Seven held as police raid mosque

The Daily Telegraph (England), Jan. 20, 2003
http://portal.telegraph.co.uk/

Seven people are in custody after anti-terrorist officers raided a mosque where the radical cleric to expel the controversial cleric as an agent of the mosque because of his “inflammatory and highly political” speeches at prayer meetings.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “The Metropolitan Police is aware of the sensitivity of such an operation but evidence gathered during recent counter-terrorist investigations in London and elsewhere has uncovered links between the premises and suspected terrorist activity.

“Such evidence has made this operation absolutely necessary at this time.”

Police wanted to make clear that the raid was not against the mosque itself or those who went there to pray, but that it had targeted specific terrorist suspects, the spokesman stressed.

He continued: “The operation is part of ongoing and extensive inquiries by the Metropolitan Police’s Anti-Terrorist Branch into alleged terrorist activity in London and elsewhere in the UK.”

Police had not entered those parts of the mosque used for prayer, taking “every step possible to show respect for the Muslim faith”.

David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, said that the operation had his “complete support”, adding: “We must take firm action to investigate, and if necessary deal with, any potential threat to public safety without fear or favour.”

Ann Heyno, 60, a local councillor, said: “It’s very, very frightening if you think about it. It makes me feel very anxious.

“This mosque has been the centre of quite a lot of local interest and concern. People thought it was only a matter of time before something happened here but I was shocked to hear about what has happened this morning.”

Read Another Article

US astronaut to spread Sai Baba’s message for global peace
Police mosque raid is war on Islam, says cleric

Related News Articles Topic(s): Islamism Subscribe to Religion News Blog updates Subscribe to Religion News Blog [What is this?] Get Religion News Blog's headline by Email [What is this?] Follow Religion News Blog at Twitter Find Related Information Use our custom search engines to find additional research resources on religions and cults: ApologeticsSearch.com: Search for apologetics articles, books, videos, and other research resources across 135 Christian apologetics websites and blogs. CounterCultSearch.com: Search for information about (religious) cults, cult-like organizations, and cults experts -- as well as paranormal-, New Age, and pseudoscientific claims -- across 260+ websites, blogs and forums dedicated to cult research, spiritual abuse, ex-cult counseling & support. Find Related Religion & Spirituality Books at Amazon.com Islamism Possibly related... or Most Popular Religion News Articles Kent Hovind: Evangelist arrested on federal charges Beast’s real mark devalued to ’616′ Muslim Woman Gives Sex Advice on Arab TV Michael Jackson Confirms Conversion to Islam Kent Hovind, ‘Dr. Dino,’ guilty on all counts The fall and rise of Carlton Pearson Search False prophet Harold Camping sets another date for rapture: May 21, 2011 Watch the film Theo van Gogh was murdered for Kent Hovind — Dr. Dino — sentenced to 10 years in prison

Search Religion News Blog