A recent exchange in the House of Commons, highlighted in the post below, throws an interesting light on two issues: the relationship between the Muslim Association of Britain and the Muslim Brotherhood, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s attitude towards Hamas:
Mr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received of potential links between the UK offices of the Muslim Brotherhood and (a) Hamas, (b) Islamic Jihad and (c) other organisations. [24575]
Alistair Burt: We are aware of reports which suggest that there are significant historic linkages between the Muslim Brotherhood, its overseas affiliates and Hamas. Historically the Brotherhood has presented Hamas as a legitimate resistance movement for the Palestinian people.
The Muslim Association of Britain (MAB) are the Brotherhood’s representative in the UK. MAB in the UK publically rejects violence and state that they work for wider Muslim integration into British society.
The Muslim Association of Britain does not, in fact, admit that it is the Muslim Brotherhood’s representative in the United Kingdom. This is what they say:
MAB enjoys good relation with every mainstream Islamic orgnisation in the UK and abroad among them is Muslim Brotherhood which is well respected not only by the common people on the street throughout the Arab and Muslim countries but also by politicians, intellectuals and opinion-makers in most Arab countries. Prominent within their ideology is the urging of dialogue with others, the rejection of terrorism and respecting those whom differ in views or opinions. As any organization that exists, especially for such a considerable amount of time and through such troublesome events, a plurality of opinions and initiatives may exist.
MAB reserves the right to be proud of the humane notions and principles of the Muslim Brotherhood, who has proven to be an inspiration to Muslims, Arab and otherwise for many decades.
We also reserve the right to disagree with or divert from the opinion and line of the Muslim Brotherhood, or any other organization, Muslim or otherwise on any issue at hand.
This is absolute crap. The FCO has it right. It is helpful to have the relationship between the MB and the MAB clarified by the Government.
However, the FCO hasn’t got it all right. They’d be correct to say that the MAB does not support terrorist attacks on civilians in this country. They are, however, aligned with Hamas and have no problem with their sister party’s genocidal racism, as set out in its Covenant, or with terrorist attacks aimed specifically at Israeli civilians. Indeed, their former bigwig, Azzam Tamimi famously described suicide murders as “a noble cause. It is the straight way to pleasing my God and I would do it if I had the opportunity”.
Also, don’t you love the notion that the MAB/Muslim Brotherhood works “for wider Muslim integration into British society”. How, precisely, does an organisation which is aligned with a racist terrorist organisation do that? By publishing a newspaper containing racist forgeries about Jews and justifying the execution of “apostates”? By publishing articles supporting polygamy? By cheerleading for attacks on British troops? Nice.
Nice to see the FCO so concerned about such an organisation, that it simply relays the MAB’s own view of itself, in response to an important question from an MP.
