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Specialist advice is being given to Scotland Yard on how to reduce tensions between police and Muslims during the London Olympics because of growing concerns about the Games clashing with the holy month of Ramadan, when Muslims fast during the day, The Times has learnt.
Experts will also warn the Metropolitan Police to ensure that the planned commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the massacre of Israeli athletes by Palestinian terrorists at the Munich Games does not offend local and travelling Muslims.
The recommendations have been made by inter-faith advisers to Scotland Yard, where antiterrorism police are preparing to combat any possible Islamic terrorist threat to the Games.
Community tensions in the lead-up to the games have already been raised by a controversial Muslim movement, Tablighi Jamaat, which plans to build Britain’s largest mosque and Islamic complex near the 2012 Olympic stadium site.
Michael Mumisa, an Islamic scholar, and one of four experts hired by Scotland Yard who began training the police this week on inter-faith issues, said that the commemoration of the 11 Israeli athletes, killed by Palestinian militants from the Black September Organisation at the 1972 Munich Games, could become a national security threat if it was not managed properly and was perceived by Muslims to be “hijacking” the Games.
Edward Kessler, executive director of the Woolfe Institute, which deals with inter-faith dialogue, teaching and research, said that police needed to have a “minimum level of faith literacy” to help them deal with religious issues during the London Games. Dr Kessler said: “During Ramadan you’re going to have a lot of tired, hungry, less evenly tempered people because they haven’t eaten for 18 hours.”
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In November 2005, after a five-week investigation by the reporter Richard Kerbaj, The Australian said that Sheik Zoud was preaching the incitement of terrorism at Lakemba Mosque. In October, a jury heard that his passport and travel documents showed Zoud wasnt in the country at the time.
DAVID MCDONALD, LONDON, UK
The British Government should ask permission from a Council of UK imams before passing any laws or making any decisions.
In fact, why don't we just dissolve parliament and just let the mosques run our country? They do such a great job of it in their own countries, after all.
Arthr Brain, Abingdon, UK
Of course the murder of eleven Israeli athletes and coaches and one German policeman in Munich in 1972 should be commemorated. At the very least by 2 minutes silence. How on earth can this threaten our national security?
What on earth does Ramadan have to do with denouncing terrorism?
Kay Bagon, Radlett, UK
These 'Inter faith advisors', are they aware of, and sensitive to, the concerns/needs of the entire gamut of religious beliefs? Do they take into account the problems that dabblers in the more arcane religions might have with the desecration of sacred spaces and land around London?
Bill Q, Derby,
Yet another example of the tail wagging the dog. If these less than evenly tempered hungry people decide to display their less than even temper and break the law in doing so then I can't see any problem at all with locking them up for the duration of either the Olympics or Ramadan. When in Rome.....
Paul, Swindon, Wilts
I am offended by being told that other people are offended. Anybody going to do anything to pander to me?
Steve, Argyll,
This is an insult to every non-muslim in England. I wish the police would show the same investment and tolerance for the ethnic English. I am fed up with being treated as a third class person.
andy, London,
those athletes were taking part in the Olympic games and deserve to be remembered at them, they were not politicians but ordinary people and mulims should not be offended in any way regardless of what they think of Israeli govt. This is just pathetic, no to Halloween, Xmas & now this!!!!
garry, London, Uk
Are the followers of the Prophet [pbuh] going to take over the UK by 2012? Will it stll be the Year of our Lord or a different year?
Brian P O Cinneide, eThekwini, Afrika Borwa
Can someone please explain who these "interfaith advisors" are, and who appointed them?
Are they really suggesting that it is offensive to Muslims to commemorate a murder because the murderers were Muslim terrorists?
This is an insult to every law-abiding Muslim in Britain.
Roy Brown, Lausanne, Switzerland
I don't suppose that anybody has been hired at public expense to explain to Muslims that they live in a Christian/Secular society, and if they don't like it they are always free to move to a Muslim country, rather than expecting the rest of us to fall intoline with whatever they want?
David Leslie, Perth, Scotland
I cant believe this, I live in a muslin country as an expat and happily adhere to the religious customs of ramadan by not eating or drinking in public but thats because Im in THEIR country same should apply for the reverse! Political correctness in Britain has become absolutely ridiculous
Paula, Dubai, UAE
How can Ramadan clash with the Olympics? The only people who could legitimately complain are athletes who may feel it will compromise their performance. But the Koran states in exceptional circumstances, Muslims don't have to fast and to compete is surely an exceptional circumstance. Ridiculous...
S. Sheikh, Cambridge, UK
How come this rears its head now, the Olympics are always held at this time of year.
It is about time the authorities winkled out these agitators and sent them packing.
Anthony, Wretton, UK
What the hell has ramadan got to do with the London Olympics?
For heavens sake if you dont like the British way of life go and live in Saudi and see how long it takes to get your head chopped off.
This is yet another exibit in the inquest for the missing British way of life.
NickT, Expat, Brisbane, Australia
How the commemoration of the massacre of innocent, apolitical athletes by Islamist terrorists could 'offend local and travelling Muslims' is beyond my ken.
Presumably those adherents to the Religion of Peace offended by this memorial consider terrorist murder an acceptable way of doing business...
Joel Howells, Durham, United Kingdom
How fast the sun has set.
fred, Perth, Australia