Demos blog
...reducing government funding makes some sense in respect of the review of the Prevent strand of counter-terrorism. With less money to go around, Prevent needs to be more focused on public safety – working primarily to target individuals who have adopted al-Qaeda ideology but have not acted on it. The Quilliam Foundation finds it difficult to access these people, and even more difficult when receiving government money...
UPDATE: new comment freshly laid by a curious "MUSA"
Im soooooo glad the quilliam foundation are almost finished. They was no good n the begining and no good at the end. InshaAllah nooooooooooooo one funds them.
could that be Musa Ahmet rejecting them for a second time? 3 part video of us discussing the launch of Quilliam here. And a press TV report from the launch. They since phoned Musa to see if he could be of any use but he decided against joining up with them. As I have said before, I have no opinion. There always seemed to be confusion about the point of Quilliam. Certainly nothing we saw at the launch seemed geared towards those at risk of turning to extremism. What is a "think tank" in terms of anti-extremism?
(update: Musa's comment is now missing for some reason)
Harry's Place has a perspective:
...In many important ways, Quilliam has won the battle. There is now a broader understanding of the work of Islamist political parties active in the United Kingdom...
There is? What for? And how much did that cost again?
More think tanking or thinking tank from Quilliam- How to Respond to Al-Qaeda ?
...In 2003, the Metropolitan Police evicted Abu Hamza and his followers from the mosque, installing individuals from the Muslim Association of Britain, an Islamist group with links to the Muslim Brotherhood, in their place...
err... oh forget it.
..
December 29, 2010
December 23, 2010
XMAS IS EVIL!
Via Pickled Politics, check out Xmas is Evil here.
In the church I grew up in our pastor used to preach a lot of what Mr Choudhary et al are saying. The same sermon every year- That people had forgotten the real meaning of Christmas. They had taken the "Christ" out of Christmas and now use it as an excuse for, well a lot of the evils mentioned here.
It was only much later that I found out that it was actually Christians who stole the yuletide festivity for their own, and the real meaning of the whole thing was to have a big blow out on the shortest day of the year and hope that what you had left would last you till something grew out of the ground again!
I feel very lucky to be alive now, in the UK. I hope we all enjoy our good fortune over this festive period and find ways to share it beyond these borders in the New Year.
..
In the church I grew up in our pastor used to preach a lot of what Mr Choudhary et al are saying. The same sermon every year- That people had forgotten the real meaning of Christmas. They had taken the "Christ" out of Christmas and now use it as an excuse for, well a lot of the evils mentioned here.
It was only much later that I found out that it was actually Christians who stole the yuletide festivity for their own, and the real meaning of the whole thing was to have a big blow out on the shortest day of the year and hope that what you had left would last you till something grew out of the ground again!
I feel very lucky to be alive now, in the UK. I hope we all enjoy our good fortune over this festive period and find ways to share it beyond these borders in the New Year.
..
December 17, 2010
DEAD
Another ominous story, another trawl through forty hours of tapes? As usual this guy looks familiar.Abdaly spent much of the past decade in Britain and appears to have been radicalised there..
I am glad I decided not to pursue journalism after all. I don't like any of this. Any news connected to this is not going to be good news.
Some of it is interesting news though. Remember Mahmoud Abu Rideh? Held up as an example of misused control orders? (Guardian also).. Said in one interview Bin Laden was a "decent man"? Allegedly killed in Afghanistan fighting alongside the Taliban.
..
December 14, 2010
JODY
The debate about what has been happening to Jody McIntyre and this subsequent Ben Brown interview is very interesting. I must admit I am siding with Jody about the F.I.T. squad -not surprisingly but I am siding with this geezer in The Telegraph about the interview.
As a representative of the BBC the guy had to robustly interview Jody. It helps Jody. Put it this way- what would the right wing press be saying about the BBC if he didn't? For Jody to be able to answer questions like this on TV helps his case, should he choose to pursue one.
Obviously I have seen the enthusiasm of the F.I.T. squad before, its not been a secret here that they know who I am and ask silly questions because they think they are leaning on me for something which is DEFINITELY in their own heads. They also do this to people known to be violent. Jody says he believes in revolution. the F.I.T squad should ask him what he means by this. I am sure they will get all the information they need without pulling him out of his wheel chair and dragging him across the street. Or they could read his blog.
They aren't very good at distinguishing actual threats from those they or their bosses perceive are they. Leaning on someone with cerebral palsy like this they have no fucking excuse whatsoever. The anti terror squad asked questions politely and calmly. Mind you that is probably because I am a honky. The F.I.T squad are a bit thick and exceed their remit. They behave like demented paparazzi. Pushing it too far and being caught on camera should be good for them. I hope they learn something for once. Jody can answer, and the way he answers is a lesson to all of us. Tomlinson couldn't.
Personally I have seen a valiant attempt from the Beeb, in a BBC manner of course- to pursue issues of Police brutality and issues of disorder involved in these protests. Maybe I am getting old or something. I have noticed white bits in my beard.
I hope this generation achieve change, and aren't distracted by policemen with these attitudes like so many of my generation were.
Jody's version of events is here
Richard Littlejohn here
Some curiously extensive stuff from The Daily Mail. Including an image of just how frontline Jody was.
...More than 180 people have been arrested by police investigating rioting during the series of protests against rising student tuition fees, it emerged today.
Senior officers said the vast majority of the 182 suspects were aged between 17 and 25 and have never been involved in violence or criminal acts before...
also breakfast news
..
December 13, 2010
I read it in The Sun (who owe me money)
JAILED terror fanatic Abu Hamza will today ask to be freed claiming he is "too sick" to remain behind bars.
The hook-handed rabble-rouser's lawyers will produce a doctor's report claiming his stumps have become infected while in jail.
Other medical problems include diabetes, high blood pressure and a skin condition...
..
The hook-handed rabble-rouser's lawyers will produce a doctor's report claiming his stumps have become infected while in jail.
Other medical problems include diabetes, high blood pressure and a skin condition...
..
December 08, 2010
Have a read of this..
The path into terrorism in the name of Islam is often described as a process of radicalisation. But to be radical is not necessarily to be violent. Violent radicals are clearly enemies of liberal democracies, but non-violent radicals might sometimes be powerful allies.
This report is a summary of two years of research examining the difference between violent and non-violent radicals in Europe and Canada. It represents a step towards a more nuanced understanding of behaviour across radicalised individuals, the appeal of the al-Qaeda narrative, and the role of governments and communities in responding.
will have a read and get back to you..
..
This report is a summary of two years of research examining the difference between violent and non-violent radicals in Europe and Canada. It represents a step towards a more nuanced understanding of behaviour across radicalised individuals, the appeal of the al-Qaeda narrative, and the role of governments and communities in responding.
will have a read and get back to you..
..
December 04, 2010
KATHY
My old Republican buddy Kathy on Wikileaks:
This post might be the most rebellious of all the posts I've written. Maybe because it came about from a discussion with my oldest son, who in his younger years was known to rebel.
My son's take on Julian Assange is that it doesn't matter who he is, why he is doing this, or his past. What matters is that our leaders are doing things that are wrong, maybe illegal, and exposing them is not a bad thing. He doesn't buy the argument that it puts our soldiers lives in danger. He says that is what they always say, but when has a soldier died because we discovered things like this? He also asked why the administration didn't work with Assange to redact the possible dangerous information? Assange agreed to do that, but they refused. They didn't want any of it published. Which is understandable, but when you know it's going to happen anyway, wouldn't you do what you can to limit the danger to our troops? Also, my son seems to think the media is focusing way too much on Assange and his personal life. Why don't they focus more on what the cables say about how our government and other governments operate?
All good questions that got me to thinking...
..
This post might be the most rebellious of all the posts I've written. Maybe because it came about from a discussion with my oldest son, who in his younger years was known to rebel.
My son's take on Julian Assange is that it doesn't matter who he is, why he is doing this, or his past. What matters is that our leaders are doing things that are wrong, maybe illegal, and exposing them is not a bad thing. He doesn't buy the argument that it puts our soldiers lives in danger. He says that is what they always say, but when has a soldier died because we discovered things like this? He also asked why the administration didn't work with Assange to redact the possible dangerous information? Assange agreed to do that, but they refused. They didn't want any of it published. Which is understandable, but when you know it's going to happen anyway, wouldn't you do what you can to limit the danger to our troops? Also, my son seems to think the media is focusing way too much on Assange and his personal life. Why don't they focus more on what the cables say about how our government and other governments operate?
All good questions that got me to thinking...
..
December 03, 2010
Tell it like it is...
Really Sobering Dispatches doco. Tells you what it is like living in a place where there is a terrorist attack every four days or so. This doco follows the Police and the surviving victims and their relatives.
Also- I have never seen it before, but the third series of The Family is excellent. A real lesson for me in documentary story telling.
..
Also- I have never seen it before, but the third series of The Family is excellent. A real lesson for me in documentary story telling.
..
November 30, 2010
Expectations on youth
I was expecting an article like this:
Is entrapping low-level wannabe jihadists with elaborate FBI sting operations the best way of handling domestic radicals?
I don't know is my answer..
..
Is entrapping low-level wannabe jihadists with elaborate FBI sting operations the best way of handling domestic radicals?
I don't know is my answer..
..
November 29, 2010
November 25, 2010
November 22, 2010
And More Starting..
An occasional reader and long time enemy of Mohammed Hamid (or Osama Bin London) from Speakers Corner sent me a mail directing me to Al Qaeda's online magazine in english called "Inspire". Don't worry, I'm not going to post a link.
It is definitely directed at the young with whom I think it would be scarily popular. It doesn't actually contain bomb making instructions, not the issue I saw anyway but it does suggest its readers commit acts of terrorism in the west. It suggests killing pedestrians at random with a 4X4 with "butcher blades" attached to it is the righteous work of Allah. It also gives detailed instructions for web encryption. It can't have taken that long to put together, it must be a bitch to track if someone managed to send it to me.
..
It is definitely directed at the young with whom I think it would be scarily popular. It doesn't actually contain bomb making instructions, not the issue I saw anyway but it does suggest its readers commit acts of terrorism in the west. It suggests killing pedestrians at random with a 4X4 with "butcher blades" attached to it is the righteous work of Allah. It also gives detailed instructions for web encryption. It can't have taken that long to put together, it must be a bitch to track if someone managed to send it to me.
..
November 21, 2010
STOPPING part2
Well that's it then, The Impossible is over... or is it?
We were playing boring music. No one was dancing. I think dragging ourselves around abandoned warehouses improvising wasn't exactly inspiring us to make more music and the sequenced trance we started making sounded old before its time for some reason. Its a shame we never recorded the guitar/bass/drums live thing we started out with properly. Maybe London is the wrong place for jam bands. I have heard that Melbourne in Australia and Austin Texas are good.
Anyway endings and beginnings propelled me out into the countryside for a think which was good. I went to an event called Green drinks at The Green Dragon pub in Bungay where a guy called Simon Weeks gave a fascinating talk about the process he has gone through getting a small scale wind farm going. For more of this read Sustainable Bungay here also Cookpole Energy Action here.
It was very interesting for me as a Londoner hearing first hand about the much publicised NIMBY opposition to wind-farms, in an area which used to be well known for windmills. It seemed incredibly obvious to me that someone should start rebuilding classic windmills with updated internal technology. Even if they are less efficient it seems to me that two windmills which become a tourist attraction to the area might be better that one which is being stopped by a small amount of people complaining it is an eyesore.
Back to the music, getting all my equipment home made me realise that I have got a hell of a home studio set up I am itching to get into. Casting wide for inspiration I came across this, which is apparently classed as techno.
[hth001] Riino & Lorisloser - Stop (Original Mix) by Heaven to Hell Records
I have only made one track with this pulsing bass, but I quite like it, and you don't need a bass player to do it eh. I am wondering if I could put some sonic youth style guitaring and some live percussion together around this style of live set. It annoys me that music is so segregated these days, as although I like this, I can't see "minimal" as a genre on its own. I am sure djs used to let music expand and contract and progress over time like breathing. Maybe I am getting old.
hmmmm. Some more pondering is required.
..
We were playing boring music. No one was dancing. I think dragging ourselves around abandoned warehouses improvising wasn't exactly inspiring us to make more music and the sequenced trance we started making sounded old before its time for some reason. Its a shame we never recorded the guitar/bass/drums live thing we started out with properly. Maybe London is the wrong place for jam bands. I have heard that Melbourne in Australia and Austin Texas are good.
Anyway endings and beginnings propelled me out into the countryside for a think which was good. I went to an event called Green drinks at The Green Dragon pub in Bungay where a guy called Simon Weeks gave a fascinating talk about the process he has gone through getting a small scale wind farm going. For more of this read Sustainable Bungay here also Cookpole Energy Action here.
It was very interesting for me as a Londoner hearing first hand about the much publicised NIMBY opposition to wind-farms, in an area which used to be well known for windmills. It seemed incredibly obvious to me that someone should start rebuilding classic windmills with updated internal technology. Even if they are less efficient it seems to me that two windmills which become a tourist attraction to the area might be better that one which is being stopped by a small amount of people complaining it is an eyesore.
Back to the music, getting all my equipment home made me realise that I have got a hell of a home studio set up I am itching to get into. Casting wide for inspiration I came across this, which is apparently classed as techno.
[hth001] Riino & Lorisloser - Stop (Original Mix) by Heaven to Hell Records
I have only made one track with this pulsing bass, but I quite like it, and you don't need a bass player to do it eh. I am wondering if I could put some sonic youth style guitaring and some live percussion together around this style of live set. It annoys me that music is so segregated these days, as although I like this, I can't see "minimal" as a genre on its own. I am sure djs used to let music expand and contract and progress over time like breathing. Maybe I am getting old.
hmmmm. Some more pondering is required.
..
November 11, 2010
STOPPING
Sorry guys, I just can't see how this is a good thing and it makes me very uneasy seeing supposedly intelligent bloggers justifying "a bit of argy bargy". What killed Mayday in this country? Violence. There is nothing worse than being right and totally negating your argument. I can't see how this is bringing about change and I take a very dim view of wasting Police time. I have seen Police after they were out all night looking for a friend of mine who had become mentally ill, and not through drugs. They left without waiting for a thank you. I have seen Police attending road accidents.
I am surprised how many people my age and older are still dreaming of a day when Police are outnumbered and they think utopia will reign. When Police are outnumbered they will call fucking Blackwater guys. Get a fucking grip. Capitalists are laughing at you.
It all seems really simple to me. To try and draw back from the extremes of capitalism we need to interest the majority. As far as I can see only the top 3% will suffer in their pockets and in comparison to the bottom 50% they will still be living in luxury. As culture changes and the majority are on side, the top 3% who I would imagine are suffering quite badly from human greed might try some funny business so it would really help if the Police were on side. The reaction they had to Climate Camp on black heath was very encouraging. Please don't throw it away.
..
November 08, 2010
STARTING AND STOPPING...
Bakri's "Sheikh Google" style self starting in the Telegraph:
...Choudhry said she had been viewing "interesting" life stories of YouTube users describing how they became Muslim when al-Awlaki's sermons appeared as related content on the site. As the impressionable 21-year-old watched she became "surprised at how little I knew about my religion" and "motivated to learn more".
After watching hundreds of hours of extremist propaganda online in just six months, she decided to kill in revenge for Britain's involvement in the Iraq war...
...She told officers that she had decided to put her plan into action just "a few days" after watching a video in which Sheikh Abdullah Azzam spoke of the obligation for Muslims to defend a Muslim land if it is attacked...
...Choudhry said she did not regularly visit a mosque and had no-one to answer questions about her faith or about the material she viewed online, meaning the films were the only interpretation of the Koran she had access to.
She said: "I don't ask anyone, I just listen to his lectures. There's no-one to ask."...
..."I feel like I've ruined the rest of my life. I feel like it's worth it because millions of Iraqis are suffering and I should do what I can to help them and not just be inactive and do nothing while they suffer." ...
..
...Choudhry said she had been viewing "interesting" life stories of YouTube users describing how they became Muslim when al-Awlaki's sermons appeared as related content on the site. As the impressionable 21-year-old watched she became "surprised at how little I knew about my religion" and "motivated to learn more".
After watching hundreds of hours of extremist propaganda online in just six months, she decided to kill in revenge for Britain's involvement in the Iraq war...
...She told officers that she had decided to put her plan into action just "a few days" after watching a video in which Sheikh Abdullah Azzam spoke of the obligation for Muslims to defend a Muslim land if it is attacked...
...Choudhry said she did not regularly visit a mosque and had no-one to answer questions about her faith or about the material she viewed online, meaning the films were the only interpretation of the Koran she had access to.
She said: "I don't ask anyone, I just listen to his lectures. There's no-one to ask."...
..."I feel like I've ruined the rest of my life. I feel like it's worth it because millions of Iraqis are suffering and I should do what I can to help them and not just be inactive and do nothing while they suffer." ...
..
FREE
Terrorists freed from jail to walk the streets: a list
At least 46 convicted terrorists "pose a risk" to the public on the streets, Government documents have disclosed. (Telegraph)
and in The National here:
At least 20 Islamist extremists who may pose a risk to the public have completed their sentences in UK prisons and been released. Another 26 will be eligible for parole in two years.
A classified ministry of justice document revealed yesterday by The Daily Telegraph shows that tight controls are now in place restricting where militants on parole can work and what mosques they can visit. Some have also been banned from using computers and all are forbidden to associate with known criminals.
"There is now a small but significant number of terrorists being held in custody or managed on licence," the document says.
"This instruction ensures that processes to manage offenders who pose a risk of harm to the public, or whose cases pose complex management issues, are effectively configured to meet the challenges of managing terrorist offenders."...
also:
...A legal team led by Birmingham solicitor Phil Shiner claims to have evidence of systematic abuse of detainees. It includes the cases of 59 Iraqi civilians who say they were hooded by British troops. Eleven claim to have been subjected to electric shocks, 122 claim that ear muffs were used for sound deprivation, 131 say they experienced sight deprivation through the use of blackened goggles, 52 say they were deprived of sleep, 39 allege they experienced enforced nakedness, and 18 claim that they were forced to watch pornographic DVDs.
In addition, a number of cases have emerged in which British troops allegedly killed Iraqi civilians. The case of Baha Mousa is one of the few that ever reached court. One soldier was jailed for a year after pleading guilty to inhumane treatment of Baha Mousa, but six other soldiers were acquitted. Most cases have never reached court...
..
At least 46 convicted terrorists "pose a risk" to the public on the streets, Government documents have disclosed. (Telegraph)
and in The National here:
At least 20 Islamist extremists who may pose a risk to the public have completed their sentences in UK prisons and been released. Another 26 will be eligible for parole in two years.
A classified ministry of justice document revealed yesterday by The Daily Telegraph shows that tight controls are now in place restricting where militants on parole can work and what mosques they can visit. Some have also been banned from using computers and all are forbidden to associate with known criminals.
"There is now a small but significant number of terrorists being held in custody or managed on licence," the document says.
"This instruction ensures that processes to manage offenders who pose a risk of harm to the public, or whose cases pose complex management issues, are effectively configured to meet the challenges of managing terrorist offenders."...
also:
...A legal team led by Birmingham solicitor Phil Shiner claims to have evidence of systematic abuse of detainees. It includes the cases of 59 Iraqi civilians who say they were hooded by British troops. Eleven claim to have been subjected to electric shocks, 122 claim that ear muffs were used for sound deprivation, 131 say they experienced sight deprivation through the use of blackened goggles, 52 say they were deprived of sleep, 39 allege they experienced enforced nakedness, and 18 claim that they were forced to watch pornographic DVDs.
In addition, a number of cases have emerged in which British troops allegedly killed Iraqi civilians. The case of Baha Mousa is one of the few that ever reached court. One soldier was jailed for a year after pleading guilty to inhumane treatment of Baha Mousa, but six other soldiers were acquitted. Most cases have never reached court...
..
November 05, 2010
ONE IN ONE OUT
I know I have been watching and listening to them for a while but I honestly have no opinion on whether or not we should let radical clerics into the UK. Its your country, run it how you like. I've got to say that in all my years of Radical news watching hobby this has got to be the best title for a related article..
ONE IN ONE OUT FOR RADICAL MUSLIM CLERICS/
a bit more feather spitting?
What a messed up world we live in when this muppet has to retain British citizenship because the Egyptians were smart enough to disown him first...
Telegraph-The Special Immigration Appeals Commission ruled that Hamza could not be made stateless and if he also succeeds in blocking his extradition to the US, he will be freed to live in Britain next October. David Cameron was said to be "disappointed" with the decision but a Downing Street spokesman said it would not affect the extradition proceedings.
The Home Office said they would consider it closely and added: "British nationality is a privilege and the Home Secretary has the ability to remove it from dual nationals when she believes it to be in the public good.”
The Special Immigration and Appeals Commission (SIAC) ruled that Hamza could not be stripped of his citizenship because the Egyptians had got there first...
..
ONE IN ONE OUT FOR RADICAL MUSLIM CLERICS/
a bit more feather spitting?
What a messed up world we live in when this muppet has to retain British citizenship because the Egyptians were smart enough to disown him first...
Telegraph-The Special Immigration Appeals Commission ruled that Hamza could not be made stateless and if he also succeeds in blocking his extradition to the US, he will be freed to live in Britain next October. David Cameron was said to be "disappointed" with the decision but a Downing Street spokesman said it would not affect the extradition proceedings.
The Home Office said they would consider it closely and added: "British nationality is a privilege and the Home Secretary has the ability to remove it from dual nationals when she believes it to be in the public good.”
The Special Immigration and Appeals Commission (SIAC) ruled that Hamza could not be stripped of his citizenship because the Egyptians had got there first...
..
November 04, 2010
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
Website used by woman who stabbed MP encourages further attacks (Telegraph)
A radical website has praised the stabbing of the MP Stephen Timms and published a list of other MPs who voted for the war in Iraq, along with details of where to buy a knife. The website, Revolution Muslim, is hosted in Bellevue, Washington, and includes a disclaimer invoking the first amendment of the US constitution, protecting free speech...
I took a look at this website just recently when I was reading something about Anwar Al Awlaki and I must admit I was surprised that it was featuring talks by Adam Yahiye Gadahn blatantly justifying terrorist attacks in the west and yet it was hosted in the States and on the same blog site I am on. I have noticed in the past that in Sweden and Norway Muslim extremists can get away with saying stuff they would be jailed for over here too but in post 9/11 America?
Looking again at Revolution Muslim they are well up on events over here, more than I am these days anyway featuring Mr Choudharry's writings about his CNN interview where he states he believed he has been entrapped by CNN into making statements supporting terrorism,
They also feature stuff I didn't know existed from Abu Izzadeens speeches upon being released from jail. He doesn't look like he has suffered any..
A radical website has praised the stabbing of the MP Stephen Timms and published a list of other MPs who voted for the war in Iraq, along with details of where to buy a knife. The website, Revolution Muslim, is hosted in Bellevue, Washington, and includes a disclaimer invoking the first amendment of the US constitution, protecting free speech...
I took a look at this website just recently when I was reading something about Anwar Al Awlaki and I must admit I was surprised that it was featuring talks by Adam Yahiye Gadahn blatantly justifying terrorist attacks in the west and yet it was hosted in the States and on the same blog site I am on. I have noticed in the past that in Sweden and Norway Muslim extremists can get away with saying stuff they would be jailed for over here too but in post 9/11 America?
Looking again at Revolution Muslim they are well up on events over here, more than I am these days anyway featuring Mr Choudharry's writings about his CNN interview where he states he believed he has been entrapped by CNN into making statements supporting terrorism,
They also feature stuff I didn't know existed from Abu Izzadeens speeches upon being released from jail. He doesn't look like he has suffered any..
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)