I have copied the text below for you all to have a look at. It is quite
topical!
John McNeill
For Immediate Release: 19 September 2006
Row on Newham Council as executive mayor
refuses to back call for investigation into Muslim group behind Olympics
mega-mosque
Bluster and personal abuse “is smoke-screen to divert attention from
stitch-up by authorities” says Cllr Alan Craig
Cllr Alan Craig, leader of the Christian Peoples Alliance group on Newham
Council, said last night that the boroughÂ’s executive mayor was
“irresponsible” to refuse to request an independent government investigation
into allegations that Tablighi Jamaat, the Islamic group behind the Olympics
mega-mosque at West Ham, may have terrorist links.
“There have been increasing reports from Intelligence Services, academics,
Islam-watchers and the media that Tablighi Jamaat is a fertile breeding
ground for terrorists and suicide bombers around the world. Therefore we
must find out the truth,” said Cllr Craig. “It is extremely foolish for
Newham Council, the London Development Agency and the London Thames Gateway
Development Corporation to push on with the mosque project without first
checking up on Tablighi JamaatÂ’s peaceable credentials. What happens if
these reports are right?”
Alan CraigÂ’s comments followed a row over the mosque at a full meeting of
Newham Council last evening (18 September), when the executive mayor Sir
Robin Wales delivered a torrent of personal abuse at Cllr Craig accusing him
among other things of being “anti-Muslim”.
“That’s simply nonsense and a smoke screen,” said Alan Craig. “We have a
responsibility to ask questions about the mosque as it will have a huge
impact on Newham and east London. West Ham UnitedÂ’s football stadium at
Upton Park holds 35,000, while this mosque may eventually hold 40,000 or
even 70,000 people. It will be the biggest mosque in Europe so IÂ’m sorry Sir
Robin gave abuse instead of answers.
“But in fact Sir Robin was attempting to divert attention away from the
nod-and-a-wink agreement taking place between Newham Council, the London
Development Agency and the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation,”
Cllr Craig continued. “The clear evidence is that they have decided – behind
closed doors – that they are in favour of the mosque. They have not
consulted local people at all but in due course, when the mosque master-plan
is submitted, they intend to give it their formal approval.
“They are doing a typically undemocratic stitch-up,” said Cllr Craig. “So
our campaign to bring the matter into the open will continue. In fact, our
campaign is hardly out of the starting blocks.”
- Ends -
Queries: Alan Craig 07939 547198