London, UK, January 29 2007 – In a speech today in the Lozells area of
Birmingham, the Conservative leader David Cameron, said that "those who
seek a Sharia state, or special treatment and a separate law for
British Muslims are, in many ways, the mirror image of the BNP." In his
speech, Cameron postulated that there were five barriers dividing
society – uncontrolled immigration, extremism, multiculturalism,
poverty and "educational apartheid".
His speech was made on the same day that the Policy Exchange thinktank suggested support for Shariah law, Islamic schools and wearing the veil was much stronger among younger Muslims in Britain, than amongst their parents. The Policy Exchange report also reported that there has been a "rapid rise in Islamic fundamentalism amongst the younger generation".
Commenting on this, Dr Imran Waheed, media representative of Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain, said, "David Cameron is guilty of scaremongering when he claims that there are Muslims advocating Shariah law in Britain or demanding 'special treatment'. Like Blair, he speaks at length of community cohesion without mentioning the damage caused to community relations by the colonialist interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan which he supports. It appears that both Blair and Cameron want to play cheap politics with community relations rather than accept the real grievances of millions opposed to Western colonialism in the Muslim world."
"The increased adherence to Islam by Muslims in Britain and their desire to see the Shariah implemented in the Muslim world through the return of the Caliphate are not evidence of a 'rapid rise of fundamentalism' but reflect the tide of global Islamic resurgence which rejects the imperialist era of Western backed dictators and brutal occupation in the Muslim world. Labelling this resurgence, which will reclaim the political destiny of the Muslim world, as a threat to community relations is consistent with the British Government's desire to equate the widely shared aspiration for the Shariah and the Caliphate in the Muslim world with 'radicalisation' or 'terrorism'."
