07 June 2014

In their own words, the disturbing views of teachers at the heart of the row over extremism in schools

.... Rauf is a member of a Facebook group entitled ‘Free Babar Ahmad’, dedicated to supporting the London-born extremist who was extradited to the U.S. and imprisoned last year, after pleading guilty to ‘conspiracy and providing material support to terrorism’.

Meanwhile, in February, Oldknow’s deputy principal, Mazhar Hussain Al Maazari, used Facebook to post an unforgiving comment calling for Muslims to disown those who leave the faith: ‘Do not love the one who does not love Allah,’ it read. ‘If they can leave Allah, they will leave you.’

The nature of such statements, made with apparent abandon by teachers entrusted with the education of young minds is profoundly worrying to anti-extremist campaigners, who rightly stress that they in no way reflect the peaceful views of the vast majority of British Muslims. [Daily Mail] Read more