They export extremist ideology which menaces Britain’s national security. The hatred that is manufactured and disseminated within their kingdoms threatens the safety and indeed lives of everyone reading this article.
From Saudi Arabia to Kuwait, they are key allies and partners of the British government, and the Tories are endeavouring to forge ever closer links with these despotic exporters of fanaticism.
And now these same Tories are sitting on a report given to them last year which examines the foreign funding of extremists in the UK. After three murderous Islamist extremists attacks in the space of a few months, this is nothing short of a national scandal.
The Green MP Caroline Lucas is right to question whether the failure to publish the report is because of criticisms made of the government’s Saudi allies. The British people – traumatised by repeated atrocities which deliberately targeted innocent civilians – have the right to know whether their government’s friends are putting their lives at risk. The failure to publish the report will fuel a suspicion that the Tories prioritise diplomatic ties and economic interests over the national security of this country.
[A POPULAR COMMENT 121 votes] If the government does release this report and it reveals that large numbers of UK mosques are being funded by Saudi Arabia and are teaching hardline Wahhabi Islam, what then? Will Owen Jones call for these mosques to be shut down?
[ANOTHER 82] Regardless of whether the report is released or not. Nobody in the mainstream public sphere will have an honest discussion about Islamic extremism in the UK, fears of accusations of racism and childlike racism of low expectations get in the way of criticising a certain set of beliefs beginning with the letter "I". [Guardian Cif] Read more
