ExtremismWhat is objectionable, what is dangerous, about extremists is not that they are extreme, but that they are intolerant - Robert F. Kennedy |
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They came first ...
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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). | |||||||||||||
Extremism and social exclusion | |||||||||||||
Brain scans show social exclusion creates jihadists, say researchers 6 Jan 2019 read ... 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.” |
Report slams council for "appearing to have wilfully ignored extremist activity" 8 April 2019 read … 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. |
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LBWF’s policy on Prevent reaps what it sows… | |||||||||||||
Chechen President identifies knifeman – and says France is solely to blame for his murderous rampage 13 May 2018 read … 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. |
Government launch plan to tackle racial inequality in 'hotspot' borough Waltham Forest 11 October 2017 read … 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. Waltham Forest Council told to adopt integration plans 14 March 2018 read … 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. |
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Cllr. Mark Rusling denies BRIT Project is a Prevent Program | |||||||||||||
The Education Network for Waltham Forest read ... 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. Family Action Building stronger families read ... 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. |
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Fury after primary pupils are asked to complete radicalisation-seeking surveys 28 May 2015 read ... 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”. |
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Children's extremism survey added to anxiety in Muslim community 5 June 2015 read ... 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. |
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Waltham Forest Council of Mosques WFCOM statement denounces attempt to implement BRIT program 17 December 2015 read ... 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 |
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The politics of extremism | |||||||||||||
David Lammy : Labour Party party has lost touch with core working class voters and feels 'adrift from large parts of Britain' 23 November 2014 read ... 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. |
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Black and minority ethnic youth unemployment "rose by 50% under the coalition" 11 March 2015 read ... 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.” |
Navigant 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 Trust read ... 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? Waltham Forest hate crime up by a quarter 20 February 2015 read ... 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. |
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The Institute of Community Cohesion Report, Breaking down the walls of silence 2007. read ... 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 ... |
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Investigation uncovers ISIS sympathising women meeting in council-owned centre 25 November 2015 read ... 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. |
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Comment LBWF and the anti-terrorist Prevent programme: is it wise to keep it in the closet? NTiratsoo 25 Nov 15 read ... 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 read ... 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. |
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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 read ... |
'Radicalisation risk' pupils in Waltham Forest named 30 November 2015 read ... 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. |
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Extremist caught in Hungary despite ban from leaving UK 24 November 2015 read ... 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. |
Banned group tried to rent hall near suspects' homes 16 August 2006 read ... 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. |
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Comment 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 ... |
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Read the full comment - Waltham Forest Matters
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Waltham 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 ... |
Several 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? |
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Mosque leaders call for peace as they condemn ISIS attacks in Paris 16 November 2015 read ... 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.” |
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Children's extremism survey added to anxiety in Muslim community 5 June 2015 read ... 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. |
More Muslim leaders join calls for peace following ISIS terror attacks 17 November 2015 read ... 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.” |
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Police ignorance of Islam 'hindering fight against radicalisation', former top cop says 9 March 2015 read ... 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.“ |
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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? |
Waltham Forest police: there has been an increase in gang-related activity including serious youth violence across the borough. 2nd August 2014 read ... 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. |
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ISIS fighters linked to Jihadi John 'radicalised in Waltham Forest' 26 January 2015 read .. 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. . |
Young Muslims in Walthamstow, groomed by IS, ‘don’t even know how to pray’ 14 March 2015 read ... 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. |
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Active Change Foundation more ... 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. |
The Active Change Foundation in Leyton to launch a group for girls 12 March 2010 more ... 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. |
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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 more ... |
Improvement 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 read ... read document - pdf |
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BAME women face "catastrophic" levels of unemployment Dec 2012. read ... 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". |
Equality 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 ... |
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The authority was placed 63rd on gay rights charity Stonewall’s 2013 list of the 100 best employers of gay staff. | Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic No known list of top employers to ensure cost-effective way of implementing employers’ responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010. |
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Reluctant 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." |
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Youth Participation in Democratic Life LSE Final Report, February 2013 read 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." |
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Jordan Horner banned from protesting or demonstrating with 13 other people 29 January 2015 read ... 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 |
"I apologise" Muslim extremist vows never to harass public again 2 November 2015 read ... 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. |
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Waltham Forest carers, social workers, refuse collectors, street cleaners and teaching assistants anger that many are ‘struggling to make ends meet. 4th July 2014 read ... 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 |
Age UK Index of Multiple Deprivations in Waltham Forest 8 January 2013 read ... 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 |
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They 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. | |||||||||||||
Malala Yousafzai speech in full
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Tory MP Nus Ghani: I find it very hard to believe that anyone wants to cover up their face 26 January 2016 read ... 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.” |
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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? And despite what ‘terrorists’ and extremists will tell you, Islam is a religion that brings Peace. | |||||||||||||
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Quilliam 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." more ... |
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October 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) |
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Building Community Cohesion
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09 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. | |||||||||||||
Hooded 'Muslim Patrol' vigilantes remove alcohol from drinkers and tell women to cover up as they stalk Waltham Forest's streets | |||||||||||||
Islamic extremists declare Britain's first Sharia law zone, the worrying social and moral implications
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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. Sectarian strife is worst threat in world 11 November 2013 read ... 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. |
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The shape of things to come?
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Paradise: “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. |
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Chingford-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. |
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CHINGFORD: Iran's 'government in exile' celebrates 14th anniversary
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