Free Republic

Ed Husain's autobiography The Islamist: why I joined radical Islam in Britain, what I saw inside and why I left (Penguin, 2007) is a remarkably candid account of the life of a British-born Muslim who was initially seduced by radicalism but gradually came to his senses to return to the more spiritual and devotional Islam that had defined his early years. It is also an important work, in that it both carefully grounds the issue of radicalisation that has so dominated recent intellectual and political discussion of Muslim communities in Britain, and points to potential solutions. Ed Husain grew up...

A mosque frequented by the leader of the airline plot terrorist cell has been a recruiting ground for extremists for more than 20 years. The Queen’s Road mosque in Walthamstow, northeast London, where Abdulla Ahmed Ali met his associates, is controlled by the ultraorthodox Tablighi Jamaat. Intelligence services around the world believe that Tablighi’s fundamentalism makes some of its followers easy prey for terrorist recruiters. Two decades ago the same mosque was hosting talks by followers of Omar Bakri Mohammed, one of the first Islamic clerics in Britain to preach jihad. The disclosure of the mosque’s history indicates that, despite...

“Blowing oneself up for the sake of Allah is acceptable,” according to a radical Muslim cleric who recently spoke to a Lebanese television network. The comments by Syrian-born Islamist cleric Omar Bakri were made in an interview which aired on the Lebanese Al-Jadid/New TV on November 26. They were translated by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI). […] Bakri, along with infamous British Islamist Anjem Choudary, was the founder of a British Islamist group called “Al Muhajiroun”, which was eventually banned in the UK. He currently lives in Lebanon after leaving Britain following terror attacks at the London Underground...

A man reported to be a serving soldier is dead and two people have been shot in Woolwich, south east London, after what Sky sources understand is being treated as a terrorist attack. Downing Street has called a meeting of the Government's Cobra emergency committee after the incident in John Wilson Street, which David Cameron described as "truly shocking". Sky sources understand that senior police officers believe the killing was likely to be a politically-motivated Islamist terrorist attack. Dozens of weapons - including a number of knives - and pools of blood could be seen on the ground, where a...

CRIME & WAR CRIMES | OCTOBER 4, 2012 | 16:44 Radical Islamist leader threatens Serbia SOURCE: BETA BUCHAREST -- Radical Islamist leader Omar Bakri has warned that terrorist attacks would be launched against Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, and other countries in the region. The reason for this, the Syria-born extremist told Bulgaria's newspaper 24 Chasa, is that those were "territories that belong to Islam". Bakri further explained: "When Islam enters a territory, it becomes Islamic, therefore Islam is under obligation to eventually liberate it." The Mediafax news agency is also reporting that he listed all "Muslim territories" as follows: "Spain, Bulgaria,...

"Radical cleric Omar Bakri Mohammed threatens Syria with a wave of suicide bombs" SNIPPET: "Omar Bakri Mohammed, the radical cleric banned from Britain for glorifying terrorism, has told The Daily Telegraph from his base in the Middle East that al-Qaida is poised to wage war against the Syrian regime. Bakri, once nicknamed the Tottenham Ayatollah, said hard-line Salafi Muslim groups, including al-Qaida, and his al-Ghuraba group were ready to help their "Muslim brothers" with a campaign of suicide attacks against Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president." SNIPPET: "Speaking from his new home in Lebanon, the self-styled cleric, who caused controversy after...

Introduction Over recent years, a new phenomenon has emerged among radical Islamist circles: the rise of a global network of groups calling for the total Islamization of Western states and societies via the implementation of shari'a law, the abolishment of democratic states and their replacement by Islamic regimes. These groups, which have referred to themselves as the global shari'a movement, strive to globalize ideas and tactics hatched within radical Islamist circles in the U.K. These circles are led by Sheikh 'Omar Bakri, who was denied reentry into the country after he left for Lebanon following the 2005 London bombings, and...

ONE of Britain’s most vocal, extremist preachers has been using a false name on a secret website to incite Muslim followers to go on jihad, or holy war, in Somalia. Anjem Choudary, former spokesman of the banned group Al-Muhajiroun, has posted a statement on a jihadist internet forum telling followers they must join the “divine call of jihad” in the African state. His call in the password-protected site came days before America mounted air raids on suspected Al-Qaeda units in southern Somalia and news emerged that seven British passport holders had been captured in Somalia by Ethiopian troops. This weekend...

Choudary: Refuses to discuss his dissolute youth At 39, Anjem Choudary should be a symbol of success for his peers. Born into the working-class family of a market trader in Welling on the outskirts of London, he has risen - thanks to the opportunities offered by the British education system - to become a qualified lawyer. But it is unlikely his old school will be inviting him to be guest speaker on prize-giving day. Their former pupil is not famous for his elegant oratory in court. Instead, the articulate Mr Choudary preaches hatred and murder in the streets of Britain...

A radical Islamic cleric facing a life sentence on charges of aiding an al Qaeda affiliate has been released on bail while his retrial continues, Lebanon's state news agency reported. A military court convicted Omar Bakri Mohammed in absentia two weeks ago of charges including membership in an armed group, possession of weapons and explosives, and committing crimes against the state, Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA) reported at the time. Bakri was arrested after a shootout two days later. Bakri is having a retrial because he was convicted the first time in absentia. At the start of the retrial Wednesday,...

Note: Photos included. SNIPPET: "Boys as young as five can barely hold up the machine guns and pistols in their hands as they take aim at imaginary targets in the Pakistan desert. But this is no sick game, it is their first step along the way to becoming al-Qaeda terrorists as they are taught about military combat and how to launch suicide missions. At hidden camps terrorist chiefs also use toys to teach the boys how they can blow up buildings and mount roadside bomb attacks. One chilling image from a video filmed inside one camp shows children, barely old...

06 April 2010 "WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT THERE BEING A GENUINE AMERICAN AL-QAIDA MOVEMENT?[1]" SNIPPET: "They write in English and their websites have RSS feeds, that's what. Reduces our overhead, improves our cash flow - thanks guys!"

"Ghazawat Washington Conference" SNIPPET: "Be advised that the Ghazawat Washington Conference is scheduled for July 31 beginning at 10 AM EDT. Note that "Ghazawat" is defined as 'battles to expand Muslim territory.'" SNIPPET: "Obviously, the conference is not going to address peace, diversity and tolerance. The conference will discuss victory over non-believers and taking control. The names of the participants are likely familiar. The event will be broadcast globally on Paltalk room "Authentic Tawheed" and also live streamed on: www.authentictawheed.com, www.salafimedia.com, and www.revolutionmuslim.com."

An Islamist preacher barred from Britain for his radical views has warned France against passing a Muslim veil ban, or risk increasing support for al-Qaeda. "Look what happened in Belgium and in France," Omar Bakri said...The Syrian-born preacher, who settled in Britain in 1985, was banned from re-entering the country in 2005 ... Bakri had headed the radical al-Muhajiroun group, and praised the hijackers involved in the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States as the "magnificent 19".

SNIPPET: "An Irish jihadist living in Pakistan’s Swat valley says he is preparing to wage war against British and allied troops in Afghanistan. Khalid Kelly, a former altar boy from the Liberties area of Dublin who used to be known as Terry, told The Sunday Times he is undergoing weapons training in Pakistan’s mountainous tribal region in order to fight jihad against the enemies of Islam. His dream is to face a British soldier in combat, although he would “settle” for an American, he said. “I’m already on the path to jihad. I’ve already picked up a gun and done...

The Queen forced to wear a burkha and Buckingham Palace turned into a mosque - that was the vision of Britain under Sharia law proposed by a Muslim firebrand today. Preacher of hate Anjem Choudary even showed mocked-up photographs of the palace sporting a golden dome and Nelson's Column as a minaret. He was speaking ahead of a demonstration calling for Sharia law planned for Central London tomorrow, which it is feared could descend into violence. Police are working to avoid a clash between moderate Muslim groups and far-right mobs who have organised rival demonstrations.

"They're Baaaack: British Terror Supporters Re-launch al-Muhajiroun, Dedicated to "Raising Flag of Islam over Downing Street"" SNIPPET: "A group of terror supporters in the UK have relaunched an organization dedicated banning criticism of Islam, beheading "blasphemers", and killing adulterers. The new and improved al-Muhajiroun will once again be led by Anjem Choudary, chairman of the Society of Muslim Lawyers. The organization was originally founded by Omar Bakri Muhammad who was recently convicted in absentia by a Lebanese court of helping train al Qaeda's local affiliate. He has also been banned from reentering the UK. The group disbanded after a conference...

Infamous Islamic hate cleric Mullah Omar Bakri Mohammed has been following a strict diet so that he can breed more ‘jihadi’ recruits. The 50 year old cleric shunned his former wife, and married Lebanese beauty Ruba almost half of his age, and is now planning to start another family with her. “Inshallah (God willing), I will have more children. My wife is still young and we would like to start a family together,” The Daily Star quoted Mohammad, as saying. One of Mohammad’s friend said: “His dream is to produce more children, all committed to following his jihadi cause.” In...

Exiled hate preacher Omar Bakri faces death by hanging after being found guilty of training Al Qaeda terrorists. The 51-year-old Muslim cleric, who fled Britain in 2005, yesterday revealed plans to appeal to a Beirut court which convicted him.

PREACHER of hate Omar Bakri is boldly going where no imam has gone before — ordering followers to convert ALIENS to Islam. Bakri, acting like a character from sci-fi film Mars Attacks, said Muslims must not only spread the word worldwide but also across the galaxy.