From the Center for Social Cohesion:
Asghar Bukhari, co-founder and spokesperson for the Muslim Public Affairs Committee UK (MPAC UK), has made comments which glorify terrorism, the Centre for Social Cohesion can reveal. Responding to comments by another contributor on a public Facebook discussion forum this week – entitled ‘Has Europe Come to Terms With Islam?’ – Bukhari said:
“Akhtar stop apologising for ‘Jihadist’ as he calls them – a racist term if ever i heard one.”
“Muslims who fight against the occupation of their lands are ‘Mujahadeen’ and are blessed by Allah. And any Muslim who fights against Israel and dies is a martyr and will be granted paradise.”
“The concept of Jihad is a beautiful thing, and logical to those with a sincere heart. It tells the human being to stand up and fight against those who bring evil and oppression on this earth, and by standing up – roll back that oppression until the people are free from it.”
“There is no greater oppressor on this earth then [sic] the Zionists, who murder little children for sport.”
He later said:“Any public attack on Islam and the Ummah is not going to be tolerated by men like me. I have dealt with these Zionists before, a veneer of reason, below which lies a crooked mind plotting and planning to extend their hatred against us.”
Bukhari has previously been revealed to have given money to David Irving, the well-known holocaust denier. The National Union of Students (NUS) has banned MPAC UK from campuses for being anti-Semitic. Despite this, mainstream media continue to give a platform to MPAC UK spokespeople, and Asghar Bukhari in particular.
Robin Simcox, Researcher at the Centre for Social Cohesion, says:“The leadership of MPAC UK has been shown before to have expressed opinions which border on glorification of terrorism. Concern has previously been expressed to the BBC and other media about their continuing use of Asghar Bukhari and his organisation. Despite this, they are regularly treated by the BBC and other mainstream media as representative of mainstream Muslim opinion.”
“The Centre for Social Cohesion’s discovery of Ashgar Bukhari’s incitement and likely illegal public comments should be a matter of grave concern to broadcasters and others who have repeatedly given him and his organisation a platform.”
The Centre for Social Cohesion has passed Asghar Bukhari’s comments onto the police.
