Going undercover against extremism

BBC News, Going undercover against extremism, 18 Aug 2016 "A long-running undercover police operation in the Bedfordshire town of Luton, which has contributed evidence to two recent counter-terrorism trials, helped build up an incredibly detailed picture of the depths of loathing for Britain felt by the men at the heart of the investigation."

Cleric Omar Bakri 'on the run' in Lebanon

BBC News - Cleric Omar Bakri 'on the run' in Lebanon: "The Sunni Muslim cleric is among 200 individuals wanted in connection with their alleged role in clashes that have left 30 people dead in recent weeks."

Omar Bakri Muhammad

Daily Star, Omar Bakri released on LL5 million bail, 25 Nov 2010 "During the retrial attended by Sahly, Bakri categorically denied charges of belonging to Al-Qaeda, Fatah al-Islam group or any other fundamentalist or Salafi organization, according to the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. Bakri denied reports claiming that he was a spiritual guide of a fundamentalist group."

Omar Bakri Muhammad

Yaakov Lappin, Jerusalem Post, Analysis: Al-Qaida ideologue’s arrest blow to ME jihadis, 15 Nov 2010: "The arrest on Sunday of al-Qaida ideologue Omar Bakri Muhammad by Lebanese security forces in Tripoli is a blow to the al-Qaida network in the Middle East."

Journalist Yaakov Lappin's book Virtual Caliphate is out now. Details:

Yaakov Lappin, potomacbooksinc.com, Virtual Caliphate: Exposing the Islamist State on the Internet

I have yet to see this book.

Radicalization

Reuters, Interview: UK Islamist says like-minded U.S. groups expanding, 2 Sep 2010 "U.S. officials are worried about the emergence of so-called homegrown militants in the United States who apparently radicalized themselves by visiting Internet sites that host strongly anti-Western Islamist commentary written in English."

Omar Bakri Muhammad's "A-Team"

Dominik Lemanski, Daily Star, Bakri's A-Team on Global Jihad, 6 Apr 09, "Omar Bakri Mohammed claims he is training up to 400 extremist activists in a bid to win over the 'hearts and minds' of western converts ...

" ... We are already doing this in the UK with the use of the internet but we need Muslim intellectuals on the ground who can speak -English and French as well as Arabic."

Omar Bakri Muhammad

Telegraph, Omar Bakri accused of training al-Qaeda terrorists, 2 Jan 09 "An arrest warrant has been issued by Lebanese security forces over allegations the preacher gave weapons training to an extremist group called al-Qaeda Lebanon."

On a related theme: MailOnline, Hate preacher Omar Bakri instructs followers to convert aliens to Islam, 3 Jan 08 "A security source is reported to have said: 'Perhaps he could show his people the way - it would give everyone a break if he was beamed up.'"

Habib Ahmed

manchestereveningnews.co.uk, Habib's 'get-rich quick schemes', 19 Dec 08 "Books entitled Islamic Military Resurgence and Defence of the Muslim Lands were found and two computers recovered showed numerous terror-related internet searches on addresses of chemical companies, the components of bombs and how grenades worked."

OBM

Sky News, Banned Cleric Preaching To Brits, 13 Dec 08 "Omar Bakri Mohammed has been delivering sermons on the internet chat room PalTalk from his home in Lebanon, where he is exiled.

"Between 30 and 50 users log on every morning and evening to listen to what is usually a 30 minute speech.

"He then opens the discussion board up for questions, which he answers directly."

This has been happening for sometime. See the related report here:

OBM

This is London, Islamic radicals make mockery of hate laws, 10 Nov 08 "JUST days after Home Secretary Jacqui Smith announced tough new measures to name and shame foreign-based extremists and prevent them coming from abroad to stir up hatred in the UK, firebrand preacher Sheikh Omar Bakri Muhammad cocked a snook at her new initiative, the Evening Standard can reveal.

"More than 200 Muslims at a packed public meeting in Tower Hamlets were told by organiser Anjem Choudary: "We have a special surprise, a special treat for you. Sheikh Omar Bakri Muhammad will be joining us on a live feed from Lebanon." He added: "As Muslims, we will not submit to any man-made law, any government, or any prime minister - Bush or Brown - or [to] Jacqui Smith. We submit to Allah.""

Omar Bakri Muhammad

Mail Online, My dad's not a monster and I'm not a pole-dancer, says firebrand preacher Omar Bakri's daughter, 8 Nov 08 "When the daughter of firebrand Muslim cleric Omar Bakri Mohammed was revealed to be a topless pole dancer, the conflict between their two lifestyles could hardly have been more stark.

"Bakri, exiled from Britain in 2005 for inciting hatred, is infamous for his radical interpretation of Islam, which includes denouncing Western 'depravity' and claiming the British people brought the 7/7 outrages on themselves."

Omar Bakri Mohammed

This is London, Hate preacher Bakri targets young people through Web campaign, 29 Oct 08 "The Home Office wants to introduce rules making it easier to bar preachers of hate from Britain.

"But a Standard investigation has uncovered dozens of YouTube videos filmed by a radical Islamic sect and its exiled leader Omar Bakri Mohammed as part of its latest recruitment drive."

Also see Jamie Bartlett, Comment is Free, Guardian, Extremism: live by webcam, 29 Oct 08 "First, listening to radical preachers rant and rave about Jewish conspiracies or the importance of jihad doesn't turn someone into an Islamic extremist. In Demos' research into the relationship between radicalisation and violence, we are finding that vitriolic speeches calling on people to fight infidels are readily available. But on their own, they never lead anyone into action.

"Indeed, the leaked MI5 report on violent extremism in Britain suggested the influence of extremist clerics had "moved into the background". There is a much more tangled web of influences at work, and forcibly shutting up radical preachers can even be counter-productive. Anything the government ever bans usually becomes, by default, more exciting. Just as 16 year olds will clamber to watch any video that has been banned by MTV, the hits on a preacher's website will quadruple the instant he is not welcome in the UK."

Bartlett writes for Demos, whose main website is here, which includes an indication of their perspective on a number of issues.

Daily Mail, X Factor in terror alert as hate cleric Bakri says reality show is anti-Muslim for supporting troops charity, 21 Oct 08 "Security has been stepped up for reality show the X Factor this weekend after Muslim hate preacher Omar Bakri Mohammed blasted the show for being anti-Muslim, it has been claimed.

"The exiled radical cleric hit out against the ITV1 show for supporting charity Help For Heroes, which aids injured troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"Police fear his extremist followers will view his internet rant as a 'fatwa' – a religious ruling – and target the show’s stars and judges, including Simon Cowell."

UK

Mail on Sunday, Merchants of Hatred: On the anniversary of 9/11 this terrifying investigation reveals the hatred of Britain's enemies within, 14 Sep 08 " Gordon Brown and Communities Minister Hazel Blears welcomed Muslim worshippers from Regent's Park Mosque to a meeting in Downing Street to launch a huge Labour campaign to combat Islamic extremism at grassroots level following the London bombings of 2005.

"As part of this initiative-200 different organisations from 70 parts of Britain with large Muslim populations have received millions in public grants under what is officially called the Preventing Extremism Pathfinder Fund - a total of £15million a year." Sue Reid's piece also discusses Omar Bakri Mohammed, Anjem Choudary, Abu Qatada and Yasser Al-Sirri.

Also see communities.gov.uk, Preventing Extremism Pathfinder Fund (pdf)

Omar Bakri Muhammad

Express, Sir Paul: Terror Target, 14 Sep 08

"Bakri, who made his weekly internet broadcast to fellow extremists from his home in Lebanon, where he has lived in exile since being banned from returning to Britain, said Sir Paul [McCartney] was “making more enemies than friends”."

The People, I'll be Bak-ri, 21 Oct 07 "Outlawed Islamic fanatic Omar Bakri Mohammed has vowed to defy a ban on him returning to Britain - and challenged anti-terror cops to charge him or leave him alone."