Two Islamic colleges in UK 'linked to terrorists'
London, July 29
Two Islamic colleges in Britain, which train Imams for mosques, are said to have connections with hardline Islamist groups.
According to a revelation in the Times, these colleges are suspected of being "linked with terrorists."
Ministers are said to be under pressure to order an inquiry into why the courses at the two colleges, the European Institute of Human Sciences (EIHS) and the Markfield Institute of Higher Education (MIHE), which are registered charities, have been given university accreditation.
Notably, a new campus at the college in Markfield near Leicester, was opened by Price Charles last year, who had said, "The need for access to information about the study of Islam has arguably never been greater."
However, the question now raised is: Does this course exist to help train new breed of Imams?
The MIHE and the EIHS in West Wales, are suspected of having links with two of the world's oldest Islamic movements, the Muslim Brotherhood founded in Egypt in 1928 and Jamaat-e-Islami, which started in pre-partition days in India in the 40s.
The link is suspected because the Marksfield College shares site with the offices of the Islamic Foundation. Its rector is also vice-president of Jamaat-e-Islami in Pakistan. Another senior lecturer admitted to the Times that he was a supporter of Hamas.
The Charity Commission in its report stated that it was alert to the possibilities of the two charities being used to further or support terrorist activities. They are seemingly flush with funds. The Marksfield College charges £2500 a year for full-time EU students and £5900 for international students.
A source said India, having suffered in Kashmir from extremists with alleged links to the Jamaat, was not far from the truth in suspecting that funds from Britain are channeled for terrorist activities there from Britain, considering the latest revelation.