UK - Britain, let's talk, say Muslims

But look who's doing the talking.

And so, while the two-minute silence came and went, and Britain reflected on how we find, in simplest terms, a way to all get on, the many different people at IslamExpo just got on with it.

For Ihtisham Hibatullah, co-ordinator of the massive enterprise, this was what it was all about.

Taking his guests through the entrance hall of a Bedouin-style tent, and a very lavish interactive history of Islam, he said the show's mission was to give confidence to Britain's Muslim communities.

That would be Ihtisham Hibatullah of the Muslim Association of Britain. More on them later but Hibatullah does say interesting things. Here he is speaking at the opening of Galloway's RESPECT party.

Ihtisham Hibatullah, Muslim Association of Britain

Ihtisham Hibatullah, from the Muslim Association of Britain (MAB) was one of the many speakers who addressed the convention:

'RESPECT PROMISES a new alternative when the stagnation of political life has reached alarming levels. MAB does not join political parties as a matter of policy. But we urge our supporters to back your coalition.

We will continue to work with you in the struggle for peace and justice in this country and around the world.

Education, health, public services-these are all of concern to us, especially when resources are being squandered on an illegal war in Iraq. Would these not be better spent on our universities, our health service and other public services?

Congratulations on this great day.'

This is just a snippet of what he said in his remarks. He also said the MAB had joined the communist led stop the war coalition "in a year long struggle against the war mongers in this country and abroad." Further he stated MAB's support for what he called "the oppressed people in Iraq, Palestine, Kashmir and Chechnya". The two groups banned together to organize Muslim protest rallies. You can listen to his address to RESPECT here.

The Daily Mail reveals the terror connections to Hibatullah's MAB.

The Muslim campaigners behind a mass rally in Trafalgar Square today have close links to Islamic terror groups, the Daily Mail can reveal.

Despite promoting itself as the 'moderate' voice of Islam, the Muslim Association of Britain includes a former military commander of Hamas, the Palestinian organisation behind dozens of suicide bombings in Israel.

The Association has also been described in Parliament as the British wing of the Muslim Brotherhood, the banned Egyptian group whose former members include Osama Bin Laden. [...]

Mike Whine, of the Community Security Trust, which monitors anti-Semitic behaviour, said: 'The leading members have close links with the Muslim Brotherhood and have been active in anti-Jewish propaganda.

"We are worried about their increasing influence within the Muslim community." Azzam al-Tamimi - a Palestinian described yesterday by the MAB as one of its leading political thinkers - caused outrage 18 months ago when he told the BBC he would willingly carry out a suicide bombing in Israel. [...]

Asked about the views of Dr Tamimi, Mr Hibatullah said: "He is one of our leading political thinkers and a leading member of the Association." [...]

MAB was founded in 1997 by Kamal el-Helbawy, who was at the time the European spokesman for the Muslim Brotherhood.

Read the whole thing.

Search my blog using MAB for more - if you need too.


Yes, Mr. Hibatullah, let's talk shall we?
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