LONDON: Five British Muslims have been found guilty of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behavior likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress at an anti-military demonstration near London. The arrests come as tensions with the Muslim community in Britain continues to worsen. The men, who all hail from Luton, near London, staged a protest in Luton during a homecoming parade for British troops returning from Iraq. Luton Magistrates’ Court heard how the men shouted slogans such as “British soldiers, murderers,” “British soldiers, baby killers,” “British solders go to hell,” “British soldiers burn in hell,” “Baby killers and rapists all of you” and “British soldiers, you will pay.” The men, Jalal Ahmed, 21, Yousaf Bashir, 29, Ziaur Rahman, 32, Shajjadar Choudhury, 31, and Munim Abdul, 28, were all ordered to pay 500 British pounds each and given two-year conditional discharges. Two men, Ibrahim Anderson, 32, and Jubair Ahmed, 19 were found not guilty. The case has reignited the debate surrounding freedom of speech, with Crown Prosecution Service lawyer Paul Harrison admitting that “it is always a difficult job to balance the rights of those wishing to express their views on political issues against the need to protect the public from distress and alarm.†Judge Carolyn Mellanby ruled that the men’s protest went beyond acceptable boundaries and caused “alarm and distress to others present at the parade.†News of the trial comes just days after the group Islam4UK hit the limelight for planning to stage an anti-war march through the British town of Wootton Bassett. The town is known for its informal public mourning held as hearses carrying the bodies of British soldiers killed in Afghanistan pass through their town. Islam4UK planned to carry empty coffins, symbolizing what they said were the thousands of Muslims who have died “as a result of British military actions abroad.” Despite claims from the leader of the group, Anjem Choudary, that the event would be peaceful, and was not timed to coincide with any mourning processions, many Muslims and non-Muslims have expressed disgust at the idea, claiming that the town of Wootton Basett was deliberately chosen because of its role in commemorating dead soldiers and many have accused Islam4UK of trying to cause controversy as a publicity stunt. The march was canceled by the group on January 10, and membership of Islam4UK will be banned as of January 14, under the British Terrorism Act of 2000. Tens of Facebook groups appeared opposing Islam4UK’s proposed march, as well as large-scale internet disapproval by young British Muslims and condemnation from the Muslim Council of Britain and local Muslim groups in the area surrounding Wootton Basett. Ahmed Meneim, a British citizen of Tunisian origin working and living in London, told Bikya Masr that he believes the tensions and fighting that has persisted in the UK in recent years needs to end, but people, he says, need to understand the grievances of the Muslim community. “But, it has to be done in a manner that enables all the have a proper conversation and chat about what is happening in our country. If this war of words continues, there could be violence,” he said. BM
