[Mb-civic] CBC News - HATE CRIMES AGAINST U.K. MUSLIMS SOAR

Wed Aug 3 17:47:48 PDT 2005

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HATE CRIMES AGAINST U.K. MUSLIMS SOAR
WebPosted Wed Aug  3 12:26:01 2005

---The number of hate crimes primarily affecting Muslims in the United
Kingdom soared 600 per cent in the weeks after the London bombings on
July 7, police say.

Crime statistics show there were 269 hate-motivated attacks in the three
weeks following the bombings that killed 56 people. Similar crimes during
the same period last year totalled 40.

Most cases were verbal or minor physical assaults targeting the Muslim
community, although there was property damage and attacks on mosques,
said Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur.

"It can lead to these communities completely retreating and not engaging
at a time when we want their engagement and support," Ghaffur said.

Britain's Home Office on Tuesday began meetings across the country with
local leaders and Muslim communities to try to improve relations and
address concerns of security, education and extremism.

 FROM AUG. 2, 2005:
U.K. police told not to use racial profiling

There are an estimated 1.6 million Muslims in Britain.

A new shoot-to-kill police policy against would-be bombers that claimed
the life of a Brazilian electrician in error has raised fears that racial
profiling permeates police ranks.

Racism among a minority of white youths, whether tied to soccer
hooliganism or race riots in dance clubs, has a history in Britain.

Three of the suicide bombers had family roots in Pakistan, while the
fourth moved to Britain from Jamaica as a youngster. Several of the
suspects in the botched July 21 attacks hailed from east Africa.

There's a concern in some quarters that violence against the Muslim
community could see more of its members, especially young people, to
embrace extremism.

A former mayor of Oldham, a northern industrial town near Manchester that
was the site of race riots four years ago, said that moderate people must
take the lead in reaching out to youth.

"We want to work together to get rid of this evil among us," said Riaz
Ahmed, after meeting with Hazil Blears, a minister in the Home Office.

Another community activist supported the concept. "The right Muslims with
the right thinking and the right mind need to get to the youngsters
before the extremists do," Mohammed Miah said.