This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/796

Art imitates life: MCB Britain protests :TV show depicts mosques as "dangerous places full of violent and brainwashed individuals "

July 13, 2005

MIM: Omar Bakri Mohammed and Abu Hamza Al Masri called for Muslims to wage war on the West. Al Masri was jailed last year on terrorism related charges. In his letter to the BBC complaining about a program depicting Muslims MCB spokeman Bungawala wrote: "... The 'bad Imam' ...was shown with a flowing beard, ...thereby buttressing the impression that bearded Muslims are to be feared. In fact, you will find that most 'good' Imams are actually bearded in line with the example of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). (see complete correspondence below). "...A 16-year old Muslim boy, Abu Hasan, is portrayed as declaring, "I must send an unbeliever to hell, only then will I see paradise"... MIM: This quote from the head of Al Muhajiroun is meant to 'inspire' suicide bombers: "...Urging Muslim youths to "kill and be killed." Bakri explained, "People like to call it suicide bombing…We call it self sacrifice." He decreed that "If somebody decided to land an aeroplane over 10 Downing Street, for example…" he would go to paradise..." g)"... The same boy, Abu Hasan is shown at the end of the episode having strapped on an explosive belt and walking into the middle of a schoolground full of children. We are not aware of a single similar episode occurring anywhere in the real world. ..." MIM: Excerpts from an article "Caring sons who turned to terror ' about the UK suicide bombers who went to Israel to perpetrate an attack: "...Gentle and polite were the descriptions of neighbours about the 21-year-old (suicide bomber Mohammed Hanif reported to have killed himself and others in the name of Islamic extremism. "He was just a big teddy bear, that's what people said about him." http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,947766,00.html MIM: In the wake of the London terrorist attacks the Al Qaeda linked Muslim Council of Britain has been given international media recognition as the voice of British Muslims. The officials have been whirling faster then dewishes on speed to assure that the Muslim community would do everything it could to help capture the perpetrators. MCB director Iqbal Sacranie announced last week that the Muslim groups would issue a fatwa which would deny that the Muslims who carried out the most deadly terrorist attacks in the UK since the war were not Muslims. Two days later Sacranie seemed to forget all about the much touted fatwa ( despite the fact that an Al Qaeda group claimed responsibility for the bombings,) and Sacranie shifted the focus to proclaiming that the Muslim community would help to find the attackers 'whatever religion they turned out to be'. Now that it has been established that the killers blew themselves up the MCB has been spared the public relations stunt of 'disowning them' and also does not have to pretend that they are trying to find them. The sincerity of the Muslim community's claims that they are interested in fighting terrorism can best be illustrated by the 2003 protest which the MCB lodged with British television complaining about their portrayal of a Birmingham mosque as being 'a dangerous, violent place full of brainwashed individuals'. The MCB and Inayat Bungawala doth protest too much.... Life does indeed imitate art. MCB spokesman Inayat Bunawala wrote to the comptroller at BBC 1 to complain that; "...Having now seen a copy of the broadcast episode we would like to draw your attention to the following serious concerns: b)" The programme did not at all sufficiently point out how the 'bad Imam' would have been utterly disowned by the local Muslim community. ... Again, this is a distortion of reality and can only serve to further demonise the mainstream Muslim community. " ----------------------------------------------- Hamas link to London mosque Nick Fielding and Abul Taher http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1481677,00.html

A MUSLIM leader appointed to help to run the recently reopened Finsbury Park mosque in north London is a former military commander of Hamas, the Palestinian terrorist organisation. Mohammed Kassem Sawalha is one of five trustees appointed to give the mosque a fresh start. The mosque was closed last year after becoming a centre of Islamic militancy under Abu Hamza al-Masri, the radical cleric facing charges in Britain and America. Sawalha's link with Hamas emerged after he was named as a co-conspirator in an American court case involving racketeering and conspiracy. Last week the cleric, who arrived in Britain 15 years ago and has been given indefinite leave to remain, said that he still supported Hamas, notorious for its suicide attacks in Israel. However, he said he was committed to peace in Britain and would help to run the mosque in an open and inclusive way. "I am supported by the Muslim community and have been working ever since I arrived for that community," he said. Asked whether he supported the military activities of Hamas, he replied: "I have no comment on the question of military activity. I am working here to give a new direction to this mosque and break with the past." According to US court documents, Sawalha was a leading militant in the early 1990s "in charge of Hamas terrorist operations within the West Bank". The documents, from the federal court in Chicago, claim he met two of the three "conspirators" accused of laundering millions of dollars to finance Hamas activities, including the purchase of weapons. The purpose of the first meeting with the men was alleged to have been to discuss revitalising Hamas's operations. He met one of the men a second time in London in January 1993. Sawalha allegedly directed him "to provide money to various Hamas members and provided him with contact information". Although Sawalha is named as a co-conspirator, he has not been charged. Asked last week if he faced arrest in the United States, Sawalha said: "I have not tried to travel there." Sawalha was president of the Muslim Association of Britain which is believed to have links to the Muslim Brotherhood, one of the oldest radical Islamic groups. Abu Hamza is in prison facing trial in Britain on 16 charges, including incitement to murder, intending to stir up racial hatred and being in possession of a document "likely to be useful" to someone plotting terrorism. He is also awaiting extradition hearings on a warrant issued by the US Department of Justice. Following his arrest a group of his supporters tried to take over the mosque, but after extensive discussion between the surviving trustees of the charity that runs the mosque — including Mohammed Sarwar, the Labour MP, the police and the Charity Commission, which had closed it — five new trustees were appointed. Last night Sarwar, MP for Glasgow Govan, said he would remain a trustee despite being told of Sawalha's links to Hamas. He was happy with the way the mosque was being run by the new trustees: "The Muslim community is delighted that the Abu Hamza regime is gone and the mosque is open." Barry Norman, the Metropolitan police chief superintendent who has been working closely with the trustees, said: "I am aware of the background, but if I took the view that I'm not working with this or that person I'd end up spending my whole life in my office." ------------------------------------------------------------ MIM: Another point in Bungawala's letter to the BBC was "...A lot of the programme revolved around events taking place at a Birmingham mosque. The mosque is a place where Muslims gather for their five daily prayers. Yet, in the entire programme, not a single Muslim was shown actually performing the salah, the Muslim ritual prayer. Many viewers will have been left with a distorted impression of what actually takes place inside mosques, perhaps now regarding them as a place for political intrigue and the plotting of acts of terrorism..." "..Terror leaflets found at mosque": Police last week were called in to investigate after hundreds of leaflets urging Muslims to become Mujahideen fighters and ask them to "pray for death and decay to be visited upon the West" were distributed at Birmingham Central Mosque, one of Europe's largest Islamic centers . The flyers were signed by Ahle Sunnah Wal Jamah, said by mosque officials to be an alias of Al Muhajiroun organization, which I have elsewhere described as "perhaps the most extreme Islamist group operating in the West..." http://www.danielpipes.org/blog/298 http://www.hvk.org/articles/0804/28.html Feud at Birmingham mosque is blamed for second murder Author: Jason Bennetto Publication: The Independent Date: August 3, 2004 URL: http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/crime/story.jsp?story=547438 A long-running feud between rival factions at a Birmingham mosque is believed to be behind two murders, including the fatal shooting of a 35-year- old man at a gym last week. Azmat Yaqub was repeatedly shot in the head and chest as he worked out at the Chic Physique Health and Fitness Gymnasium in Birmingham on Thursday night. The hit is being linked to a second attack in which Mr Yaqub was injured and his friend, Shaham Ali, 30, was killed in a drive-by shooting in Birmingham in March last year. A spokeswoman for the West Midlands Police confirmed yesterday that detectives from the first murder inquiry were helping colleagues in the current investigation. The first, unsuccessful attempt to murder Mr Yaqub was blamed on a dispute between rival groups at the Birmingham Central Mosque, Europe's largest Islamic centre which can hold 5,000 worshippers. The row centred on an affair between the mosque secretary and a wife of the centre's imam, or preacher. Police are investigating whether those responsible for that attack were behind last week's shooting in the Sparkhill area of the city. On Thursday, one or two men burst into the weights room where Mr Yaqub was exercising with other gym members and shot him about 10 times before fleeing in a car. No one else was injured in the attack, although a group of youngsters were taking part in a kick-boxing class next to the weights room. A post-mortem examination revealed Mr Yaqub, from the Yardley area of Birmingham, died of multiple gunshot wounds to his head and chest. West Midlands Police said no weapon had been recovered and continued to appeal for witnesses to come forward. It later emerged how Mr Yaqub had survived the previous shooting. In that attack a group of Asian men fired shots from a Volkswagen Golf in Waverley Road, Small Heath. Mr Ali was hit in the head and fatally wounded as he went to use a public telephone and Mr Yaqub was injured in the shoulder. Six men were arrested in connection with the shooting. Two of the accused, Mohammed Sharafit Khan, 31, of Balsall Heath, Birmingham, and his brother Mohammed Arshad Khan, 30, of Edgbaston, were cleared by a jury at Birmingham Crown Court of murder and attempted murder. But the elder brother was sentenced to two years in jail after being convicted of falsely imprisoning the Mosque's secretary and a charge of assault. Two other men were also found guilty of false imprisonment. The court heard that Sheik Abu Yusuf Riyadhul-Haq, 34, an imam at the Birmingham Central Mosque, had secretly married a woman who became his second wife. But a scandal broke when Shockat Lal, a mosque secretary, had an affair with the woman and she became pregnant, the court was told. As a result Mr Lal was "demonised" by followers of the imam. He and those who supported him were either expelled from the mosque or ostracised. The court was told that Mr Lal was invited to Mohammed Sharafit Khan's home where, over a period of at least one-and-a-half hours, he was repeatedly assaulted. Shaham Ali and Azmat Yaqub were known to be close friends of the mosque secretary, Mr Lal. Dr Mohammed Naseem, the chairman of Birmingham Central Mosque, said yesterday that he had spoken to Mr Yaqub shortly after the first attack. He explained: "I was finding out what went wrong and why this happened. He said it was a matter of a personal nature which became aggravated. He said that a group had followed them and they had an argument and they took out a gun and shot at him." He added that Mr Yaqub had stopped coming to the mosque after the first shooting. ------------------------------------------------------ Additional reporting: Jessica Berry

Ms Lorraine Heggessey
Controller
BBC One
Wood Lane
London

W12 7RJ

Dear Ms Heggessey,

During this past week we have received many complaints from British Muslims who saw the episode of the BBC drama programme 'Spooks' which was broadcast on BBC3 Digital on Monday 2nd June 2003, and is due to be broadcast on BBC1 at 9.00pm this coming Monday 9th June 2003.

Having now seen a copy of the broadcast episode we would like to draw your attention to the following serious concerns:

a) The programme, which was of a very sensational nature, unfortunately only served to reinforce many negative stereotypes of British Muslims. Instead of being a well-informed piece of film-making, this episode of 'Spooks' pandered to grossly offensive and Islamophobic caricatures of Imams, Muslim students and mosques.

b) The programme did not at all sufficiently point out how the 'bad Imam' would have been utterly disowned by the local Muslim community. Only Mr Fazl Azam was shown as lamenting the takeover of the mosque by a small criminally-minded group. Again, this is a distortion of reality and can only serve to further demonise the mainstream Muslim community.

c) Near the beginning of the episode, Johnny, a British infiltrator of the Birmingham mosque, is shown as having his cover blown and being subsequently beaten and tortured by the other Muslim students inside the mosque on the instructions of Muhammad Rashid, the sinister Imam. Johnny is then flung out of the top-floor window and falls face-first on to a car below. Your writer Mr Howard Brenton, seems to have allowed his imagination to get the better of him. What was this incident based on? If it was not based - however tenuously - on a real event, will it not lead many of your viewers to suspect that mosques are criminally dangerous places indeed, full of brainwashed and violent individuals.

d) The 'bad Imam' Muhammad Rashid was shown with a flowing beard, whereas the 'good Imam' Fazl Azam was shown as being clean-shaven, thereby buttressing the impression that bearded Muslims are to be feared. In fact, you will find that most 'good' Imams are actually bearded in line with the example of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

e) A lot of the programme revolved around events taking place at a Birmingham mosque. The mosque is a place where Muslims gather for their five daily prayers. Yet, in the entire programme, not a single Muslim was shown actually performing the salah, the Muslim ritual prayer. Many viewers will have been left with a distorted impression of what actually takes place inside mosques, perhaps now regarding them as a place for political intrigue and the plotting of acts of terrorism.

f) A 16-year old Muslim boy, Abu Hasan, is portrayed as declaring, "I must send an unbeliever to hell, only then will I see paradise". This is inflammatory and factually inaccurate. What did the writer Howard Brenton base this sentence on?

g) The same boy, Abu Hasan is shown at the end of the episode having strapped on an explosive belt and walking into the middle of a schoolground full of children. We are not aware of a single similar episode occurring anywhere in the real world. We realize that this was a fictional drama, but does this give licence to Mr Brenton to deliberately portray a Muslim in any manner he wishes, even if it will only increase the suspicion and hate towards Muslims?

In short, we believe that this episode of 'Spooks' will do a lot of harm to the already woeful image of the British Muslim community that the media itself has helped to create. It will only add to the fear and suspicion that many Muslims have to face in their day-to-day lives. It may even provoke an even greater increase in the amount of deliberate abuse and violence that has been directed against our community and its institutions in recent months.

We would like to ask whether - knowing full well the sensitivity of the issues involved - you consulted any Muslim organizations in the UK on the accuracy of your portrayal of Islam and Muslims in this episode of 'Spooks'?

To conclude, we believe the increased amount of Islamophobia that is sure to result from the broadcasting of this programme at peak-time on Monday is wholly unacceptable and a gross violation of your responsibilities as a public service broadcaster. It is odd that - on the other hand - factual and positive programmes on Islam often end up in your BBC1 graveyard slot at 11.30pm.

Therefore, we would like to arrange an urgent meeting with you to discuss this. In view of the urgency of this request, please could you reply by return of email.

Yours sincerely, Mr Inayat Bunglawala
Secretary
Media Committee

RESPONSE FROM THE BBC

Dear Mr Bunglawala

Thank you for your letter about the BBC ONE drama series Spooks and for bringing to our attention the complaints your Council has received from British Muslims. I am sorry that this programme has given rise to concerns. This was not our intention.

Spooks is an award winning drama series that follows the activities of intelligence officers in MI5, Britain's Security Service. Spooks is set in the world of security, terrorism and espionage but it is entirely fictional and the audience is well aware of this as we are now into the second series . Previous episodes have dealt with topics ranging from pro-life terrorists, radical racism, an embassy hostage siege, Irish republicanism, corrupt politicians and Serbian extremism. The episode you refer to, which was premiered on BBC THREE on 2nd June and which will be broadcast on BBC ONE on 9th June, involves a suicide bombing. Given that this is a reality around the world it falls legitimately within the storylines of Spooks.

We do not believe that the programme reinforces negative stereotypes of British Muslims, nor does it pander to offensive or Islamophobic caricatures. On the contrary, we feel that the programme offers a balanced view of a difficult subject. At its heart there is a Muslim hero (Ibhn Khaldun) who is moderate and peace-loving and who works to stop the suicide bombing happening. This character is inspired by the true story of an Algerian agent, who greatly assisted the British Security Services undercover. The comments made to this character by the MI5 operatives when they recruit him, clearly highlight the difficulty the intelligence services have in recruiting members of ethnic minorities and how the problems of terrorism, wherever they may lie, can only be settled by bringing members of all the religions and cultures together. The character is depicted forming a close and mutually respectful relationship with the central character of the series, Tom Quinn. He buys Tom a copy of the Koran and this act symbolises the coming together of two faiths and cultures. Like many dramas, this story is ultimately one of good versus evil and the good, through the actions of a brave and inspiring man finally prevails.

The 'bad Imam', Muhammad Rashid, is depicted as exactly that, a dangerous extremist, perverting traditional teaching and so the programme does not suggest that mosques are a breeding ground for terrorists, more that as the character Harry Pearce says 'every religion has its crooked priests'. Another character specifically states that most immigrant Imams to the UK have done well, again demonstrating that the programme does not believe the fictional mosque in the programme reflects all mosques in the UK. You point out that the Rashid character would have been disowned by his community. Sadly there have been a tiny handful of real cases, which have been comprehensively reported, where this has not been the case, but the majority situation is reflected by Tom Quinn's line 'Problems in London mosques have been solved, thanks to their own communities'.

The character of Fazl Azam is depicted as the Founder of the mosque and, as you say, does indeed lament the takeover of the mosque by a small criminally-minded group. This is a fictional drama and this character is presented to represent the opinions of the overwhelming majority of Muslims. He expresses his support for the education of his daughter and has a complex and moving discussion with Khaldun about the history of Islam and its tradition of culture and learning. In depicting him as a broad-minded, educated moderniser surely this is not an offensive, Islamophobic caricature, but a wholly positive portrayal. The character was played by a respected Asian actor Roshan Seth .

You comment on the opening sequence where a young man is beaten and tortured. As you say, this takes place on the instructions of Muhammad Rashid, who is clearly depicted as an evil and corrupt individual. You suggest that the sequence has been imaginatively realised. We agree, but this is entirely what an audience would expect in a drama. It is certainly not based on a specific incident because the programme is a work of fiction.

The events take place in a fictional mosque and community centre, set in a fictional district of Birmingham. We do not show the salah because this is not part of the storyline and the scenes actually take place in the community centre, rather than the mosque itself. Furthermore we think that British viewers would be well aware that Muslims attend the mosque for prayer and religious teaching.

The 16 year old boy, Abu Hasan makes a number of comments which are indeed factually inaccurate and based on the corrupt teaching of Rashid, again demonstrating the latter's evil manipulation of the young people in his care for his own criminal ends. The same boy walks into a schoolground wearing explosives and he ultimately takes his own life and that of Khaldun while the agent is trying valiantly to stop the boy from committing this act. Khaldun is therefore a brave, devout man who has to sacrifice his own life in trying to save the boy. Naturally, there has never been such a dreadful incident in the UK, but as I say, the programme examines the subject of suicide bombing in a fictional way and speculates about what might happen if such an act did take place in Britain.

The programme was extensively researched and the BBC's usual rigorous editorial policy and legal requirements have been followed.

I have been out of the office all day at meetings so have not been able to reply to your e-mail until mid-evening on Friday but would like to set up a meeting at the earliest opportunity to discuss portrayal issues. My office will be in touch on Monday morning to arrange this.

Yours sincerely

Lorraine Heggessey

BROADCASTING STANDARDS COMMISSION RULING
Spooks
BBC3 & BBC1, 2 & 9 June 2003, 2230-2330 & 2100-2200

The Complaint
43 viewers complained about this programme. The majority considered it to have been Islamophobic, containing offensive racial stereotypes and likely to incite violence and hatred. A smaller number objected to violent and disturbing scenes.

The Broadcaster's Statement The BBC said that the Controller of BBC1 had been in correspondence with the Muslim Council of Britain prior to the programme's transmission on BBC1. Quoting from her response, the BBC said that Spooks was a drama series set in the world of security, terrorism and espionage, but it was entirely fictional. Previous editions had dealt with topics ranging from pro-life terrorists, radical racism, an embassy hostage siege, Irish republicanism, corrupt politicians and Serbian extremism. This episode did involve a suicide bombing but, given that this was a reality around the world, it fell legitimately within the storylines of the series.

The BBC did not believe that the programme reinforced negative stereotypes of British Muslims, nor did it pander to offensive or Islamophobic caricatures. At the programme's heart was a Muslim hero (Ibn Khaldun) who was moderate and peace loving and who worked to stop the suicide bombing happening. This character was inspired by the true story of an Algerian agent who greatly assisted the British Security Services undercover. The comments made to this character by the MI5 operatives when they recruited him clearly highlighted the difficulties the intelligence services have in recruiting members of ethnic minorities and how the problems of terrorism, wherever they may lie, could only be settled by bringing members of all the religions and cultures together. This character was depicted forming a close and mutually respectful relationship with the central character of the series, Tom Quinn. Khaldun bought Quinn a copy of the Qur'an, an act that symbolised the coming together of two faiths and cultures. Like many dramas, this story was about good versus evil and good, through the actions of a brave and inspiring man, finally prevailed.

The 'bad Imam' (Muhammad Rashid) was depicted as exactly that, a dangerous extremist, perverting traditional teaching. The programme did not suggest that mosques were a breeding round for terrorists, more that, as one character observed, 'every religion has its crooked priests'. Another character specifically stated that most immigrant Imams to the UK had done well, again demonstrating that the fictional mosque in the programme was not meant to reflect all mosques in the UK. Quinn stated that communities themselves had solved problems of extremists in London mosques.

The character of Fazl Azam, the founder of the mosque, was presented to represent the opinions of the overwhelming majority of Muslims. He was depicted as a broad-minded, educated moderniser. The incident of torture early in the programme was on the instructions of Rashid, who was clearly depicted as a corrupt and evil individual. These scenes were set in the community centre, rather than the mosque itself.

The programme was extensively researched and the BBC's usual editorial policy and legal requirements had been followed. The introduction to the programme had made clear that this was a fictional drama dealing with extremism. The script also pointed up that the drama was dealing with this subject. The emphasis placed on the extremism of the bombers itself helped to distance them from the main Muslim community. The BBC believed therefore that the drama could not be held to have depicted Islam in a way which would have led viewers to conclude the community would support and protect suicide bombers targeting Britain.

The programme team drew on the expertise of a Muslim adviser who in turn consulted other leading Muslims. The notes from this adviser had been examined and the BBC was satisfied that the programme-makers took proper account of the Muslim perspective he provided. The depiction of the renegade Imam was more than balanced by the views expressed and the actions taken by the two other main Muslim characters. Their warnings echoed recent stories that have appeared in the media, coverage of the recent Charity Commission report on events at Finsbury Park mosque and comments by Khalid Mahmood, a Muslim MP, which drew attention to the need to stop Islamic extremists from preying on Muslim youngsters and recruiting them for terrorism. The BBC said that it could not locate any language in the programme that it considered to be racist. A script line 'Death to the West' had been misheard by one complainant as 'Death to the Whites'.

Although the programme touched on tensions that exist within the Muslim community, it also had an underlying message that there is a need for greater understanding on all sides, with communities joining together to tackle the dangers of extremism. Since the Controller of BBC1 had written to the Muslim Council of Britain, she had met representatives of the Muslim community. Such contacts would continue.

The Commission's Finding

The full Commission watched this drama, noted the terms of the complaints and the broadcaster's statement. It recalled the discussions it had held previously with representatives of the Muslim community and acknowledged that for some within the community, this programme had appeared to be an affront to their faith and dignity.

It also acknowledged the concern felt by many British Muslims at the excessive emphasis on the tiny minority advocating violence in the name of Islam and the dearth of wider representations of Muslims in broadcast output (as confirmed by the Commission's own research.).

However the Commission, whilst expressing sympathy with the complainants' concerns, considered that this programme had been clearly presented as a drama, rather than as a factual account. As in other episodes of the series, the extremists had been clearly labelled as such. Whilst the Imam of the mosque was shown to be a corrupt character, the drama also contained sympathetic Muslim characters. The Commission accordingly did not consider that the programme was calculated to encourage Islamophobia, or suggested that followers of Islam were prepared to resort to violence to further their own ends.

Although the Commission had some reservations about the timing of the programme, it acknowledged that this series habitually addresses current issues and did not consider that the highlighting of this issue, at that time, was unacceptable.

Whilst the Commission acknowledged that the scenes of violence were disturbing, it considered that they were unlikely to have exceeded the expectations of the audience to this post-Watershed drama preceded by a clear warning.

In conclusion, the Commission considered that in the context of this drama, the content had not exceeded acceptable bounds. The complaints were not upheld.

Not upheld CN 11610.15/11641

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http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/2005-07/10/article03.shtml

Fatwa to Call Bombers Unbelievers, If Proved Muslims

"Those behind this atrocity aren't just enemies of humanity but enemies of Islam and Muslims," said Sacranie.

CAIRO, July 10, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – Britain's top Muslim scholars are drafting a fatwa stripping those behind the grisly London blasts, if proved Muslims, from the right to call themselves Muslims, a leading British newspaper said Sunday, July 10.

Signed by dozens of prominent Muslim bodies, mosques, Islamic scholars and community groups, the religious edict will brand the attacks as a breach of the most basic tenets of Islam, reported The Independent.

"If these bombers are found to be Muslims, we will make it clear we utterly dissociate ourselves from them - even if they claim to be Muslims or are acting under the mantle of the Islamic faith. We reject that utterly," said the official spokesman of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB).

Two different groups purporting to be Al-Qaeda affiliated claimed responsibility for the bloody blasts which killed at least 49 people and wounded 700 others.

The Independent said police and intelligence agents are investigating the theory that a gang of white "mercenary terrorists" was hired by Al-Qaeda to carry out the attacks.

Commander Brian Paddick of the London Metropolitan Police told reporters Sunday no arrests have been made yet and that they were not focusing on any specific suspects.

The fatwa will also make clear that Muslims have a moral duty to help the police catch the perpetrators.

The move follows a decision taken Friday, July 8, at an emergency meeting attended by about 100 of the country's most prominent Muslim leaders, held in private at East London Mosque, said the daily.

Imams across Britain were united in condemning the attacks in their weekly Friday sermons, encouraging Muslims to offer all possible assistance to the victims and authorities.

"We're not talking about Muslims here. We're talking about a bunch of nutters," said Qureshi.

Senior minority leaders believe they must undermine the religious basis of the terrorists' actions, said the British daily.

"Those behind this atrocity aren't just enemies of humanity but enemies of Islam and Muslims", said Sir Iqbal Sacranie, the secretary general of the MCB, the main representative Muslim body in Britain.

"The people at the receiving end of this, both as some of the victims of the bombing and victims of the backlash, are Muslims," he stressed.

Murad Qureshi, the only Muslim member of the Greater London Assembly and a former Labour councilor in Westminster, backs such a fatwa.

"It is about time we put clear distance between ourselves and so-called Muslim leaders like Osama bin Laden, who has been able to dictate the whole agenda with his video nasties," he said.

"We're not talking about Muslims here. We're talking about a bunch of nutters. The time has come to debunk the idea they are sanctioned by Islam."

The London blasts have drawn immediate condemnation from prominent scholars across the Muslim world, who said that such "black actions" run in the face of Islam which strictly forbids killing civilians.

Trevor Phillips, chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality, said there should be a "dividing line" between terrorists and Muslims.

"There's not a dividing line between Muslims and Londoners. The dividing line is between those who commit these acts and those who don't," he said.

While saying that the perpetrators acted "in the name of Islam," Prime Minister Tony Blair maintained that "the vast and overwhelming majority of Muslims here and abroad are decent and law abiding people who abhor terrorism every bit as much as we do."

He also admitted there can be no security solution to terrorist attacks, urging the world to address the underlying causes of terrorism.

David Clark, a former Labour government adviser, wrote in the Guardian Saturday there can be no hope of defeating terrorism until the world community is ready to take "legitimate Arab grievances" seriously.

This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/796