Nov 11, 2009 | News & Press
The Cordoba Foundation (TCF) wishes to clarify the points raised by a document published by the Centre for Social Cohesion (CSC) on the 11th of November 2009 titled ‘Anwar Al-Awlaki: the UK Connections’, which alleges links between Imam Anwar Al-Awlaki and The Cordoba Foundation, as well as references to comments made by the leader of the opposition, David Cameron about our organisation in 2008.
This accusation regarding our association with Imam Al-Awlaki is made as a result of an event organised by Cage Prisoners in September 2009, which we agreed to support through undertaking a sponsorship package of the event. This agreement was made in August 2009 and the sponsorship fees were forwarded to Cage Prisoners within a few days of the agreement.
Upon the publication of the event’s advertisement a few weeks later, TCF became aware, for the first time that among the speakers was Imam Anwar Al-Awlaki via a video link. Immediately, TCF contacted the organisers and clearly communicated its serious reservations about the inclusion of Imam Al-Awlaki, and explained its position that any association with this person would go counter to the vision, policy and approach of TCF. Indeed, Imam Anwar Al-Awlaki has in recent years attacked and declared un-Islamic (Haram or Kufr) a number of initiatives and projects which TCF was either running or fully supported which encouraged further and wider engagement of young Muslims with British and European politics and the media. It was therefore to our satisfaction that he ultimately did not feature in the event proceedings.
In respect to David Cameron’s comment in a speech before the Community Security Trust on March 3rd, 2008, a well-known pro-Zionist organization, in which he accused The Cordoba Foundation of being a ‘front for the Muslim Brotherhood’, amongst other things, TCF wrote to Mr. Cameron on April 10, 2008, refuting a number of his claims and allegations featured his speech and seeking evidence and clarification of his accusations that TCF was as he described it.
The Cordoba Foundation has yet to receive a response from Mr. Cameron.
The Cordoba Foundation wishes to express its dismay towards the dire standards of professionalism, let alone accuracy, sound academic research and even truth, demonstrated by the Centre for Social Cohesion (CSC). One would have expected from CSC a direct enquiry to ascertain the facts and distinguish truth from lies, or at least a clarification of the accusations leveled against TCF.
It is with regret that TCF notes that organisations like the CSC are repeatedly engaging in amateurish and flawed reporting for the simple purposes of achieving notoriety of the tabloid mudslinging genre. It is surprising that any political party, organization or individual should continue to accord such organisations credibility or respect.
The Cordoba Foundation continues to pursue its aims and objectives through actual projects, real initiatives and true engagement with those who matter for the future of our country.
The Cordoba Foundation
13th November 2009
[Ends]
Notes to editors
- For further information, please contact Amjad Saleem, Head of Communications on 020 89913372 or media@thecordobafoundation.com
Nov 1, 2009 | Reports
There is great concern about the seriousness of the allegations about the PVE program. These concerns are emanating from real life stories which are giving rise to a culture of fear and mistrust.
For organsisations like The Cordoba Foundation such concerns are disastrous for the work that we are doing. Thus a lot more consultation and discussion will be needed to ensure that the program is amended to avoid such mistakes in the future.
TCF
Oct 30, 2009 | Policy Papers
Seldom has a concept been made use of and discussed as much as ‘Violent Extremism’. Of course questions are raised as to the root causes of violent extremism and how it is dealt with.
There are many challenges involved when trying to tackle and prevent violent extremism. It is important for those involved within social cohesion work that those who propogate the message of violence and harm to people should be dealt with. However recent reports by the Guardian and The Institute of Race Relations raises concerns about the viability of such programs for the future.
The Cordoba Foundation is very concerned that if the program is being implemented as it is currently being claimed, it is failing to address some of the root causes of the problems. It also is recommending certain steps to be considered for future implementation such as more consultation with a wider variety of stakeholders at the early stages of fund allocation.
Briefing_Paper
Oct 28, 2009 | News & Press
Following this, The Cordoba Foundation (TCF) and Lord Ahmed of Rotherham convened a meeting at the House of Lords on 27th October 2009, to discuss the revelations that the PREVENT program involved spying on individuals from the Muslim community thereby having damaging implications on present and future communal relations.
Opening the discussion, Lord Ahmed remarked the seriousness of the stories that were emerging from the PREVENT program but stressed that ‘ it should not be mistaken that to be critical of the PVE agenda, one was against preventing violent extremism, rather that it was those at the forefront of preventing violent extremism who the ones voicing their loudest concerns about the current PVE program’
Also addressing a broad spectrum of guests including academics, politicians, community leaders and the media, were speakers including Arun Kundnani (author of ‘Spooked:How not to prevent violent extremism’ published by the Institute of Race Relations), Dr Phyliss Starkey (Chair, Communities and Local Government Select Committee), Dr Muhammad Abdul-Bari (Secretary-General, Muslim Council of Britain), Saleh Mamon (Campaign Against Criminalising Communities) and Robert Lambert MBE (former head of Scotland Yard’s Muslim Contact Unit and Co Founding Director of European Muslim Research Centre).
Speakers were unanimous that whilst measures to tackle violent extremism were justified, this should not be at the expense of people’s civil liberties and creating suspicion, distrust and division with and between communities, especially amongst Muslims. Arun Kundnani highlighted the issue of surveillance and the safeguarding of human rights, he said “individuals particularly youth are being targeted in terms of their political and religious views which is leading to a process of depoliticisation amongst the youth”.
Chief Executive of The Cordoba Foundation, Anas Altikriti, noted “that great strides to engage Muslim youth in particular, within the political process would have been wasted if the youth are made to feel that their political views are irrelevant.”
Saleh Mamon focussed on the erosion of civil liberties and the potential damage to social cohesion caused by PREVENT, whilst Robert Lambert provided evidence from his experience within counter terrorism of best practices for dealing with violent extremists.
In closing the meeting, Anas Altikriti announced TCF will hold future meetings to further the discussion on the PREVENT program and to identify possible strategies for improvement.
The discussion report is available to be downloaded here
Oct 19, 2009 | External News
According to reports in the Guardian on the 16th and 18th of October and backed by an independent report produced by the Institute of Race Relations, the Preventing Violent Extremism program has been used to gather intelligence about innocent people who are not suspected of involvement in terrorism causing concern amongst civil rights and civil society organisations about the violation of the privacy of individuals
For more information on this issue, please click here
Oct 17, 2009 | External Publications
The Institute of Race Relations’ (IRR) independent report produced on 17th October 2009 entitled ‘Spooked! How not to prevent violent extremism‘ raises concerns about how has described how the Government’s ‘PREVENT’ programme has led to “violations of privacy and professional norms of confidentiality” and presents evidence that “Prevent-funded services are being used by counter-terrorist police for information gathering”, through the institution of a little known protocol, the ‘Information Sharing Agreements’ (ASAs).
In short, some of the key findings of the report are:
- Prevent funding has not been driven by a decision-making process in which local agencies identify their own needs and access central government funds accordingly.Rather,local authorities have been pressured to accept Prevent funding in direct proportion to the numbers of Muslims in their area – in effect,constructing the Muslim population as a ‘suspect community’.
- Prevent decision-making lacks transparency and accountability. Decisions are taken behind closed doors rather than in consultation with the voluntary and community sector.
- Prevent,with its focus on a single group,has undermined this aspect of the cohesion agenda
- The embedding of counter-terrorism police officers within the delivery of local services,the purpose of which seems to be to gather intelligence on Muslim communities,to identify areas,groups and individuals that are ‘at risk’and to then facilitate interventions
The report closes with some key recommendations which also includes identifying and addressing the specific needs of different communities for local service and community development
