This Summer, the British Government acted swiftly to prevent an American neo Nazi, Preston Wiginton, from entering the United Kingdom where he was due to speak at the British National Party’s ‘Red White and Blue‘ festival:
An American white supremacist has been stopped from entering Britain to attend a British National party festival this weekend.
Preston Wiginton was turned back at Heathrow when he arrived for the party’s Red, White and Blue festival in Codnor, Derbyshire, which started today.
…
A Home Office spokesman said: “The government opposes extremism in all its forms and we will prevent those who want to spread extremism, hatred and violent messages in our communities from coming to our country.”
Yeah, right.
Today, at Green Lanes Mosque, two speakers who have preached a message of violent jihad, vicious antisemitism, and sectarian hatred against Shia Muslims and non-Salafi Sunnis, were given a hearty welcome:
RADICAL Islamic preachers have given speeches at a Midland mosque.
The Middle Eastern clerics, who have been ideologically linked to Al Qaida, spoke to Muslims at Birmingham’s Green Lane Mosque.
Sheikh Faisal al-Jassim and Sheikh Abdul Aziz As-Sadhan, were invited to lecture crowds on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, despite preaching hatred against Jews and calling for holy war.
In an online recording, Kuwaiti al-Jassim refers to Jews as “the arch enemies of this great religion,” and asks listeners to “prepare all the weapons we can”.
As-Sadhan describes “the band of Jews” as having “amassed despicable qualities and vile characteristics” and claims they have “defaced mankind.”
Both Quilliam, who uncovered these men, and British Muslims for Secular Democracy’s coalition of religious and non religious activists failed to keep them out. It was a brave fight, and one for which they deserve thanks and praise.
What is the thinking behind allowing these men in to the United Kingdom to spread their message of sectarian hatred, while the equally vicious Preston Wiginton is kept out?
As far as I can tell, the argument is that – although they support violent jihad to spread Salfaism – they are loyal to the King of Saudi Arabia, rather than Osama Bin Laden. Therefore, they are seen – by some – as an asset in the battle to keep the likes of Mr Abdulmutallab from setting fire to their underpants on aeroplanes.
This is no way to fight bigotry and hatred.
When the BNP organised its Red White and Blue festival, a coalition was formed to oppose them. That opposition was led by the Socialist Workers Party and Ken Livingstone’s Socialist Action: so obviously, liberals and democrats cannot count on their support.
We need to build a new coalition.