Militant Islam Monitor > Satire > Scotland Yard top apologises to Muslims for "disruption and inconvienence" of terror raid -will meet to discuss'how to do things differently'
Scotland Yard top apologises to Muslims for "disruption and inconvienence" of terror raid -will meet to discuss'how to do things differently'
June 8, 2006
MIM: Would you mind terribly not waging Jihad here?
At Scotland Yard today, the Assistant Commissioner said it had been "a time of reflection" since the raid.
"I am aware that in mounting this operation we have caused disruption and inconvenience to many residents in (the London borough of) Newham and for that I apologise," he said.
Referring to last week's raid Mr Hayman said police had to act on the intelligence as it appeared to suggest "a threat to public safety.
However, Mr Hayman appeared to suggest that community concerns would be taken into account in the planning of future operations.
What we are planning in the next couple of weeks is joint meetings with the community to share with them our planning options and considerations and to ask them to tell us whether they see anything differently."
Ahead of tomorrow's planned demonstration outside Forest Gate police station Mr Hayman added: "We must all pull together. This is not the time for conflict and anger."
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http://www.24dash.com/content/news/viewNews.php?navID=7&newsID=6677
Senior police officer apologise for terror raid 'disruption'
Publisher: Jon Land
Published: 08/06/2006 - 13:26:58 PM
Scotland Yard Assistant Commissioner Andy Hayman
One of Scotland Yard's most senior officers today apologised directly for the "disruption and inconvenience" caused by last week's anti-terror raids in east London. Assistant Commissioner Andy Hayman also appealed for calm ahead of a planned demonstration in Forest Gate tomorrow, saying it was not the time for "conflict and anger". Mr Hayman, head of Specialist Operations, indicated police would meet with the local community to reflect on their tactics and to examine whether things could be done differently. However, he insisted last Friday's raid in Lansdown Road, which involved close to 250 officers and led to a suspect being shot in the shoulder, was "necessary and proportionate".
Police have yet to find what specific intelligence suggested they would in the house - reportedly a chemical-based explosive device. But Mr Hayman said the investigation was on-going and if police did not find it there, the search could continue elsewhere to prove or disprove the intelligence. At Scotland Yard today, the Assistant Commissioner said it had been "a time of reflection" since the raid. "I am aware that in mounting this operation we have caused disruption and inconvenience to many residents in (the London borough of) Newham and for that I apologise," he said
. Mr Hayman said he understood that some communities "may be feeling confused or indeed, angry". But he insisted anti-terror operations were not targeted against any particular community or section of a community. "We are working tirelessly to target criminals who are intent on spreading fear and terror amongst us all," he added. Referring to last week's raid Mr Hayman said police had to act on the intelligence as it appeared to suggest "a threat to public safety. "We had no choice but to take the action that we did in trying to prove or disprove the intelligence," he said. "To do otherwise we would have been failing in our duty to make London safer and protect all Londoners." The decision had not been taken lightly, he added. However, Mr Hayman appeared to suggest that community concerns would be taken into account in the planning of future operations.
"The concern that has been expressed to me has been the visual impact of the operation as it was played out last week," he said. Officers involved in the raid were wearing chemical protection suits. Mr Hayman said: "That has led us to reflect as to whether or not we can do it differently. "But having said that, there was a difficult balancing act between officers' safety and public safety and those we would come into contact with in the house. "It would be difficult to see how we could reduce the level of officer attendance and equipment.
"What we are planning in the next couple of weeks is joint meetings with the community to share with them our planning options and considerations and to ask them to tell us whether they see anything differently." Ahead of tomorrow's planned demonstration outside Forest Gate police station Mr Hayman added: "We must all pull together. This is not the time for conflict and anger." Police were last night given until Saturday to continue questioning two brothers arrested in the raid, who are being held at Paddington Green high security police station.
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MIM: The new face of Scotland Yard
Hijab Option for London Cops
London: The Metropolitan Police in the city of London has accepted Hijab as a uniform option for Muslim women serving in police. The announcement was made previous month at a conference on the theme of "Protect and Respect: Everybody's Benefit". The move is seen as a further sign of British administration accepting Britain as a religiously diverse society where faith related accommodations should be made for all individuals.
The Muslim media in Britain had argued for accepting Hijab as a uniform option just as turban was accepted as a part of the uniform for Sikh policemen and the exemption from helmet wearing for Sikh two-wheeler riders. The Muslim women police cops would now be allowed to wear headscarf and the ankle length gown. As part of accommodations, Muslim cops will now be allowed to pray on duty, demand halal food and have altered meal schedule during Ramadan.
In the above picture two models Shahnaz Shashudin and Syria Hussain are modeling hijab uniform for women police constable in front of New Scotland Yard, the headquarters of the London Metropolitan Police.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/5062264.stm
| Galloway disowns police boycott | ||||||
He told BBC One's Question Time that Yvonne Ridley's suggestion - made after a raid in which a terror suspect was shot - was "not our policy". However, he said "angry young Muslims" were already withholding assistance. This was because they had seen fellow Muslims "shot, then slandered" by the Metropolitan Police, he claimed. "Our policy is not that we should withdraw cooperation from the police," Mr Galloway said.
"But you'll be fooling yourself if you think that this feeling of no confidence in the police in London is not the prevalent feeling amongst - especially - young Muslims." This was "after a series of events that I characterise as 'SAS' - shoot and slander," he added. "People are shot down by the police and then they're slandered by the police afterwards in an attempt to confuse people about the blunders that have been made." 'Islamophobia in police' Ms Ridley became a Muslim after being kidnapped by the Taleban in Afghanistan five years ago. She told a meeting of the Newham branch of the Respect Party on Tuesday that Muslims should "boycott the police and refuse to co-operate with them in any way, shape or form".
Ms Ridley told BBC News this was because the Metropolitan Police had "demonstrated time and time again its Islamophobic attitudes". Later she clarified her remarks, saying she only wanted Muslim leaders to stop co-operating, not the whole community. The two brothers arrested are being held at London's high-security Paddington Green police station. Police have until 1600 BST on Saturday to question them under the terms of their present warrant, but they can apply for this to be extended until up to 14 days after the time of their arrest. Scotland Yard Assistant Commissioner Andy Hayman said on Thursday he regretted the disruption caused to the community in Forest Gate but that police had to act on intelligence received. Mr Hayman said they would continue "to try and bottom it out" and indicated officers would meet the local community to reflect on their tactics. 'Chemical-based device' Police have yet to find what specific intelligence suggested they would in the house - reportedly a chemical-based explosive device.
The assistant commissioner said there had been "a time of reflection" since the raid. "I am aware that in mounting this operation we have caused disruption and inconvenience to many residents in Newham and for that I apologise," he said. Mr Hayman said he understood that some communities "may be feeling confused or indeed, angry", but he insisted anti-terror operations were not targeted against any particular community or section of a community. "We are working tirelessly to target criminals | ||||||
Mr Galloway alleges police "shoot and slander" young Muslims
Ms Ridley was formerly a journalist for the Sunday Express newspaper
Andy Hayman apologised for any disruption caused by the raid
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