Extremism This page requires checking and editing

Extremism

What is objectionable, what is dangerous, about extremists is not that they are extreme, but that they are intolerant - Robert F. Kennedy

nutshellThey came first ...
THEY CAME FIRST for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.
THEN THEY CAME for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.
THEN THEY CAME for the trade unionists and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.
THEN THEY CAME for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.
THEN THEY CAME for me and by that time no one was left to speak up.

Equality, Waltham Forest Style, April 2014 - In spite of WCLP’s equalities policy, it seems two Labour controlled wards and three Conservative wards have no BAME representation on council:  Wood Street (L), Leytonstone (L), Hatch Lane (C), Chingford Green (C) and Endlebury (C).

 
TopExtremism and social exclusion
wfcwBrain scans show social exclusion creates jihadists, say researchers
6 Jan 2019
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International studies of young Muslim men show that radicalisation follows a sense of isolation from society
University College London (UCL) researchers were part of an international team that used neuroimaging techniques to map how the brains of radicalised individuals respond to being socially marginalised. The findings, they claim, confirm that exclusion is a leading factor in creating violent jihadists.
The research challenges the prevailing belief among western policymakers that other variables, such as poverty, religious conservatism and even psychosis, are dominant drivers of jihadism. “This finally dispels such wrongheaded ideas,” said the study’s co-lead author, Nafees Hamid of UCL. “The first ever neuroimaging study on a radicalised population shows extreme pro-group behaviour seems to intensify after social exclusion.”
The findings, they claim, confirm that exclusion is a leading factor in creating violent jihadists.
The research challenges the prevailing belief among western policymakers that other variables, such as poverty, religious conservatism and even psychosis, are dominant drivers of jihadism. “This finally dispels such wrongheaded ideas,” said the study’s co-lead author, Nafees Hamid of UCL. “The first ever neuroimaging study on a radicalised population shows extreme pro-group behaviour seems to intensify after social exclusion.”
lbwfReport slams council for "appearing to have wilfully ignored extremist activity"
8 April 2019
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 A former counter-extremism co-ordinator for Waltham Forest Council is writing a national report that singles the borough out as having a “grim history of extremism and terrorism”.
The report highlights incidents in Waltham Forest including a prominent Islamist being given an award by the council and collection boxes in high street stores for groups advocating extremist ideologies.
Charlotte Littlewood, 27, was at the council for almost two years before being dismissed after facing a disciplinary hearing on allegations that she had breached her employment contract – something she denies.
In her report, funded by charity Ahmadiyya UK, Ms Littlewood states that, due to its “high level” of extremist activity, Waltham Forest is considered a priority borough by the Government with regard to the need to tackle extremism and therefore benefits from greater state resourcing and support.
 
LBWF’s policy on Prevent reaps what it sows…
wfcwChechen President identifies knifeman – and says France is solely to blame for his murderous rampage
13 May 2018
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Chechnya's president, Ramzan Kadyrov, has identified the attacker who killed one man and injured four others in central Paris before being shot dead by police as Khamzat Azimov.
Chechnya's President Kadyrov said, "I consider it necessary to state that all responsibility for the fact that Khasan Azimov went on the road of crime lies completely with the authorities of France."  "He was only born in Chechnya, and his growing up, the formation of his personality, his views and persuasions occurred in French society."
French media reports that Azimov arrived in France with his parents at the start of the 2000s.
He is reported to have lived in Nice and Strasbourg among the Chechen community, French newspaper Le Monde reports.
wfcwGovernment launch plan to tackle racial inequality in 'hotspot' borough Waltham Forest
11 October 2017
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Waltham Forest is one of 20 areas across the UK where measures will be taken to tackle racial inequalities under new government plans.
Mentoring schemes and traineeships for people from ethnic minority backgrounds aged 16 to 24 could be introduced in the borough under measures announced by Prime Minister Theresa May.


wfcwWaltham Forest Council told to adopt integration plans
14 March 2018
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Waltham Forest in London have been told they must adopt new integration plans to deal with problems of segregation.
Communities Secretary Sajid Javid, launching a consultation paper on the plan, said Britain "cannot ignore the fact that in too many parts of our country, communities are divided".
"Successive governments have refused to deal with the integration challenges we face head on, preferring to let people muddle along and live isolated and separated lives," he said.

 
Cllr. Mark Rusling denies BRIT Project is a Prevent Program
wfcwThe Education Network for Waltham Forest
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The ‘BRIT Project’
The 'BRIT Project' package is a suite of resources for primary school staff and students in Waltham Forest. It is designed to safeguard young people from potentially harmful information or views presented to them face to face or on the Internet and through social networking sites such as YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.
This package is funded entirely by the Local Authority and is therefore FREE for all schools to utilise as part of their Safeguarding measures.

wfcwFamily Action
Building stronger families
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Family Action transforms lives by providing practical, emotional and financial support to those who are experiencing poverty, disadvantage and social isolation across England.
We have been building stronger families since 1869, and today work with over 45,000 families through over 125 community-based services. Thousands more are supported with financial assistance through education and welfare grants programmes.
Our innovative services reach out to those in need, we strengthen families and communities, build skills and resilience and improve the life chances of children and adults.
wfcwFury after primary pupils are asked to complete radicalisation-seeking surveys
28 May 2015
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Waltham Forest council has been piloting the scheme in five primary schools with large Muslim intakes. The questionnaire, circulated among year 6 pupils, asks how much they trust the police and people from another race or religion.
The programme, known as Brit – Building Resilience Through Integration & Trust – is targeted at nine- to 11-year-olds and involves lesson plans and workbooks about identity and belonging.
The charity Family Action is delivering the programme to schools. The programme has been funded with a €500,000 (£360,000) grant from an EU fund – the Radicalisation Leading to Terrorism Programme – designed to “identify the initial seeds of radicalisation with children of primary school age”.
 
wfcwChildren's extremism survey added to anxiety in Muslim community
5 June 2015
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Mosque leaders across Waltham Forest have said they are "extremely concerned" about a questionnaire handed out to school children which was branded Islamophobic.
The Islamic Human Rights Commision said the questionnaire was Islamaphobic as it was geared towards Muslims, but the council denied the anonymous questionnaire was directed at pupils of any particular faith.
Comment, mdj 11:14am Fri 5 Jun 15

The whole project was crass and intrusive regardless of one's religion, and people are right to object, especially at the underhand way it was introduced into the school.
But presumably Mr Hansa and his colleagues are concerned that their community should be seen to be pro-active in tackling the problem of violent radicalisation, and will be coming forward with their own suggestions for tackling it?
Merely to complain at inept projects like this is not the end of their role.
wfcmWaltham Forest Council of Mosques
WFCOM statement denounces attempt to implement BRIT program

17 December 2015
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WFCOM have issued a statement to denounce the attempt by the Waltham Forest Council to bring in an anti-terror programme into schools on the back of a stabbing at Leytonstone station two weeks ago.
Whilst applauding the police and others for their bravery in dealing with the situation in Leytonstone, Waltham Forest Council brought a resolution to the full council meeting which included the following:
8. That, while there have been acknowledged issues in Waltham Forest, Prevent and the Council’s work in schools through programmes such as BRIT are intended to ensure that each resident feels safe, respected and part of a cohesive community. At their best, they do just that and should be supported.
It appears that the Waltham Forest Council will go to any lengths to implement their controversial PREVENT/BRIT programmes by somehow suggesting that by targetting effectively Muslim schoolchildren, incidents such as the one at Leytonstone station can be prevented.
Read the statement by WFCOM here
   
TopThe politics of extremism
wfcwDavid Lammy :  Labour Party party has lost touch with core working class voters and feels 'adrift from large parts of Britain' 
23 November 2014
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Mr Lammy writes: ‘By and large, modern Labour politicians come from liberal, professional backgrounds.  'They have benefited from globalisation – they mix in social circles with people who work in multinational firms, enjoy foreign travel and find diversity enriching.  ‘Much of Labour’s traditional electoral base does not feel this way… Immigration becomes swept up in this story.
wfcwBlack and minority ethnic youth unemployment "rose by 50% under the coalition"
11 March 2015
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New statistics suggest that over 40,000 black, Asian and ethnic minority people aged 18 to 24 have been unemployed for more than 12 months.
The number of BAME 16 to 24-year-olds out of work for more than 12 months has increased to 41,000 - accounting for one-fifth of youth unemployment - according to an analysis of official figures by the House of Commons Library and the Office for National Statistics.
The significance of this rise is thrown in to sharp relief when compared to the trends for young white people. There was a 2% fall in long-term unemployment among young white people, resulting in an overall fall in long-term youth unemployment of 1%.
“These figures are astonishing,” said the shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan. “At a time where general unemployment is going down and employment is going up, it is doing the reverse for this group… we have got a generation that is being thrown on the scrapheap, and what compounds it is that a disproportionate number are black, Asian, minority ethnic.”
NavigantNavigant Consulting
London Borough of Waltham Forest, Local Economic Assessment, Nov 2010
.
read full report
In Waltham Forest skills levels are very low, as in most of East London. Waltham Forest ranks 377th out of 408 local areas in Great Britain on overall skills and qualifications scores. There are more Asian/Asian British unemployed in Waltham Forest than any other ethnic grouping.

Equality TrustEquality Trust
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The UK is a divided society where the richest receive the lion’s share leaving crumbs for the rest. How did we get to this point? What are the costs of having such high inequality? And what do people think we should do about it?

wfcwWaltham Forest hate crime up by a quarter
20 February 2015
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Hate crimes including discrimination against a person's race and sexuality have risen across Waltham Forest new figures have shown
Last year there was a 24 per cent increase in reports of crimes with race, sexuality, disability or age perceived as the motivating factor.
wfcwThe Institute of Community Cohesion Report,
Breaking down the walls of silence
2007.
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Professor Ted Cantle said: “Many members of the Muslim communities feel unrepresented by the Council and isolated from other statutory agencies: although there are 12 Muslim Councillors, they are all associated with the same Mosque and come from the same part of the Community. “
The report continues: “Similarly, Council officials from the Muslim communities are perceived by many to be partisan, and we understand that some have been placed under inappropriate pressure by Councillors or other members of their own communities.”
Read the BBC report ...
 
wfcwInvestigation uncovers ISIS sympathising women meeting in council-owned centre
25 November 2015
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The Asian Centre in Orford Road, a council owned community centre, is being used by a group of ISIS sympathising women.  Council has stopped the group from meeting there after their shocking preaching was exposed.
The Asian Centre in Orford Road has been used for a ladies group every Tuesday, but undercover filming shown on Channel 4 on Monday revealed the shocking preaching of those attending.
Comment
LBWF and the anti-terrorist Prevent programme: is it wise to keep it in the closet?
NTiratsoo    
25 Nov 15
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Earlier this year, I asked LBWF how it was spending Prevent monies in the borough, but was rebuffed. The full story is here:.
Comments
ginger_1951 11:07pm Thu 26 Nov 15
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This was the centre I was told I couldn't teach ESOL as the class was all female and Muslim. My employer was LBWF CLASS. So my employer was complicit in gender discrimination and segregation.( I'm a male teacher with years of teaching in Tower Hamlets Bengla Deshi community.) It was called the Asian community centre but should've been called the Sharia centre.
Comment
NTiratsoo 25 Nov 15
It turns out that the scenario of extremists using the Asian Centre has happened before, and made the national papers:
After that episode, LBWF put in place preventive measures to stop a repeat.
According to the Hub's last annual report, Cllrs. Khan, Mahmoud and Rusling are 'supporters' - i.e. gatekeepers put in there on our behalf to keep an eye out on what is going on.
So lets hear from them about how they explain recent events!

LBWF and the fight against ISIS
NTiratsoo
27 November 2015
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wfcw'Radicalisation risk' pupils in Waltham Forest named
30 November 2015
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The names of seven primary school pupils feared to be at risk of radicalisation have been inadvertently revealed, the BBC has learned.   Pupil's first names were mistakenly revealed by Greenleaf Primary School in East London after correspondence with Waltham Forest Council was released in response to a Freedom of Information request by a parent.
It came after classes at the school took part in a social cohesion survey. The council said it had "taken legal steps" to recall the information.
Parent Haras Ahmed submitted the FoI request referring to one class at the school, asking if certain children had been targeted.
The response to him from the school and council included the line: "Our project will combine a universal teaching module with a range of tools designed to ensure early intervention for any children who are felt to be vulnerable to radicalisation."
Mr Ahmed said: "It's been a disaster from start to finish.
wfcwExtremist caught in Hungary despite ban from leaving UK
24 November 2015
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Islamic  extremist Trevor Brooks, also known as Abu Izzadeen from Leyton was stopped by Hungarian police last week, despite being banned from leaving the UK.   Izzadeen, a former Christian who converted to Islam on his 18th birthday was jailed in 2008 for financing terrorism and was supposed to remain in the country.
He was detained by officers at a crossing point on the Hungarian border - while bound for Romania on a train, according to The Guardian.  It is not clear if he was heading for Syria.
He was stopped alongside fellow British extremist Simon Keeler, a Muslim convert, who was acquitted in July of planning to travel to Syria to join ISIS after being found in the back of a lorry at Dover.
Simon Keeler, 44, has also served time in prison for funding terrorism and was jailed for 15 months after admitting possession of false identity documents.
wfcwBanned group tried to rent hall near suspects' homes
16 August 2006
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Waltham Forest council banned the extremist group al-Ghurabaa from holding clandestine meetings at premises within walking distance of the homes of several terror suspects arrested last week, the Guardian has learned.
Al-Ghurabaa booked the council-owned community hall in Walthamstow on two occasions, but gave false information about the purpose of the events. One of the planned meetings, in February at Waltham Forest Asian Centre, was to plan protests against the Danish cartoons bearing images of the prophet.
The group was also stopped from using the hall in November last year when it was booked under a pseudonym by an associate of Omar Bakri, the radical cleric who has been banned from visiting Britain.
wfcwComment NTiratsoo    
25 Nov 15
Earlier this year, I asked LBWF how it was spending Prevent monies in the borough, but was rebuffed. The full story is here:. read ...
nutshell Read the full comment - Waltham Forest Matters
NTiratsoo    25 Nov 15
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The LBWF chief executive, Martin Esom, who earns more than the Prime Minister, is also chair of Chair of the London Prevent Board – in other words he thinks of himself as a bit of an expert on curtailing extremism.
Earlier this year, I asked LBWF how it was spending Prevent monies in the borough, but was rebuffed. The full story is here:

Now we know what LBWF has been allowing to go on right under its nose.
I think Mr. Esom should resign.
I also think that there are legitimate and very serious questions to ask of all those councillors who lobbied Mr. Esom against Prevent late last year. On my blog, I described this episode as follows:

‘In May 2015, Martin Esom, LBWF Chief Executive, told a hearing at City Hall: ‘before Christmas I had a deputation of councillors that came to see me about Prevent and how uneasy they felt about the whole programme in the borough’ (City Hall Police and Crime Committee, op.cit, p.3). One reputable source tells me that this neutral sounding description hides a less palatable truth. The deputation was exclusively Muslim, and the ‘uneasiness’ was tinged with sectarianism, the objective of which was to persuade Mr. Esom that Prevent should be re-focused, principally at Shia sects, and Ahmadis’.

Perhaps Liquat Ali, as the senior figure in the ‘Muslim bloc’ of councillors, will now step forward and state whether this account is true?
Because if it is, I believe that he, too, should resign.


wfcwWaltham Forest hate crime up by a quarter
20 February 2015

Hate crimes including discrimination against a person's race and sexuality have risen across Waltham Forest new figures have shown.read ...
wfcwSeveral of our councillors have close links with the Muslim community, which they represent..
What are they doing to counter the radicalisation of our young Muslim youth, to include them within our mainstream society?
 
wfcwMosque leaders call for peace as they condemn ISIS attacks in Paris
16 November 2015
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Waltham Forest Islamic Association (WFIA) has released a statement calling for peace, condemning the acts of the ISIS extremists, following the coordinated terror attacks people in Paris, on Friday..
Eight gunmen and suicide bombers shot and killed innocent people as they enjoyed their Friday evening across the city at cafes, the Stade de France and the the Bataclan concert hall.
In a statement WFIA said they condemn the acts of terror.
They said: “WIFA is horrified to learn of the abhorrent and inhumane acts of terror perpetrated against the people of Paris.
“We unequivocally condemn this act of terrorism and vehemently oppose any ones attempt at associating this heinous act with the true teachings of Islam.
“Our heartfelt sympathies are with the families affected and we offer our condolences to the families of the bereaved victims.”
The leaders of mosques in the borough went on to quote the Holy Quran stating to take an innocent life is to ‘kill the whole of humanity’.
“We take this opportunity to state Islam’s opposition to any acts of terror and remind all of the clear verse in the Holy Quran,” the statement continued.
“The acts of terror we are experiencing recently are unprecedented in the west but a poignant reminder of what is being suffered in the Muslim lands for a long time.
“Indeed, it is the Muslims who are the biggest victims of ISIS terror and these events, like in Paris, are unfortunately an all too common occurrence suffered by Muslims.
“We request governments not to over react by further introducing any unreasonable curtailment of civil liberties.
“We should always pursue a diplomatic route as violence breeds violence.
“We must unify the voices against terrorism and not act to isolate any community as that will only serve the extremist agenda and further endanger all of our lives.”
wfcwChildren's extremism survey added to anxiety in Muslim community
5 June 2015
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Mosque leaders across Waltham Forest have said they are "extremely concerned" about a questionnaire handed out to school children which was branded Islamophobic.
The controversial questionnaire was handed to pupils at Buxton School in Leytonstone a fortnight ago. Questions asked to children as young as ten included how much they trust members of a different race or religion and whether or not they use violence to problem-solve. It was distributed as part of Waltham Forest council’s Building Resilience through Integration & Trust (BRIT) programme.
The Islamic Human Rights Commision said the questionnaire was Islamaphobic as it was geared towards Muslims, but the council denied the anonymous questionnaire was directed at pupils of any particular faith. Buxton School headteacher Kath Wheeler said the questionnaire was distributed without her knowledge and the results had now been destroyed.
Chairman of The Waltham Forest Council of Mosques (WFCOM) Yusuf Hansa said the survey has added to anxiety in the Muslim community over measures to tackle extremism. He said: “The Waltham Forest Council of Mosques (WFCOM) is extremely concerned with the recent questionnaire that was given out to year 5 and 6 students at a local school in the borough.
wfcwMore Muslim leaders join calls for peace following ISIS terror attacks
17 November 2015
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Yusuf Hansa, Chairman of Noor Ul Islam said the attacks are horrific and "go against the teachings of Islam".
Mr Hansa said worshippers at the mosque were "deeply upset" on hearing of attacks in Beirut and Baghdad last week.
He said the upset turned into disgust when reports of the terrorist attacks in Paris came on Friday (November 13).
Mr Hansa said: “We condemn this violence in the strongest possible terms.
"My thoughts and prayers for the families of those killed and injured in these recent attacks, especially for those in France. Parisians are our neighbours and Islam teaches us to be especially good to our neighbours.
"The thoughts and well-wishes of those of Noor Ul Islam go out to those affected by these acts of terrorism. These attacks bear no resemblance to the teachings of Islam.
"There is nothing Islamic about such acts and these are clearly outside the boundaries set by our faith.
"The whole community should do everything possible to ensure that justice and peace prevails.”
wfcwPolice ignorance of Islam 'hindering fight against radicalisation', former top cop says
9 March 2015
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The government’s anti-radicalisation strategy is a ”toxic brand” run by mainly white officers with little understanding of Islam, gender or race, a former senior Muslim policeman claimed today.
Dal Babu, a former Met chief superintendent, said the lack of Muslim staff in the ranks of the “Prevent” scheme is hampering efforts to stop vulnerable young people, particularly women, from travelling to Syria to join Islamic State.
Police ignorance of Islam 'hindering fight against radicalisation', former top cop says
He said: “The police service and, in particular Counter Terrorism Command, continues to be predominately white while the lack of Muslims means the police understanding of issues is limited “If you are going to fight terrorism effectively then your key operatives need to reflect the people that you are dealing with and that is not happening here. “This means they do not have a good understanding of the complexities of the Muslim community.“
A Better Way Partnership,
a Community interest Company 2014

Sheridan Mangal: ABWP contributes to the shape and form of Waltham Forest’s gang prevention programme aka “Enough is Enough”, but after 3 years is there an awareness of the programme and is it having the desired effect at street-level, for the intended beneficiaries?
wfcwWaltham Forest police: there has been an increase in gang-related activity including serious youth violence across the borough.
2nd August 2014
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He says the on-going activity is a 'spin off' to the arrests which took place in terms of a suspected turf war or people filling the gap in drug dealing.
 
wfcwISIS fighters linked to Jihadi John 'radicalised in Waltham Forest'
26 January 2015
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A group of football-loving jihadists who travelled to join terror group ISIS in Syria were radicalised while living in Waltham Forest, it is claimed. The Portuguese men, who reportedly settled in the borough while trying to make a career in football, are even being linked to a man known as Jihadi John, the terrorist filmed executing journalist James Foley.


The group are now being hunted by security services who believe they could be behind gruesome execution videos which hit the internet last year. .
wfcwYoung Muslims in Walthamstow, groomed by IS, ‘don’t even know how to pray’
14 March 2015
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Hanif Qadir of the Active Change Foundation, an anti-radicalisation group,  works with young people in Walthamstow says he increasingly encounters young people who are being targeted by extremists online.
Most of the young Londoners being groomed to join Islamic State in Syria are ignorant of Islam, and some do not even know “which direction to pray.”
Mr Qadir, a former jihadi who fought in Afghanistan in 2002 before renouncing violence, added: “They’re into street crime, gun crime, drugs, car theft, credit card fraud. But then you’ve now got a new threat. The new threat is radicalism.
ACFActive Change Foundation
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Since 2003 the Active Change Foundation has been working to bring about greater social cohesion in the community and beyond, to prevent the spread of extremism in all its forms.
As a result of the ACF staff’s personal experiences of street crime and the lure of violent extremism, ACF has a unique, in-depth understanding of the social, cultural and faith issues that need addressing in the ommunity. 
We are committed to providing all sections of our diverse communities with support, understanding the routes to personal and communal progression.
Our work permeates the barriers of faith, race, gender and class in order to address individual needs with a united approach.
wfcwThe Active Change Foundation in Leyton to launch a group for girls
12 March 2010
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A GROUP set up to help deter young people from extremism and gangs is launching a service for girls.
The Active Change Foundation (ACF) works across the borough with different cultural groups to try to prevent street violence and stop vulnerable young men being influenced by extremist ideology.
Up until now, the foundation has only worked with young men, who are perceived to be most at risk, but workers at the centre in Lea Bridge Road, Leyton, will now seek to educate girls on the danger signs.
 
Stella Creasy, MP Labour and Co-operative Party
Why I am Working for Walthamstow: Impatience is a Virtue

or how we can learn to stop worrying and change the world
wfcwStella Creasy, MP, 2014
In the speech I talk about Walthamstow and why I stood to be an MP because of my commitment to helping everyone realise their potential. In this speech I say "the impatience we should have, the choice for our generation isn’t just to deal with change, it is to provoke it for the good of all. read ...
wfcwFrom Reluctant Gangsters, John Pitts 2007
"As far as they are concerned we don’t exist, and even if we do, we are just some kind of problem that won’t go away. I sometimes think the best thing we could do would be to go out and vote and demand that our politicians listen to what’s happening to us.".
read ...
The Institute of Community Cohesion Report, 2007.
Breaking down the walls of silence
Professor Ted Cantle said: “Many members of the Muslim communities feel unrepresented by the Council and isolated from other statutory agencies: although there are 12 Muslim Councillors, they are all associated with the same Mosque and come from the same part of the Community. “
The report continues: “Similarly, Council officials from the Muslim communities are perceived by many to be partisan, and we understand that some have been placed under inappropriate pressure by Councillors or other members of their own communities.” read ...
Read the BBC report ...
wfcw
 
Ofsted Ofsted assessment of children's services
November 2011
WALTHAM Forest Council's children and young people services department is one of the worst in the country, according to watchdog Ofsted
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wfcwImprovement notice issued to Waltham Forest Borough Council due to poor performance in looked after children's services.
Department for Communities and Local Government and Department for Education
Last updated: 7 March 2013
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read document - pdf
 
wfcwBAME women face "catastrophic" levels of unemployment
Dec 2012.
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They
are discriminated against at "every stage" of the recruitment process, a group of MPs has warned. Labour MP David Lammy, the committee's chairman, says the situation is "deeply worrying".
Trevor PhillipsEquality and Human Rights Commission
29 March 2012
Mr Phillips will step down to make way for a full-scale reshaping of the Equality and Human Rights Commission. He warned that the country was 'sleepwalking towards segregation.'
more ...
Cllr Mark RuslingThe authority was placed 63rd on gay rights charity Stonewall’s 2013 list of the 100 best employers of gay staff. wfcwBlack, Asian, and Minority Ethnic
No known list of top employers to ensure cost-effective way of implementing employers’ responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010.
 
John PittsReluctant Gangsters, John Pitts 2007
read ... pdf
Guardian report ...
John Pitts said: “It appears that gang-affected families don’t feel that their concerns are represented, or their predicament understood, by politicians and policy makers. As far as they are concerned we don’t exist, and even if we do, we are just some kind of problem that won’t go away.” Pitts went on to say: "I think their parents are too stretched with trying just to make a living. They haven’t got time to care."
 
LSEYouth Participation in Democratic Life
LSE Final Report, February 2013
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There is a clear lack of opportunity and political inclusion amongst some young people who are systemically excluded (through poverty, unemployment, linguistic, ethnic or social integration, etc.).
"young people do not believe that politicians sufficiently address their concerns. This could be improved either by political parties making an effort to take youth concerns more seriously, or through the direct elections of young people representatives which would force a campaign on youth-relevant issues."
   
uddin jordanJordan Horner banned from protesting or demonstrating with 13 other people
29 January 2015
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Already banned from promoting Sharia law in London has had the terms of his anti-social behaviour order amended. 
Radical Muslim convert, Jordan Horner, 21, of Radbourne Crescent, Walthamstow, was the first person in the UK to be banned from preaching in public following a landmark five-year ASBO ruling in February of last year. He has now had an additional three-year order placed on his ASBO banning him from attending any demonstration, protest or rally with 13 other people.
Horner, was one of five men convicted and jailed for sectarian violence in June last year, after violence broke out against a rival sect at a rally organised and led by radical cleric Anjem Choudary, also from Walthamstow.
The protest, involving members of the proscribed terrorist organisation 'Al Muhajiroun', resulted in two Shi'ite Muslims being violently attacked and beaten with wooden placards in Edgware Road in May 2013
wfcw"I apologise" Muslim extremist vows never to harass public again
2 November 2015
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Member of the ‘Muslim patrol’, Jordan Horner, targeted couples holding hands, people drinking alcohol, and women who the group deemed to be dressed "inappropriately".
Now on licence from prison, the 21-year-old said he has reformed.  "I apologise to the individuals that I did harass and attack,” he told Sky News.
Horner has now admitted that his actions could have caused Islamophobia - and for the past year, has been working with an agency which claims to have reformed 20 extremists in the past six years.
Usman Raja, who runs the Unity Initiative, said the organisation's goal is to tackle the "mistranslation" of Islam by using the teachings of respected scholars.
He still practices as a Muslim but said he will never enforce the principles on anyone else.
wfcwReligious education classes 'needed' in schools
31 January 2015
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Developing young people's "religious literacy" would help to make them less vulnerable to radicalisation, a conference will hear later.
"Good religious education has never been more needed," Ed Pawson, chairman of the National Association of Teachers of Religious Education, will say.
But pupils will miss out unless the government addresses a shortage of RE teachers, he will warn.
The government said training bursaries would help to recruit more RE staff.
'Never more threatened'
In a speech to NATRE's inaugural annual conference, Mr Pawson is expected to ask "what hope" there is for students to receive a strong religious education when so few of those teaching the subject are qualified to do so.
RE "has never been under greater threat", he is expected to say.

wfcwReligious leaders in Waltham Forest have condemned the actions of gunmen killings journalists and police officers in Paris
9 January 2015
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Islamic and Christian leaders, including Canon Steven Saxby, have strongly condemned the killings of journalists and police officers in Paris

wfcwGeneral Secretary Waltham Forest Islamic Association (WFIA) Mohammed Ilyas Raja said all Muslims at the ‘strongly condemned’ the actions of the gunmen.  
He said: “These people are not Christian, they are not Muslim, they are not Jews, they are animals. Crazy animals.  “They have no religion. This should not happen anywhere in the world and this association is against the killing of innocent people.  “This is not Islam. In Islam we are taught that to kill one man is to kill all humanity.  “We fully support the French government. We do not want to interfere with the French government or law.  “People who create images of the Prophet should be dealt with under the law of the land. It is not punishable by death in Paris.”
wfcwCanon Steven Saxby from St Barnabas Church delivered a message of peace.
"It is sad to see that the tragic events in Paris have led to another upsurge in anti-Muslim activity. “I've spoken with my Muslim colleagues to assure them of my support at what is a challenging time.  “I pray the Waltham Forest model of living together in peace may inspire others to stand-up to all forms of hatred and violence.”
wfcwRadical cleric Anjem Choudary, from Walthamstow caused outrage by justifying the killings.
He claimed that freedom of expression should not extend to the Prophet anywhere in the world.  
He said to Fox News reporter Sean Hannity: “What I’m saying is that these things need to be put into context.  “I think the political landscape in Europe has in fact shifted – many right wing organisations are now allowed to espouse their own anti-Islamic ideas very openly.  “Freedom of expression has a responsibility by those people who espouse it in the West.  You have laws which curtail freedom of expression for your own national security.  “In Islam this carries capital punishment.”  Mr Choudary called for worldwide Sharia Law, which would ban images of the Prophet being published.
wfcwNadeem Ali condemns Charlie Hebdo killings
10 January 2015
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Councillor Nadeem Ali is speaking out this week to condemn the killing of 12 people in Paris on January 7.
Twelve people were shot dead with automatic weapons at the office of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo after gunmen stormed the building.
The Waltham Forest Councillor has described the attack as "an act of evil" and "barbaric".
In this weeks Speaking Out Councillor Ali speaks of the attack and a community vigal which is set to take place in Waltham Forest.
 
wfcwWaltham Forest carers, social workers, refuse collectors, street cleaners and teaching assistants anger that many are ‘struggling to make ends meet.
4th July 2014
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A strike organised by UNISON will see a picket line formed at the Town Hall in Forest Road on July 10.
According to UNISON, council workers in Waltham Forest have been left struggling to get by, with some relying on food banks, second jobs and in-work benefits to make ends meet
wfcwAge UK Index of Multiple Deprivations in Waltham Forest
8 January 2013
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WF continues to be one of the most deprived boroughs in England. In terms of the overall measure of multiple deprivation (IMD 2010) WF ranks 15th most deprived among the 326 local authorities in England. (2011 data)
Profile: Deprivation in WF
 
MalalaThey think that God is a tiny, little conservative being who would point guns at people’s heads just for going to school. These terrorists are misusing the name of Islam for their own personal benefit. Pakistan is a peace-loving, democratic country. Pashtuns want education for their daughters and sons. Islam is a religion of peace, humanity and brotherhood. It is the duty and responsibility to get education for each child, that is what it says. Peace is a necessity for education. In many parts of the world, especially Pakistan and Afghanistan, terrorism, war and conflicts stop children from going to schools. We are really tired of these wars. Women and children are suffering in many ways in many parts of the world.
nutshellMalala Yousafzai speech in full

Honourable UN Secretary General Mr Ban  Ki-moon, respected president of the General Assembly  Vuk Jeremic,  honourable UN envoy for global education  Mr Gordon Brown, respected elders and my dear brothers and sisters: Assalamu alaikum.
Today is it an honour for me to  be speaking again after a long time. Being here with such honourable people is a great moment in my life and it is an honour for me that today I am wearing a shawl of the late Benazir Bhutto. I don’t know where to begin my speech. I don’t know what people would be expecting me to say, but first of all thank you to God for whom we all are equal and thank you to every person who has prayed for my fast recovery and new life. I cannot believe how much love people have shown me. I have received thousands of good-wish cards and gifts from all over the world. Thank you to all of them. Thank you to the children whose innocent words encouraged me. Thank you to my elders whose prayers strengthened me. I would like to thank my nurses, doctors and the staff of the hospitals in Pakistan and the UK and the UAE government who have helped me to get better and recover my strength.

I fully support UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in his Global Education First Initiative and the work of UN Special Envoy for Global Education Gordon Brown and the respectful president of the UN General Assembly Vuk Jeremic. I thank them for the leadership they continue to give. They continue to inspire all of us to action. Dear brothers and sisters, do remember one thing: Malala Day is not my day. Today is the day of every woman, every boy and every girl who have raised their voice for their rights.

There are hundreds of human rights activists and social workers who are not only speaking for their rights, but who are struggling to achieve their goal of peace, education and equality. Thousands of people have been killed by the terrorists and millions have been injured. I am just one of them. So here I stand, one girl among many. I speak not for myself, but so those without a voice can be heard. Those who have fought for their rights. Their right to live in peace. Their right to be treated with dignity. Their right to equality of opportunity. Their right to be educated.

Dear friends, on 9 October 2012, the Taliban shot me on the left side of my forehead. They shot my friends, too. They thought that the bullets would silence us, but they failed. And out of that silence came thousands of voices. The terrorists thought they would change my aims and stop my ambitions. But nothing changed in my life except this: weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, power and courage was born. I am the same Malala. My ambitions are the same. My hopes are the same. And my dreams are the same. Dear sisters and brothers, I am not against anyone. Neither am I here to speak in terms of personal revenge against the Taliban or any other terrorist group. I am here to speak for the right of education for every child. I want education for the sons and daughters of the Taliban and all the terrorists and extremists. I do not even hate the Talib who shot me.

Even if there was a gun in my hand and he was standing in front of me, I would not shoot him. This is the compassion I have learned from Mohamed, the prophet of mercy, Jesus Christ and Lord Buddha. This the legacy of change I have inherited from Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and Mohammed Ali Jinnah.

This is the philosophy of nonviolence that I have learned from Gandhi, Bacha Khan and Mother Teresa. And this is the forgiveness that I have learned from my father and from my mother. This is what my soul is telling me: be peaceful and love everyone.


 
wfcwTory MP Nus Ghani: I find it very hard to believe that anyone wants to cover up their face
26 January 2016
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Britain's first female Muslim Tory MP tells Rosamund Urwin about saving girls from IS, teaching all women English and breaking into a white boys' club
 Nus Ghani is in full flow about the folly of British girls wanting to be jihadi brides. “Why would you give up every right you have in this country to have no rights whatsoever?” she asks, her usually-soft voice raised in bewilderment. “I can’t think of anything more frightening than being in that situation in a far-flung country with a language you don’t speak.”
The MP for Wealden in East Sussex — who’s the first female Muslim Conservative MP — acknowledges that IS (or Daesh, as she calls it) pitches itself as exotic. “If young women have been brought up in traditional homes, their life might be a tight circle: home, friends, school. The lure of Daesh is you’re going to explore a new land, live a different life; it’s the most exciting thing you can possibly do.”
niqabEngland is known for its rich culture, its welcoming arms and acceptance of others and just walking in Walthamstow Market proves that. So is it suddenly right to dictate what I, and others, wear in a country that boasts freedom for all? And despite what ‘terrorists’ and extremists will tell you, Islam is a religion that brings Peace.
nutshell 'My niqab is my identity'
23rd September 2013
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I am an 18 year-old Muslim who chooses to wear the veil. Many women in my family also wear it, while some others have chosen not to. For those who don’t wear it, I have nothing against them nor do I think they are wrong. To wear the veil is a choice a Muslim woman needs to make.
A verse in the Quran tells us to cover our beauty and lower our gaze and to be modest so that we are not taken advantage of - and so that there are no out-of-marriage relationships, unwanted pregnancies and a society where children do not know who their father or mother is.
It is not to oppress us, rather give us the privacy and respect we deserve. The past week has been somewhat of a ‘veil’ week.
With the woman who was told to remove the veil while giving evidence in court, health secretary Jeremy Hunt calling for a national debate on the issue; clinical staff being banned from wearing the veil during treatment and the fraudster who used it as a means to steal money, it was like every time I turned on the news the world was trying to stop me from following my beautiful religion.
England is known for its rich culture, its welcoming arms and acceptance of others and just walking in Walthamstow Market proves that.
So is it suddenly right to dictate what I, and others, wear in a country that boasts freedom for all? Issues such as the woman who had to remove her veil to give evidence in court are rare and need to be dealt with individually. In this circumstance, the woman was allowed to sit behind a screen with the jury.
Fair enough.
But Whipps Cross Hospital banning the niqab for its employees is a bit unfair. Again, this matter should be dealt with individually. If a patient was to be treated by a niqabi woman and he/she felt uncomfortable then I am sure that most Muslim doctors would be happy to comply or else find a solution for this problem. Other patients may not be bothered if they were treated by a Doctor who had her face covered.
When important, we will show our face to appropriate bodies without having to ban us from wearing the veil, altogether.
My niqab is my identity.
And despite what ‘terrorists’ and extremists will tell you, Islam is a religion that brings Peace.

 
QuilliamQuilliam is the world’s first counter-extremism think tank set up to address the unique challenges of citizenship, identity, and belonging in a globalised world. Quilliam stands for religious freedom, equality, human rights and democracy.
"When all know that they have a stake in a shared society, democratic values will strengthen for all."
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Professor CantilleOctober 2007, Breaking down the walls of silence
There are 12 councillors from the Muslim communities in Waltham Forest. However, these councillors do not reflect the diversity of the communities in the borough – associated as they all are with the Jamia Masjid Ghosia (Lea Bridge Road Mosque)

nutshellBuilding Community Cohesion
Technomist, February 2013 -read Mr Jilani
“It is your duty, the duty of those who recite the holy verse, to kill those who insult Prophet Mohammed ..  An apostate deserves to be killed and any man may kill him."
Waltham Forest Council, 2011   "The heterosexism of wider society is the origin of discrimination against lesbian and gay men."  2013  Waltham Forest Council named as one of best LGBT employers
Institute of Community Cohesionicoco
The Institute of Community Cohesion was established in 2005 to provide a new approach to race, diversity and multiculturalism. Our work focuses on building positive and harmonious community relations, using applied research to constantly develop practice and to build capacity of all the agencies and individuals involved.
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Noor Ul IslamMosque makes donation to Met Police's Leyton Custody Centre
20th December 2012
A MOSQUE has donated prayer mats and copies of the Qur’an to police for the use of suspects detained at the Met's custody centre in Leyton. The donation was made by management at Noor Ul Islam Mosque in Leyton High Road, which is close to the custody centre in Hainault Road. Noor Ul Islam Chairman Yusuf Hansa said: “Noor Ul Islam is committed to building a positive relationship with other agencies especially the Police Service to improve the community.
"We must work together for the common good.”
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Salaam PeaceSalaam Peace
In the summer of 2006 the borough of Waltham Forest was the scene for a series of high-profile arrests involving local residents relating to the 7/7 terrorist attacks.
These arrests and the subsequent media attention in the borough increased the negative perceptions of the local British Muslim community who felt the brunt of actions and attitudes of a small minority of ‘Muslims’ who carried out these terrorist attacks.
In response to this Salaam Peace felt a need to promote Islam as a peaceful religion it is and highlight the positive effect that young British Muslims can bring to their communities.
From this Salaam Peace was born and although sport is at its core, the programme provides a forum for local law enforcement and government agencies to actively engage with young people both Muslim and non-Muslim-to show that they can benefit the entire community.
Salaam PeaceStella Creasy MP for Walthamstow said:
“It was great to see so many young boys coming together to play football and in the process work together at the Easter Cup event - its great to see groups like Salaam Peace coming forward with such activities that will benefit our local young people. Congratulations to all the volunteers and members of the group who worked so hard to organise this tournament and I look forward to the next one!"
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ACFActive Change Foundation
Since 2003 the Active Change Foundation has been working to bring about greater social cohesion in the community and beyond, to prevent the spread of extremism in all its forms.
As a result of the ACF staff’s personal experiences of street crime and the lure of violent extremism, ACF has a unique, in-depth understanding of the social, cultural and faith issues that need addressing in the ommunity. 
We are committed to providing all sections of our diverse communities with support, understanding the routes to personal and communal progression.
Our work permeates the barriers of faith, race, gender and class in order to address individual needs with a united approach.
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GuardianThe Active Change Foundation in Leyton to launch a group for girls
12 March 2010
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beaconBuilding cohesion in the community
We have a range of initiatives such as tension monitoring and the use of groups such as the Community Cohesion Task Group and the Faith Communities Forum. We work closely with our different communities to promote tolerance and respect.
Waltham Forest Council Equality Plan 2012 - 2015
 
The Telegraph09 Feb 2012-Extremist preachers now radicalising young Muslims in private homes, says senior Government security adviser. Extremist preachers are turning their backs on mosques and using private homes to radicalise young Muslims into becoming terrorists, according to one of Britain’s top security advisers. Third world charities set up to raise money to help people in Pakistan and Bangladesh are also being used as front organisations to fund terrorism, according to the Home Office’s top anti-terrorism adviser.
 
MailHooded 'Muslim Patrol' vigilantes remove alcohol from drinkers and tell women to cover up as they stalk Waltham Forest's streets
nutshellIslamic extremists declare Britain's first Sharia law zone, the worrying social and moral implications
The TelegraphExtremist preachers now radicalising young Muslims in private homes, says senior Government security adviser
09 Feb 2012
Extremist preachers are turning their backs on mosques and using private homes to radicalise young Muslims into becoming terrorists, according to one of Britain’s top security advisers.
Third world charities set up to raise money to help people in Pakistan and Bangladesh are also being used as front organisations to fund terrorism, according to the Home Office’s top anti-terrorism adviser.
Charles Farr, the Director General of the Office for Security and Counter Terrorism, also said that Al-Qaeda was now at “its weakest state” since the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Mr Farr, who was once tipped as a future head of MI6, added that it was “possible to talk of the demise of parts of Al Qaeda” because the revolutions in the Middle East had weakened support for them.
The news came amid the continuing row over the European Court of Human Rights' refusal to allow Britain to extradite Abu Qatada - once described as “Osama bin Laden’s right-hand man in Europe” - to Jordan to face terror charges.
Mr Farr said extremist Muslim preachers could no longer radicalise young people at mosques and universities because of the increasingly effective activities of the Security Services on mainland Britain.
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IzadeenSharia Law: Battlefield London
Anjem Choudary, Abu Izzadeen, Martin Esom (Chief Executive Waltham Forest)
MailHooded 'Muslim Patrol' vigilantes remove alcohol from drinkers and tell women to cover up as they stalk London suburb
Jamaal UddinJamaal Uddin was pictured putting up Sharia controlled zone stickers in Walthamstow
29 July 2011
“It is our duty to go out and spread his word among Muslims and the wider community.”“We want to create an area where Muslims can live together, make transactions with each other, and interact between themselves rather than with the wider community.”

Abu IzzadeenWe are going to go implement our own Sharia-controlled zones. This is the best way for dealing with drunkenness and loutishness, prostitution and the sort of thug life attitude you get in British cities. We live among the non-Muslims but we have to distinguish ourselves from them.
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Selborne Walk, in conversation
:
'we will, depending on the circumstances, stone some women to death.'

demotixMuslims march for Sharia law zones in the UK
Around 70 men from Muslims Against Crusades marched in London calling for the setting up of Sharia law controlled zones in which Islamic rules would be enforced. The ENA and others demonstrated against them. 30 July 2011
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IslamWomen Against Shariah
It is our position that shariah law imposes second class status on women and is incompatible with the standards of liberal Western societies and the basic principles of human rights that include equality under the law and the protection of individual freedoms. The shariah code mandates the complete authority of men over women, including the control of their movement, education, marital options, clothing, bodies, place of residence and all other aspects of their existence. Further, it calls for the beating, punishment, and murder of women who don’t comply with shariah requirements. In our efforts to stem the encroachment of shariah in the West, we are focusing on the following objectives:
  • Education of the American public about the inherent human rights violations and the attempt to undermine or replace U.S. law and American statutes with Islamic shariah
  • Publicizing of important issues related to sharia requirements such as honor killings, forced marriages, child marriage, polygamy, female genital mutilation, violence against women, etc.
  • Alerting policy makers and legislators to potential human rights and equal rights violations and working toward the development of possible remedies and legal actions
  • Building coalitions with like-minded organizations to develop policy initiatives and interventions for victims of shariah.
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Boko HaramBoko Haram Islamists
Boko Haram promotes a version of Islam which makes it "haram", or forbidden, for Muslims to take part in any political or social activity associated with Western society.
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islamophobiawatchIslamophobia Watch has been founded with a determination not to allow the racist ideology of Western Imperialism to gain common currency in its demonisation of Islam.
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Ghaffur‘Enemy within’ facing Muslims
18th August 2005
A MUSLIM youth leader has expressed fears that vulnerable young people in Waltham Forest are at risk of becoming the suicide bombers of tomorrow.
Hanif Qadir of the Al Badr youth group says radical political parties working in the borough may be opening the floodgates to drastic action.
The Metropolitan Police Service's top Muslim officer, Assistant Commission-er Tarique Ghaffur, is urging communities to reach out to young people and stand together against terrorism.
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ParadiseParadise: “As wide as the Heavens and the Earth” will take place on Sunday January 1st 2012 after Dhuhr (1:15pm – 3pm). The lecture will be delivered by shaykh Assim al Hakeem.
Shaykh Assim al-Hakeem graduated from the prestigious Umm al-Qura University in Makkah, Saudi Arabia in 1998. At present Shaikh Assim is an Imam of a masjid in Jeddah, a role which he has held for the past 19 years, where the Shaikh delivers the weekly Friday sermons and lectures on various Islamic Sciences. Shaykh Assim al-Hakeem also participates regularly on both Islamic radio and television programs including Peace TV, Islam Channel and Huda TV.

The lecture is free and is open to brothers and sisters. Fully Segregated.
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mosque 2013 - Row over legitimacy of Lea Bridge Road Mosque committee.
The Charity Commission confirmed that in August it issued an order allowing elections to take place in November. Opposition member Irfan Akhtar, who has been involved with the mosque for over a decade and whose own membership was denied on Saturday, claims the committee is now denying legitimate voters the chance to have a say in the running of the mosque.

zarifSectarian strife is worst threat in world
11 November 2013
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Sectarian tension between Shia and Sunni Muslims is probably the most serious threat to world security, according to Mohamed Javad Zarif, Iran's foreign minister.  ''Sectarian divide in the Islamic world is a threat to all of us''
Mr Zarif said all sides should forget their differences over Syria to oppose sectarianism.
NutshellThe shape of things to come?
9th November 2013
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The committee of the Waltham Forest Islamic Association has been in power for one year longer than is constitutionally allowed
A row has erupted over the legitimacy of the elected committee at the Waltham Forest Islamic Association (WFIA). The constitution of the association, which runs Lea Bridge Road Mosque, states that a committee should stand for just three years, but the current group has been in power for four years without an election.
Committee members acknowledges it has exceeded its tenure, but added that it is legitimate.
Senior committee member Asghar Ali said: “There is no irregularity about it. We are the legitimate elected committee, regulated by the Charity Commission.” He claims they had wanted to hold elections last November, as they were bound to do, but it emerged that opposition members had registered illegitimate voters from outside the borough.
Mr Ali said: “We discussed in a committee meeting that the membership was not truly representative at the moment, so it was decided that the best way forward is to write to the Charities Commission and let them give us a ruling.”
The commission wrote back saying if the suspect membership was used in elections it would nullify any decisions taken by the committee, he said.
The Charity Commission confirmed that in August it issued an order allowing elections to take place in November.
Opposition member Irfan Akhtar, who has been involved with the mosque for over a decade and whose own membership was denied on Saturday, claims the committee is now denying legitimate voters the chance to have a say in the running of the mosque.
The committee amended the constitution to include a clause allowing only those who are affiliated with WFIA to vote.
Many opposition members are concerned that this will allow the committee to pick and choose members as it sees fit due to the unspecific nature of the criteria. It is claimed that 150 people were denied becoming members on Monday.
The move goes against voting criteria outlined in the previous constitution stating only that a person must be over 16, a resident of the borough and a Muslim.
Mr Akhtar said the committee added the condition without support of the constitution and opposition, but the committee says the changes were agreed by all parties and reflect similar changes at other mosques in the borough. “We have still kept this mosque open to the public and want to keep it as a public association, but only those affiliated can become members,” Mr Asghar said.
The deadline for new members is November 17. Following the completion of member registration a six-week notice period must be given before elections.

 
ParadiseParadise: “As wide as the Heavens and the Earth” will take place on Sunday January 1st 2012 after Dhuhr (1:15pm – 3pm). The lecture will be delivered by shaykh Assim al Hakeem.
Shaykh Assim al-Hakeem graduated from the prestigious Umm al-Qura University in Makkah, Saudi Arabia in 1998.
The lecture is free and is open to brothers and sisters. Fully Segregated.
   
IranChingford-based Iranian 'leader in exile' jailed for arranging illegal immigration
The leader of the self-proclaimed Iranian government in exile has been jailed for arranging illegal immigration into the UK.
nutshell CHINGFORD: Iran's 'government in exile' celebrates 14th anniversary
iranCHINGFORD: Iran's 'government in exile' celebrates 14th anniversary
22nd December 2011
THE self-proclaimed “Iranian Government in exile” has celebrated its 14th anniversary – at its international headquarters in Chingford.
The group, which founded the United Iranian Party (UIP) in Cyprus in 1997, wants to see the overthrow of the Islamic republic's dictatorial regime and the introduction of free elections.
Its modest but high-security building in Connaught Avenue, off Station Road, has been the subject of curiosity from Chingford residents and has even been mistaken for the Iranian embassy.
But, despite its otherwise low profile, the group says it has tens of thousands of members worldwide – including 150,000 covert supporters in Iran.
The UIP is battling for international diplomatic recognition to show Iranians that there is an alternative to its current leadership of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Ayatollah khomeini.
Party co-ordinator Ali Befroi, 55, who lives nearby in Chingford Mount, fled Iran to Cyprus in the 1980s following the Islamic Revolution which brought the regime to power in 1979.
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IranChingford-based Iranian 'leader in exile' jailed for arranging illegal immigration
19th December 2012
The leader of the self-proclaimed Iranian government in exile has been jailed for arranging illegal immigration into the UK.
Arya Bina, also known as Ali Befroei, of Waltham Way, Chingford, arranged false identification and travel documents for his clients, travelling to mainland Europe to assist them on the final leg of their journey.
The 57-year-old is the exiled leader of the United Iranian Party, based in Connaught Road, Chingford, which is highly critical of the Iranian regime and campaigns for free elections in the country.
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WFGuardianChingford's "Iranian government in exile" may have split up
6th January 2013
The self-proclaimed “Iranian government in exile” appears to have been dissolved after its chairman was sent to jail.The United Iranian Party abandoned its headquarters in Connaught Road, Chingford, around the same time as party co-ordinator Arya Bina faced fraud charges in October 2012.
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