When the interview was over everyone casually discussed Afghanistan, the difficulties of news reporting in Palestine and U.S. politics with the Muslims of Finsbury Park. Jamie had phoned me saying that Mr. Abdullah hadn’t got back to him and not to press them too hard. Mr. Abdullah was asking who Idealworld were and whether they worked for the BBC, and he was complaining again about the music I had used in my pitching piece about them.

“ Mr.Abdullah, all the T.V. about you guys say’s that you are specifically threatening the British people. Would you like something other than that to get out there? Patrick is the producer of a series on Channel 4 called The Other side. Can you imagine how many people come to him with ideas for documentaries? He can make documentaries about anything, yet he came here because of the cd I put together about you guys- music and all.”

“ Well you e-mail me a list of questions and we’ll go from there.”

“ I’ve written you e-mails before and you haven’t answered.”

The conversations continued. There were maybe 6 police at Finsbury Park all during prayers and now they were long gone. I butted in on a conversation between Hajj, my favorite Finsbury park Muslim (see THE LONG HAUL) and the Canadian cameraman.

HAJJ: We are not allowed to kill innocents.

CANADIAN: (sorry didn’t get the name) Well yeah that’s the impression I got...

HAJJ: I used to smoke weed, I used to drink, I used to gamble, I used to take speed, black bombers, yellow tablets. There used to be bluey’s in the seventies. Blue tablets.

BONES: You were taking speed tablets? You?

HAJJ: Because I was looking for some kind of happiness.

BONES: You used to smoke dope?

HAJJ: Of course.

MYSTERY MUSLIM: Doesn’t everyone?

HAJJ: Why I say that, the reason is now sometimes I get up in the morning to pray, I used to get up drunk. Do you think I am going to kill an innocent person and go to hellfire forever? The reason I told you...I used to enjoy these things. Still now I miss cannabis. Every night to look up to the sky, this and that. Living in a fantasy, but you get addicted to living in a fantasy.

BONES: Yeah, that’s true definitely...

HAJJ: My point is Allah commands us. You cannot harm innocents. Fight those who fight you. But in this country there is no way any Muslim is going to...(harm innocents)unless he is a nutter.

BONES: How long have you know Mr. Hamza?

HAJJ: A couple of years.

BONES: And you believe he is innocent?

HAJJ: Of course. Of course he is. No doubt about it.

BONES: Cheers Hajj. I still can’t believe you used to smoke dope mate.

HAJJ: I know you use it as well...

BONES: Bit easy to spot, these dope smokers...

HAJJ: If all the people smoked dope and packed up alchohol we would have a better country because people who smoke dope...they think sensible...it makes you think more but alchohol it makes you violent.

BONES: That’s fantastic Hajj. You’re the main man in my documentary! If Mr. Abdullah won’t do it I’m talking to you mate.

I don’t know who Abu Hamza is. If you judge a man by the company he keeps Mr. Abdullah and Hajj have been standing next to him the whole time I have been filming in Finsbury Park. I still hope to make this film so you can judge for yourself, and I can go sit on white sands beach, Koh Chang, Thailand before finding something more dangerous to do than fraternising with these extremists. War on terror? Well it sounds exciting.

YEMEN OBSERVER

I don't usually put things other people have written on this site, but I found this from Mohammed Al-Asadi, the editor of the Yemen Observer under the title "defining a terrorist" full article available here:

From my experience and follow-up on the war against terror in my country and the rest of the region, I have been able to come up with a definition of the terrorist as it has been put into practice:

A terrorist is a long-bearded Muslim who frequently visits mosques.

A terrorist is a person who hates the United States or plans to oppose its policies.

A terrorist is a person who morally or materially supports the Palestinian resistance.

A terrorist is a child who throws a stone at an Israeli tank.

A terrorist is a freedom fighter who tries to free his land from foreign occupiers.

A terrorist is an abused prisoner and a raped mother or sister.

A terrorist is anyone who makes charitable donations to the orphaned, hungry, poor or outcast, if the recipients are Muslim.

A terrorist is a person who names his baby Osama.

A terrorist is an immigrant who sends money to his family back home.

A terrorist is a detainee who refuses to inform for the FBI.

A terrorist is any Arab or Islamic state that allows charitable organizations to exist on its soil.

A terrorist is anyone who has been to Afghanistan or Saudi Arabia and is of Yemeni origin.

The list goes on, and as it does so, the situation gets worse.
The people making decisions in governments around the world have failed to define terrorism; each has come with a version that serves its own interests....
Journalists have been recruited from throughout the region to report to the international news machine on developments in the fight against terrorism. Media agencies themselves are the ones who benefit most from reporting on terrorism. It is obvious how terrorism has become an essential source of livelihood; thus it is obvious how this cycle will feed itself and continue. That it will not is unimaginable.

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I would just like to say that my media organisation socialistwanker.com has not so far in any way benefited finantially from the war on terror. Abu Hamza's lawyers have not got back to Patrick (our producer) Mr.Abdullah has not got back to me.If I do in anyway benefit from this war on terror by making a documentary about anyone involved in Finsbury Park Mosque I promise to reinvest this money in either an earthship or a bio-diesel space cruiser kitted out for further documentary work.