Corbynista Steven Saxby is no one to lecture the rest of us about extremism. No one at all.
That won’t stop the Walthamstow vicar, of course. Here’s his latest screed. It’s a lazy and tawdry attempt to smear the opponents of Islamist extremism and attack Prevent policies. Even the terrorist groupies of Cage are fine – the media is the real problem.
Muslim organisations such as Muslim Engagement and Development, CAGE, and Prevent Watch have suffered media hysteria. This hysteria has also extended to the National Union of Students and the National Union of Teachers – both organisations have taken admirably principled positions on the issue.
In that article Saxby also boasts about taking part in this assembly of extremists out to wreck Prevent. It should shame him. It doesn’t. He’s proud of it.
Now see just how poor his judgment is. This video shows Saxby gushing over Mahmood Ul Hassan Raja, a Walthamstow imam, and Khalid Iqbal Malik, a local Islamic social media activist.
Well, here’s Mahmood praising Mumtaz Qadri, the religious fanatic who murdered Pakistani politician Salman Taseer.
The Evening Standard has reported on this affair and quotes these lines from the video above.
In an online video published last month, hours after Qadri’s funeral following his state execution, Mr Mahmood, of Waltham Forest, hails him “a hero” and blesses his “martyrdom”.
He adds: “We are praying to Allah that he will grant us the same martyrdom… this is a man who loves God and his Prophet.
“People are crying for him and praying for him…. and you can see how moving the funeral is… God help us to take his mission forward.”
And here is Khalid Iqbal Malik asking people to donate money to the family of Mumtaz Qadri and hoping for many more Mumtaz Qadris. He notes that this fundraising will be a slap in the face for “the Jewish lobby” and Muslim leaders too, who are controlled by Jews and Christians.
Indeed, here’s a post from Khalid’s “Zara Sochoo” Facebook account.
Keep in mind that Saxby is also a keen supporter of the Waltham Forest Islamic Association. Mahmood has served as an imam at that mosque. Of course he has – it is a nasty hatred centre.
A man who promotes and whitewashes extremists has no credibility. In fact, he is part of the problem.
An apology from Saxby followed by a very long period of remorseful silence on the topic of extremism seem in order. But I wouldn’t be hopeful. Saxby is a proud Corbynista and that creed knows no honour at all.
