Asim Hafeez 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. There is a sharp divide of opinion within government about whether ministers should engage with Muslims at risk of radicalisation or concentrate on forging links with moderates. Mr Hafeez was described by one fellow adviser as “hardcore Salafi”. Salafism is a strictly puritanical branch of Islam, often associated with Saudi Arabia. It does not promote violence, but does urge the creation of an Islamic state. The new Home Office adviser 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. Before his appointment at the Home Office, Mr Hafeez worked as an adviser to the Welsh Assembly, government where he had a reputation for his strict views on Islam. He also regularly lectured on Islamic issues at Welsh universities. The Home Office appointment coincides with a change of regime at the Department of Communities and Local Government, where John Denham has replaced Hazel Blears as Secretary of State. Sources at the department have told the JC that Mr Denham’s deputy, Shahid Malik, has announced his belief that ministers have been “talking to the wrong people”. The Home Office last night confirmed that Mr Hafeez had been given the job, but said that all appointments followed government procedures. The BBC Trust has said that the terror organisation Hamas “should be treated fairly and a right of reply conferred where appropriate”. The response was revealed after the Trust rejected a complaint from solicitor Andrew White, who runs a pro-Israeli website, beyondimages.info. He had complained originally that a website article about a BBC Panorama programme on Gaza gave a “very skewed” view of Hamas, airbrushing out much of its violent actions against Israel and Palestinians in Gaza. Mr White argued that Hamas’ activities had put it beyond the BBC’s guidelines for it to be given a right of reply. Since a right of reply was a “presumption”, he told the Trust, that presumption could be overridden. He said this week: “Nowhere was it mentioned in the adjudication on my complaint that a right of reply for Hamas was purely for this one occasion.” Hamas is regarded by the British government as having two sections, a political wing and a military wing. The military wing is proscribed in this country, but this carried no sway with the BBC. Asked if this were now official BBC policy, a Trust spokesman said that the right of reply “was a one-off”. The spokesman said that “we are talking about Hamas in Gaza and this [website article] was about the relationship between Hamas and Fatah, so they would have the right of reply. Every adjudication is a one-off. It is about that particular complaint and particular piece of content.” In rejecting Mr White’s complaint, the Trust said it “noted” that in 2006 Hamas won the majority of votes and seats in the Palestinian Assembly. In its adjudication, it said: “It was important that the BBC cover the activities of Hamas with fairness which would include a right of reply where appropriate. The committee considered that applying the requirement for a right of reply to Hamas, where appropriate, simply acknowledged that Hamas should be treated fairly and a right of reply conferred when circumstances required.” Mr White had pursued his complaint through all three levels of the BBC’s complaints procedure, of which the Trust is the last. He argued that all criticism of Hamas had been left out of the web summary, but that criticism of Israel remained. He said he did not know if he would pursue his complaint any further. In a statement, the Trust said: “The BBC Trust considers every appeal against the relevant BBC editorial guidelines. Each complaint is considered on its merits and depends on the context of the particular broadcast or online publication.”
UK NEWS
'Hardcore' Islamist gets top anti-terror post at Home Office
BBC says: we must give voice to Hamas
By Martin Bright, November 5, 2009
Last updated: 4:42pm, November 5 2009
Trust presses Corporation to offer terror group right of reply as a 'fair opportunity'
By Leon Symons, November 5, 2009
Last updated: 5:01pm, November 5 2009
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