Knives out for Muslim Advisors

The Jewish Chronicle on Friday carried a front page article by Martin Bright criticising the appointment of Asim Hafeez (pictured) to the post of Community Advisor in the Home Office.

Bright wrote:

‘A “hardcore” Islamist has been given a key Home Office job to tackle terrorism and divert fellow Muslims from the path of violence.

‘The appointment of Asim Hafeez as head of intervention at the Office of Security and Counter-Terrorism has caused serious concern among more moderate Muslim advisers across Whitehall. It is seen as a sign of a shift in the government’s policy on radical Islam away from engagement with more moderate groups.’

Since the quality of advice offered by advisers in the Home Office on Government engagement with Muslim groups is well known from the articles published in the JC by Paul Richards, former special adviser to Hazel Blears, the policy shift is likely to be welcomed as a serious attempt by Government to engage with Muslim groups and individuals with clout, experience and, more importantly, credibility.

The policy of engagement with ‘moderate Muslim advisers ‘ and ‘moderate groups’ was and is known for its being nothing more than an attempt to foster a pliant and docile Muslim politics. Denham and Malik, successors to Blears, are to be congratulated for having recognised the problems with this approach and diverging from it.

An example Bright cites of Hafeez’s ‘hardcore’ credentials is this:

‘The new Home Office adviser [Hafeez] is reported to have raised eyebrows at his new department during the Muslim festival of Ramadan, when he lectured guests at a reception about the benefits of fasting.’

If a Muslim speaking of the benefits of fasting on the passing of Ramadan and celebration of Eid ul –Fitr is hardcore, then Hafeez shares the quality with all British Muslims. Not to mention other religious and political leaders who recognise the virtues of individual sacrifice and concern for the indigent that Ramadan brings.

Bright’s article comes on the heels of a Sunday Times story on Azad Ali’s appointment to a Whitehall counter-terrorism panel advising, among others, the Director of Public Prosecutions.

We noted when John Denham and Shahid Malik were appointed that they would do well to rid themselves of their predecessor’s noxious advisers. It would seem there are some not happy that they’ve commendably done just that.