NI: Muslims accept Robinson's apology

Belfast Telegraph, Muslims accept Robinson's apology " Muslim representatives in Northern Ireland said tonight that they have received and accepted an apology from Stormont First Minister Peter Robinson in the wake of controversial remarks he made about members of the Islamic faith."

'Islamic Democracy'

OnIslam, UK Muslims Highlight Islamic Democracy, 30 May 2014 “Muslims should take part in voting and the political process,” Shahid Mursaleen, spokesman for Minhaj-ul-Quran, told Newham Recorder on Friday, May 30.

Literary musings ...

BBC News, First There Was The Word "Author Yasmin Hai combines personal storytelling with journalistic analysis exploring British Muslim fiction, memoir, readerships and publishing and the forging of a literary 'Islamic gaze'." hopefully this will be repeated

NI Presbyterian Moderator reacts to anti-Islam remarks

BBC News, Presbyterian moderator condemns James McConnell's Islam remarks, 28 May 2014 "The moderator of the Presbyterian Church has criticised remarks made by an evangelical preacher who described Islam as "heathen" and "satanic"."

Welsh youngsters learn to rethink racism

Guardian, Welsh youngsters learn to rethink racism, 27 May 2014 "The white men on the screen are shouting, fists jabbing the air. "Allah, Allah, who the **** is Allah?" and "If you all hate Pakis, clap your hands". The young people watching are silent, serious. "It's embarrassing," they say afterwards. "They are making us all look bad."

The men in the film are from the Welsh Defence League – a spin-off of the far-right English Defence League – and the teenagers watching them are taking part in the Think Project, a three-day course aimed at stopping young white people in south Wales from getting involved in far-right extremism."

I've edited the quote. It's an interesting project. Details are here:

Think Project 

The download of their report is here

Arson attack

iEngage, Muslim centre in Birmingham burnt down in arson attack, 21 May 2014
"ITV News and the Birmingham Mail report on a suspected racially motivated arson attack on a Muslim arts centre in Birmingham."

Birmingham schools

Guardian, Michael Gove calls for further schools investigations after Trojan Horse affair, 21 May 2014 also see BBC News, Super-heads approached to run Birmingham schools

Abu Hamza case

Guardian, Abu Hamza found guilty of 11 terrorism charges, 20 May 2014 "Hamza was accused of being a terrorist of global reach, and was charged with providing material support to terrorist organizations by enabling hostage-takers in the Yemen kidnapping to speak on a satellite phone, by sending men to establish an al-Qaida training camp in Bly, Oregon, and by sending at least one man to training camps in Afghanistan."

First British conviction for Syria-related terror offence

Guardian, First British conviction for Syria-related terror offence, 20 May 2014 "Mashudur Choudhury, 31, is one of at least five men from Portsmouth who travelled to the conflict last October with the alleged intention of joining al-Qaida-inspired rebel groups fighting Bashar al-Assad's forces. He is the first British man to be convicted of a Syria-related terror offence since the conflict began."

'Jihadi Converts'

Radio 4, The Report, 'Jihadi Converts' "Converts to Islam are far more likely to be involved in terrorist incidents than those who were born into Muslim families: converts account for around a quarter of terrorist convictions in Britain since 9/11 yet they represent only 2-3% of the UK's Muslim population."

Halal labelling

Daily Mail Big brand shops and restaurants face being forced to label halal food as row grows over ritually slaughtered meat on sale in UK, 8 May 2014 Also see this response from the Muslim Council of Britain, 'Halal meat in the UK' "None of us are opposed to proper labelling of meat so consumers know whether they are halal or kosher. Indeed, this would be in the interests of Muslim and Jewish consumers who wish to observe their dietary rules.

"But in the interests of fairness and equality, consumers also have the right to know the origins of non-religious slaughtered food. If the current controversy is truly about consumer transparency, then we must also have labelled meat slaughtered via captive bolt shooting, gassing, electrocution, drowning or trapping. Singling out halal meat for compulsory labelling thus leaves us open to religious discrimination."

Abu Hamza trial

Telegraph, Abu Hamza trial: hate preacher says British wife persuaded him to turn to Islam "It was his first wife, an Englishwoman, who persuaded him to start to study Islam with her because she became interested in the religion, he explained. “She was persistent,” he said. “She pushed too hard.”"

Election issues

Muslim civil society organisations in Britain negotiate accusations of sectarianism when they engage in democratic politics : Democratic Audit UK:

British Fighters Filmed In Syria 'War Crime'

British Fighters Filmed In Syria 'War Crime', Sky News: "They believe the man that posted the video is part of a group of British fighters, known as Rayat al Tawheed, an affiliate of the Sunni jihadi movement ISIS, which controls large swathes of northern Syria."