Wednesday 21 June 2017

40 Years of Ethnic & Racial Studies

40 Years of ERS Timeline and Virtual Special Issue: Classic Papers in Context "Ethnic and Racial Studies celebrates the 40th Anniversary of the launch of the journal this year. The journal has achieved much over this period and has a long established reputation as the leading international journal in racial and ethnic studies. In this Timeline we want to highlight some of the journal's key achievements and important turning points."

Cambridge Mosque Development


"Tim Winter, also known as Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad, chairman of Cambridge Mosque Trust, told the News the final cost is likely to be higher than £15 million."

Tuesday 20 June 2017

Inter-Faith Symposium

Details of an Inter-Faith Symposium, taking place on UWTSD Lampeter Campus. Please contact organisers directly (not myself),

Monday 19 June 2017

#FinsburyPark - updated

This is a summary of coverage. My Twitter feed contains further updated materials:

BBC News, Eyewitness Hamza Nimane describes what he saw

Telegraph, Finsbury Park mosque tragedy in pictures

Guardian, Finsbury Park terror attack: 'Every bit as sickening' as previous attacks, says Theresa May – latest updates

 BBC News, Footage shows the moment crowds restrain man suspected of driving van into pedestrians near #FinsburyPark mosque 

Metro,  Imam from Muslim welfare centre protected Finsbury Park suspect from angry crowds

Archbishop of Canterbury's statement 

Guardian, Religious leaders unite in condemnation of Finsbury Park attack

Nesrine Malik, Guardian, After Finsbury Park, Britain must tackle its preachers of anti-Muslim hate

Qari Asam, Telegraph, Britain is not Islamophobic. This is one of the best countries in the world to be a Muslim [paywall]

The Times' headline is proving controversial, and has been compared with the London Bridge attack. The headline (and sub-header) on the right presents numerous cliches and stereotypes:


Metro, Son of Finsbury Park van hire company owner says: ‘It’s a shame we don’t hire out tanks’

Mirror, Daughter held dad as he died in her arms moments after Finsbury Park terror van 'ran over his legs'

Independent, Facebook posts 'glorifying' Finsbury Park terror attack reported to Government counter-extremism service 

Independent, Finsbury Park mosque attack: EDL founder Tommy Robinson's appearance on Good Morning Britain sparks outrage "Piers Morgan branded Mr Robinson a "bigoted lunatic" and told him to "show some damn respect for people’s religious beliefs" as Mr Robinson held up the Islamic holy book." Also see Daily Mail, Former EDL leader Tommy Robinson slammed on Twitter after he accuses Finsbury Park Mosque of 'creating terrorists' just one hour after people were mown down outside a place of worship

New York Times,   An Attack on Muslims Shakes Cosmopolitan London

Chris Allen, Huffington Post, Why Theresa May Is Wrong To Suggest That Islamophobia Is A Form Of Extremism 

Friday 9 June 2017

General Election 2017

Imams Online, General Election 2017 – The role played by Imams & Muslim Organisations 



"Some of the work done by Imams and Muslim organisations in
encouraging young Muslims to vote during this election added to the rise
of young people across the country from different communities coming
out to vote. It is important for leaders in our communities to encourage
their congregations to take part in the electoral process, as we have
seen this year."

Manchester

ITV, Manchester bomber's younger brother says he was radicalised online in Britain
"Ahmed Bin Salem, a spokesman for Tripoli's Special Deterrence Force,
told Reuters: "Hashem said that he and Salman got the ideology of Daesh
(Islamic State) in Manchester in 2015 from the internet and some friends
in the UK.

"He added that they used to watch videos and had sympathy for children in Syria and wanted to do something for Daesh to help."

Tuesday 6 June 2017

Tariq Ramadan, 'We will not tackle extremism by stigmatising Muslim citizens'

Tariq Ramadan, CIF, Guardian, We will not tackle extremism by stigmatising Muslim citizens
opinion piece  "Theresa May responded to the criminal attacks at London Bridge by saying: “Enough is enough.” Yes, enough is enough with the policies of stigmatisation and selective condemnation. It is time for something new, for less hypocrisy and more humanity and courage."

The myth of a single ‘Muslim community’

Sara Khan, Standard, The myth of a single ‘Muslim community’ fuels Islamic extremism "It is clear we have learned little about the diversity of Muslims. We have not only been prepared to legitimise Islamist preachers and groups, we continue to hold the misguided belief that we are serving the interests of the so-called “Muslim community”. We unhelpfully lump Muslims under the banner of a singular “community”."

London attack 3 June 2017 - updated 6 June 2017

This is a brief round-up of coverage associated with the attack in London on 3 June. Note that I posted in real-time on my Twitter feed @garybunt, and some of that content is also below. Selected articles are here:

BBC News, London attack rolling coverage

Metro, Police arrest more ‘a number of people’ in East London in early morning raids "Scotland Yard said seven women and five men aged between 19 and 60 were arrested under the Terrorism Act in Barking on Sunday. A 55-year-old man was later released without charge." Useful time-line of events.

Sky News, Photo shows the moment armed police ended London Bridge terror attack


MCB, Statement on London attacks

Evening Standard, Mosques and Muslim leaders 'united in disgust' after London Bridge terror attack (especially for the photos)

AP,  Attack brings out the best in London’s Borough neighborhood
 
Standard, London Bridge attacker, known as 'Abs', was extremist who had been reported to authorities and featured in documentary "MI5 and police faced growing pressure today over whether the London Bridge murders could have been prevented after it emerged that at least one of the attackers was a known extremist who had been reported to the authorities."

Aisha Gani, Buzzfeed,  More Than 130 Imams Are Refusing To Perform Funeral Prayers For The London And Manchester Attackers "The faith leaders — including Dr Timothy Winter of University of Cambridge; Sheikha Selina Begum Ali, the director of the Beacon Institute; and Imam Qari Asim of Leeds mosque — said they will refuse to perform Salat al-Janazah due to "ethical principles which are quintessential to Islam.""
Sky News, Third London attacker named as Youssef Zaghba "He was reportedly stopped at Bologna airport in March last year while trying to take a flight to Istanbul, before potentially travelling on to Syria."

Thursday 1 June 2017