This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/4359

Members of Banned Group Campaign To Stop Muslims Voting in UK

April 28, 2010

Members of Banned Group Campaign To Stop Muslims Voting
Centre for Social Cohesion Press Release - 28 April 2010


The Centre for Social Cohesion has found new evidence which suggests that members of the banned extremist organisation, al-Muhajiroun (aka Islam4uk), are now operating under a new name and are encouraging Muslims to abstain from the upcoming general elections.


Al-Muhajiroun was banned by the Home Secretary in January 2010 because, according to the government, the organisation was "concerned in terrorism".


Last week, leaflets found in East London bearing the name 'Voting is Shirk' urged Muslims not to vote, referring to democracy as 'unIslamic'.


Voting is Shirk have also begun to put up posters saying "voting for man-made law is apostasy" and have set up a website - www.votingisshirk.tk - which is registered in Turkey.


One of the main messages propagated by al-Muhajiroun was that democracy and 'man-made law' were evil, and Muslims were duty bound to overthrow secular governments. For years, often operating under different names, al-Muhajiroun campaigned against democracy. A leaflet produced by one of their alternate names, Ahl us-Sunnah Wal Jammah, sets out an almost identical argument as that of the Voting is Shirk group.


Apart from the almost identical messages of the two groups, the links between Voting is Shirk and al-Muhajiroun are also clear on their website.


The contact email given for the group is [email protected]. Abu Rumaysah is a former spokesperson for al-Muhajiroun and can be seen in this video (far left of panel) with Anjem Choudary, former leader of the group.


Abu Rumaysah is also in one of the videos on the Voting is Shirk site, where he reminds Muslims of their duty to reject democracy (00:17).


Two other former members of al-Muhajiroun can also be seen in this video:

Since the ban, the Government has claimed that if al-Muhajiroun remains operational under different names the police and Crown Prosecution Service can still take action against them.


CSC Researcher Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens says:


"Voting is Shirk is very likely to be the same group as al-Muhajiroun. They preach the same message of replacing democratic, secular government with sharia, and are made up of at least three former members of the banned group."


"The government should investigate the links between Voting is Shirk and al-Muhajiroun"

This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/4359