Adam Sherwin, Media Correspondent
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Police have made a formal complaint to Ofcom over a Channel 4 Dispatches film about Muslim extremists which was allegedly distorted through its editing.
It emerged today that a second Dispatches programme about British Muslims is also under investigation, this one by the Metropolitan police.
The first programme, Undercover Mosque, broadcast in January, featured footage shot at a number of mosques, including one at which a preacher praised the Taleban for killing British soldiers.
West Midlands Police said that its inquiry had at first looked at whether there had been any criminal offences committed by three people featured in the programme.
After extensive investigation of the footage, however, detectives then extended their inquiries to the way the film had been edited.
The force said that it had been advised by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) that there was insufficient evidence to prosecute the broadcaster for stirring up racial hatred.
Bethan David, CPS reviewing lawyer, said: “The CPS has demonstrated that it will not hesitate to prosecute those responsible for criminal incitement.
“But in this case we have been dealing with a heavily-edited television programme, apparently taking out of context aspects of speeches which in their totality could never provide a realistic prospect of any convictions.”
Dispatches investigated activities at several mosques across the country, including the Green Lane Mosque in Birmingham. It featured interviews with moderate British Muslim figures, who spoke out against extremism.
Miss David advised police that on the evidence available, there was insufficient evidence that racial hatred had been stirred up as a direct consequence of the programme.
Channel 4 said that it believed that Ofcom would exonerate the broadcaster. Kevin Sutcliffe, Dispatches commissioning editor, said: “We believe the comments made in the film speak for themselves - several speakers were clearly shown making abhorrent and extreme comments.
“This was a thorough and detailed one-hour documentary, made over nine months, which allowed these comments to be seen in a fuller context.”
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Well, I guess the Ray Bakers and Maxadolfs of the world have egg on their face now, eh? The coppers and the CPS have now had to apologise in the High Court, admit they were wrong, and pay out a six figure libel settlement. Result!
Kenny, Aberdeenshire,
Another deja vu for Channel 4. The list of misrepresentations and distortions of truth for effect goes on and on and on! Check out Channel 4's "An Inconvenient Truth ---- Global Warming" produced by Durkin which states as a fact that anthropogenic CO2 is far exceeded by that from other natural (largely volcanic) sources when the reality is the exact converse from published scientific work. So don't bother about reducing carbon pollution, is the misleading and irresponsible message of Channel 4.
It really is time that deliberate misrepresentation on the media is made a criminal offence.
Maxadolf, Epsom, UK
I wrote to Ofcom about the foul language used by Russell Brand during the Brit awards. I got the usual brush off letter telling me that the program was aimed at a younger audience. As if Foul language and abusive behavior is fine for young people! Ofcom are a waste of space, those people should try working in the real world. They have no teeth. The least I'd expect a regulator to be able to do is switch the channel's broadcasting ability off for a period of time! Come on Ofcom show us what you can do, switch channel 4 off for a month, instead of hiding under your desks until the fuss goes away!
Ray Baker, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
At the end of this documentary it seemed to suggest that worldwide Islamic terrorism had something to do with our foreign policy, even though that daily atrocities done in the name of Islam happen in the phillipines, Indonesia, South Africa &. Terrorism was executed and encouraged against non-Muslims by Mohammed himself and written into the texts of Koran and hadiths well before Afghanistan, Iraq and before Israel was reborn as a nation. Unfortunately, violence towards those who will not submit (the real meaning of Islam) is a fact of Islam, there is no way one can whitewash this fact.
kate, stockport, uk
I find the actions of the police completely baffling. for years we, Britsh people of all creeds and none, have watched the growth of a hostile form of Islam. Channel 4 has bravely brought the things said in many mosques out into the open and it is right that they did. This brand of Islam must and should be vigorously challenged the time for treading on eggshells is long past as is the time for denial of the realitity of the threat we face. Radical Islam has not suddenly sprung up in the wake of the Iraq war it has been formenting for years and our governments have naively allowed it to grow unchecked. This highly politicised form of Islam grew in the middle east and it's adherents threatened traditional rulers and were thrown out and many found asylum in Britain. Since the 80s they have grown in strength prticularly since 9/11 and iraq. They aim to impose the rule of political Islam and destroy the kufr and see it as their muslim duty. They will not stop until they suceed.
Glyn Reed, London, England
I find it hard to believe that the police can be this ignoranty about radical Islam. Everything in the Undercover Mosque programme was consonant with Wahhabi, Muslim Brotherhood, or Maududist teaching, and many of the statements were recognizable as having their roots in (mainly) Saudi publications. Why can the authorities in this country not get it through their heads that there really is a well-financed, internationally networked, supremacist, separatist and dangerous strain of Islam which has a broad spread in this country? Please, please, please will the Home Office and rthe police stop shooting the messenger and instead take some notice of the message. What does it take to convince some people that traditional Islam is an ideology wholly out of keeping with a modern, liberal secular state, and that, if we aren't careful and continue to appease the bearers of that ideology, both we and moderate Muslims will suffer. The police must stop worrying about upsetting bigots.
Dr. Denis MacEoin, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
There is nothing new about the. Western Media is well known to have an anti Islamic inclination and they are very efficient at quoting Muslim people's words out of context to suit their own ends. Today the media is no longer a neutral source of information.
Truth, Cambridge,
If I understand the logic of the CPS, if you report hate speech, but you don't provide enough evidence to prosecute, then you are the one at risk of prosecution.
Seems like PC has come full circle, and the victim is guilty unless proved otherwise.
jon livesey, Sunnyvale, CA/US
The fact that the channel 4 documentary was distorted became clearly evident to me as soon as i watched it, this is because i had personally viewed some of the lectures and they were miss represented in the documentary. it seems there are forces at work trying to tarnish the name of islam and muslims at a time we are trying to integrate. it is good the authorities have brought this issue to light, i hope channel 4 will give a formal apology.
faruk, manchester, manchester
Contrast the police approach to this undercover exercise and the one on the BNP. The BNP are not my favourite organisation, but the example serves to highlight the double standards under which this government operates. It clearly puts muslim sensitivities ahead of the clear and obvious concerns of the vast majority of the British people.
The police and CPS appear to be acting as a type of political stasi enforcing the bidding of their political masters. This selective approach to prosecution has the stench of No10's spin doctors all over it. Instead of commending a broadcaster for their brave approach to this subject the government is trying to muzzle them and the debate.
It appears wholly convenient to me that C4 has been systematically attacked for 2 to 3 weeks ahead of the main & latest attack. Conspiracy theory yes I think so as it bears all the hallmarks of the Stalinist propaganda machine.
Richard K, Nottingham,