Third British Muslim Facing Extradition to US

Just over a month ago, I posted a worrying article on the Extradition Treaty 2003 by Babar Ahmad, the first British Muslim who could be sent to the US under this law. The article was set in two years in the future indicating what could happen if Muslims didn't wake up.

Just one month on, a third British Muslim has been arrested under the Extradition Treaty. This morning, Syed Talha Ahsan (26) was arrested at his home on charges that he helped run terrorism fundraising Web sites, set up terrorists with temporary housing in England and possessed a classified U.S. Navy document revealing troop movements. He is being charged in the same case as Babar Ahmad. He joins Ahmad and Harun Aswat in prison awaiting extradition with no bail.

The prosecutors allege that from 1998 to 2002, Ahsan and Ahmad used websites encouraging people to donate money or equipment to mujahideen groups in Chechnya and Afghanistan. Ahsan himself is accused of helping "terrorists" find temporary residence in London and shuttle them into Afghanistan and Chechnya to participate in jihad.

Now at a cursory glance, what is so bad about what these brothers are alleged to have done? Lets take it that they are guilty of these accusations, what threat were they to the British public, the British government or any civilians whatsoever? People fighting brutal oppression were aided to fight back to avoid extermination.

Once again, this stems from the underlying problem that Muslims, by refusing to discuss the legitimacy of violent jihad as a means of survival, have indirectly allowed such acts to be criminalised as the actions of an "extremist minority." It is time for Muslims to stand up in solidarity with these brothers, to raise these issues about jihad into the public forum and discuss them with intelligence - show that we do condmen terrorism but that we glorify jihad. Until then, we may as well get in line for that seven hour flight.