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ARSON ATTACK ON MASJID AL-GHURABAA’

PRESS RELEASE [5 May 09] ARSON ATTACK ON MASJID AL-GHURABAA’

The Islamic Centre, Luton, strongly condemns this violent Islamophobic attack on our masjid.  We believe that this attack was carried out by far right extremists, an attack that could have led to many deaths. We expect the police to leave no stone unturned in tracking down the perpetrators of this cowardly attack. Over 90 children attend our centre daily, had this attack happened at a different time, the results would have been catastrophic.  The Islamic Centre has been in the forefront of the fight against violent extremism and in promoting community cohesion. We strongly condemned the provocative protest by a small group of extremists against the returning British troops, and the subsequent irresponsible reporting by the media.

This attack is nothing short of an act of terrorism by non-Muslim extremists against the Muslim community.

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Press Release

MCB Expresses Alarm Following yet Another Attack on a UK Mosque

7 May 2009

The MCB conveys its sympathy and prayers for the well being of the Muslim community in Luton after the recent malicious arson attack on a local Islamic centre, Masjid al-Ghurabaa, which the police say has caused considerable damage. This latest attack on a Muslim place of worship and a community centre that includes educational facilities for children and women is another sad reminder of the clear and present reality of Islamophobia in Britain today.

The MCB commends the Bedfordshire Police for its swift action so far and hopes that they will apprehend the perpetrators swiftly and bring them to justice. The suspected arson attack follows a number of threats the mosque has received from suspected far right groups in recent weeks. We would also implore all such centres, mosques, businesses and schools that cater for Muslims to re-evaluate their security measures in cooperation with the police to safeguard against possible attacks.

Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain, Dr. Muhammad Abdul Bari added:

�Although the investigation is still ongoing into this shocking crime, we cannot ignore the clear correlation between the rise of Islamophobia with the rise of extremist far right groups in Britain. With the forthcoming European Parliamentary Elections on June 4th, we would like to remind all fellow citizens who value a safe and harmonious Britain to exercise their vote. Our complacency may unwittingly open the doors to racist and xenophobic parties like the BNP, who only fuel hatred and extremism in our country, to slip into power.�

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May 8, 2009 - Posted by Abu-Tayeb Khairdeen | Current Issues