Case of Babar Ahmad radicalising Muslims in Britain

The Free Babar Ahmad campaign has released a damning report into the government's handling of Babar Ahmad's case and its effect on the Muslim community in Britain. Entitled A Counter-Productive Extradition Policy: The Effect of the Babar Ahmad Case in Radicalising Muslims in Britain, the report constitutes an in-depth study into the counter-productive effects of the UK's one-sided extradition policy with the U.S. The Extradition Act 2003 Category 2 legislation allows the U.S. to demand the extradition of any British citizen, without having to provide any prima facie evidence. Evidence is provided in the form of excerpts from emails, letters and weblogs; music, poetry and video inspired by this case and statements by leading figures.

Ominously the report warns that the British Government's handling of the case of Babar Ahmad and its lopsided extradition arrangements with the U.S. has succeeded in radicalising a new generation of British Muslims.

"The fury, bitterness and ominous threats heaped on the British Government and western establishments leave no doubt that British Muslims are being pushed towards extremism by the Government's failure to listen to their pleas and their blind persistence with an unjust and dangerous extradition policy."

Maybe its just me but I do not believe that it serves any purpose for Muslims to use relative undefined terms such as "extremism" and moreover to warn that we are all becoming "extremists". A more suitable conclusion may have been that the events have resulted in the awakening of the Muslim community to the harsh reality of the injustice and oppression of the British justice system. Hollow threats that we are all turning to "extremism" only serve to justify the very measures we fight against, justification this government is in desparate need of.

Otherwise, a very good read and a deep insight into how this case has affected the hearts and minds of British Muslims.

Click here to download the pdf version of the report
Click here to view the Executive Summary of the report