Damaging relations with the Muslim community

"Relations between Muslims and police in central Scotland have been battered by the country's first al-Qaeda-linked terrorist case, with community leaders claiming the investigation has created mistrust and 'left a bad taste in the mouth'. They are angry at the way Mohammed Atif Siddique's family was treated. His parents, brothers – one of whom was 13 – and 15-year-old sister were shackled by police who raided the family home in Alva, Clackmannanshire."

Scotsman, 19 September 2007

Note the casual reference to Mohammed Atif Siddique as an "al-Qaeda-linked terrorist", which takes things to a new level of absurdity – and demonstrates that the police are not exactly alone in damaging relations with Scotland's Muslim community.

Posted on Wednesday, September 19, 2007

from ISLAMOPHOBIA WATCH

Rory's Note: This whole episode shows just how racist the Scottish Police are when treating Pakistanis like animals, shackling innocent folk etc.

Similarly, the jury which convicted this innocent young man whose so called "terrorist" activities amounted to nothing more than computer fantasies.

The latest I have is that there is a very strong likelihood that Siddique was the victim of entrapment, groomed by a member of the British secret services.

A reference was made in court about a shadowy third party but his identification was witheld! The jury tamely accepted that as justifiable for "legal reasons" and did as they were told.

My conclusion: no justice for Muslims of colour in racist Scotland.

The Terrorism Act 2006 covers another of Siddique’s offences—encouraging terrorism by distributing terrorist publications on web sites. Originally intended to outlaw the “glorification” of terrorism, it carries a maximum seven-year sentence.

The Kafka-esque charges relating to the Terrorism acts 2000 and 2006 under which Siddique has been convicted, as well as the preposterous “crime” of boasting to be in Al Qaeda, represent a threat to the democratic and civil rights of all workers and youth in the UK. Reflecting both the lack of support for basic democratic rights in the ruling elite and the heightened “anti-terror” atmosphere whipped up in the aftermath of the attempted terror bombings in London and Glasgow in June this year, there has been no opposition in the media to a conviction that is based on virtual police-state measures. Instead newspapers have echoed the inflammatory statement of the prosecution that Siddique was a “wannabe suicide bomber.”

Siddique is due to be sentenced on October 23.