"MI5 warns al-Qaida regaining UK toehold after Arab spring"

MI5 warns al-Qaida regaining UK toehold after Arab spring | UK news | The Guardian: "In the months after the Olympics, MI5 is likely to reorganise itself to give more resources to counter the threats from cyber space.

"Vulnerabilities in the internet are being exploited aggressively, not just by criminals but also by states," Evans [Jonathan Evans, the head of MI5] said. "And the extent of what is going on is astonishing, with industrial scale processes involving many thousands of people lying behind both state sponsored cyber espionage and organised cyber crime." Terrorist groups had not posed a significant threat in this area, he said."

Rowan Williams on Muslims in the UK

The Observer, Rowan Williams pours scorn on David Cameron's 'big society', 24 Jun 2012 "The archbishop says that the Labour party was wrong in 2006 to make incitement to religious hatred a criminal offence, arguing that anti-Muslim statements could show courage." I think one needs to take a look at the full quote on this; it would be interesting to read the book in context.

Update: Also see Faith & Theology, Rowan Williams in the Observer: Muslim loyalty and the nation state

Babur in London

Guardian, Babur in London - a challenging subject at Opera North, so close to Beeston "The potentially inflammatory theme of Muslim suicide bombers makes Babur in London a most unlikely opera. Staged last week at Opera North in Leeds and currently touring nationally, The Opera Group's latest production comes complete with hijab-clad characters, and demonstrates the degree of intense interest in modern-day terrorism."

More information here: Operagroup, Babur in London

One Direction Fans Hit Back At Zayn Malik 'Pimping Islam' Claims

Bradford Telegraph & Argus, One Direction Fans Hit Back At Zayn Malik 'Pimping Islam' Claims, 21 Jun 2012 "Bradford pop star Zayn Malik has flown back alone to the UK midway through his band One Direction’s tour of America after an attack by a right-wing talk show host and blogger who accused him of “pimping Islam” at his young female fans."

'United Irishmen'

BBC Radio 4, United Irishmen includes reference to dress-code issues in Northern Ireland, in this interesting documentary.

Radicalised by the net

Guardian, Muslim pair accused of planning jihad bomb attack on Jews in Britain, 20 Jun 2012 "A Muslim couple were assembling components of a home-made bomb to attack Jewish neighbourhoods after becoming radicalised by al-Qaida propaganda on the internet, a court heard on Wednesday."

The FP Twitterati 100

The FP Twitterati 100 | Foreign Policy

Other choices are available ...

Ramadan Iftars

alarabiya.net, British mosques to host Ramadan Iftars during Olympics, 12 Jun 2012: "As London gets busy to host the Olympics in August, mosques across the country are gearing up for the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan -- which this year coincides with the Games. "

'Islam’s place in Europe'

CNN.com Blogs, Islam’s place in Europe – Global Public Square - :

opinion piece by Jonathan Laurence.

Paving a political path to Bradford's Muslim women

Guardian, Paving a political path to Bradford's Muslim women, 11 Jun 2012 "Much has been made of Pakistani Muslim male politics in Bradford since Labour's historic defeat in the Bradford West by-election earlier this year. And since Muslim women were credited with being a key component of George Galloway's stunning victory, Labour has been keen to court this unlikely female electorate."

Diary of a Badman

Guardian, Diary of a Badman: 'I'm not a model Muslim, but I make people think', 10 Jun 2012 I have posted a more detailed piece about this, with videos, on my Virtually Islamic blog here

Warsi under investigation

Telegraph, Baroness Warsi and the 'extremist', 9 Jun 2012 The Telegraph continues its focus on Warsi. "The peer is under investigation over her undeclared links to Abid Hussain, a relative by marriage with whom she is involved in a catering business.

"However, there were calls last week for the inquiry, ordered by David Cameron, the Prime Minister, to be widened after Mr Hussain admitted that he had been involved in Hizb ut-Tahrir, a radical Islamist party that the Conservatives had pledged to ban."

Don't Panik! Islam and Europe's 'Hip Hop Wars'

Hishaam Aidi, aljazeera, Don't Panik! Islam and Europe's 'Hip Hop Wars' "Surveying European hip hop today, one notices two things: first, as in America, some of the biggest stars are Muslim, the children of immigrants and/or converts; and second, a number of these artists are (or have been) embroiled in controversies about freedom of expression, national identity and extremism. European government officials are increasingly worried about the influence that Muslim rap artists wield over youth, and are scrutinising hip hop practices in the immigrant neighbourhoods, trying to decide which Muslim hip hop artists to promote and which to push aside." There's also a link in the article to a more detailed piece by Hishaam Aidi entitled The Grand Hip Hop Chessboard

Prayers Center Closure Shocks UK Muslims

OnIslam, Prayers Center Closure Shocks UK Muslims "A sudden decision by a British university to shut down an Islamic center used for performing daily prayers is shocking Muslim students." refers to University of East Anglia

Baroness Warsi - opinion pieces

Dan Hodges, Telegraph Blogs, Comrade Warsi, fallen hero of the People's Revolution 

Independent, Steve Richards: Baroness Warsi's problem is that her job just doesn't matter enough 

other op-eds are available