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| Why not compile a national list of hate-preachers? | Why not compile a national list of hate-preachers? |
| (12 days later) | |
| One of the first things I notice about Mohammed Amin is the union flag badge on the lapel of his jacket. "I got the idea from President Obama," he says. "He got it from George Bush. Obama always wears that pin with the American flag." But who's it for? "It says I am a British patriot," he says. "Occasionally the odd Pakistani says you should wear the flag of your own country. I say: 'I am wearing my country's flag.'" He's never without it. "I have one on every jacket, at my flat in London and my house in Manchester." Ten of them, apparently. No room for slip-ups there. | One of the first things I notice about Mohammed Amin is the union flag badge on the lapel of his jacket. "I got the idea from President Obama," he says. "He got it from George Bush. Obama always wears that pin with the American flag." But who's it for? "It says I am a British patriot," he says. "Occasionally the odd Pakistani says you should wear the flag of your own country. I say: 'I am wearing my country's flag.'" He's never without it. "I have one on every jacket, at my flat in London and my house in Manchester." Ten of them, apparently. No room for slip-ups there. |
| We discuss Amin's big idea. In a week when yet more extremists are convicted of plotting terrorism, he is keen to be tough on hate-preachers. Some, he says, utter threats that are plain illegal and there are laws to deal with them. But what about those who radicalise but say nothing in terms of vocabulary to trouble a magistrate? The government should compile a publicly available list, he says. "Because there is a regular story. Someone speaks at such and such a university and says dreadful things and everyone says: 'Why isn't that mosque or university denying them a platform?' The defence is always the same; we didn't know." | We discuss Amin's big idea. In a week when yet more extremists are convicted of plotting terrorism, he is keen to be tough on hate-preachers. Some, he says, utter threats that are plain illegal and there are laws to deal with them. But what about those who radicalise but say nothing in terms of vocabulary to trouble a magistrate? The government should compile a publicly available list, he says. "Because there is a regular story. Someone speaks at such and such a university and says dreadful things and everyone says: 'Why isn't that mosque or university denying them a platform?' The defence is always the same; we didn't know." |
| Some lie, he says, but others are genuine. "They are in no position to research the hundreds of people who might be invited to speak. If I drew up a list, Mr X would soon slap me with a lawsuit. The government could give itself legal exemption." | Some lie, he says, but others are genuine. "They are in no position to research the hundreds of people who might be invited to speak. If I drew up a list, Mr X would soon slap me with a lawsuit. The government could give itself legal exemption." |
| It's simple, he says. Someone on the list could object and have their names removed if their defence were credible. Even then, the sequence of events would remain on the web. If the wrong names were listed too often, the system would soon fall into disrepute. When Amin, also deputy chair of the Conservative Muslim Forum, ventilated his own plan on ConservativeHome, there was blowback. "They said I was anti- liberal. I'm not. I am very much for freedom of speech. If someone invites a speaker on the list, that is a decision for them." And the reaction from other Muslims? "Not much yet. But it is filtering through and will start a debate. I feel very strongly about these things." As a Conservative, a Muslim? "No, as a British citizen." | It's simple, he says. Someone on the list could object and have their names removed if their defence were credible. Even then, the sequence of events would remain on the web. If the wrong names were listed too often, the system would soon fall into disrepute. When Amin, also deputy chair of the Conservative Muslim Forum, ventilated his own plan on ConservativeHome, there was blowback. "They said I was anti- liberal. I'm not. I am very much for freedom of speech. If someone invites a speaker on the list, that is a decision for them." And the reaction from other Muslims? "Not much yet. But it is filtering through and will start a debate. I feel very strongly about these things." As a Conservative, a Muslim? "No, as a British citizen." |
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