The Muslim Brotherhood And The UK Government

The Muslim Brotherhood And The UK Government

Adrian Morgan

Britain and the United States have a "special relationship" which I hope shall continue indefinitely. Despite this special relationship, there are things going on within Britain's Foreign Office which should raise alarm for anyone who believes that Britain is singing from the same hymn-sheet. Instead of acting to prevent the influence of terror-supporting organizations such as the Muslim Brotherhood, a young Islamist within the Foreign Office is actively promoting cordial relationships with this group.

Formed by Hassan al-Banna in Egypt in 1928, the Brotherhood began as a youth group but rapidly became political. Hassan al-Banna was killed in 1949, a year after the group was first outlawed in Egypt. Sayyid Qutb (1906-1966) took over the group's propaganda unit in 1952 and began to advocate armed jihad as a justifiable political act. Along with Ala Maududi, Quttb's philosophy, as described in books such as Milestones on the Road (Ma'alim fi'l-Tariq), has been a motivating force in the international jihad as mounted by Al Qaeda and others. The group made several attempts to kill Nasser, and in 1966, Qutb was hanged.

The group is still banned in Egypt, though it is tolerated, and 55 members of the group became members of parliament in last year's election. But the Muslim Brotherhood is still a supporter and instigator of terrorism. In 1987, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin of the Gaza wing of the Brotherhood formed Hamas, whose objective is to use terrorism to abolish Israel as an entity. The group is still banned in Egypt, though it is tolerated, and 55 members of the group became members of parliament in last year's election. But the Muslim Brotherhood is still a supporter and instigator of terrorism. In 1987, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin of the Gaza wing of the Brotherhood formed Hamas, whose objective is to use terrorism to abolish Israel as an entity.

Mahdi Akif, leader of the Brotherhood in Egypt, announced in August this year that he would train his followers to fight with Hezbollah in Lebanon and join Palestinian terror groups in Gaza. The "spiritual leader" of the Muslim Brotherhood is Yusuf al-Qaradawi, who is based in Qatar. He supports Hamas' terrorist attacks against Israel and armed resistance to coalition forces in Iraq. Qaradawi is justifiably banned from ever setting foot in the United States.

Last September it was revealed that Mockbul Ali, who works in Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office, had recommended that Yusuf al-Qaradawi should be allowed to enter Britain. Mockbul Ali wrote a long letter explaining that the radical sheikh posed no threat. The letter was written 10 days after four Al Qaeda-sponsored British citizens blew themselves up on July 7 in London, killing 52 and injuring hundreds.

Mockbul Ali's advice came in response by an invitation for Qaradawi to make a return visit to Britain. The invite had been proffered by London's ludicrous leftist mayor, Ken Livingstone, who has said: "Of all the Muslim leaders in the world today, Sheikh Qaradawi is the most powerfully progressive force for change and for engaging Islam with western values." Livingstone also compared the Islamist sheikh to Pope John XXIII, who introduced the reforms of the Second Vatican Council.

So who is Mockbul Ali, and what does he do? The answers are disheartening. Firstly, he is an anti-Semite. In his letter about Qaradawi, he said criticisms of the Islamist sheikh had come from "tainted Jewish sources", going on to name Memri and the British Board of Jewish Deputies. The former is a media monitoring group, founded by Colonel Yigal Carmon, who served for 22 years in Israel's military intelligence service. The Board of Jewish Deputies is a highly respected and long-standing British institution.

Secondly, Mockbul Ali is a former student radical, who is only 26 years old. He was a member of the Union of Muslim Students (UMS), where he edited its newspaper. One of the articles he edited was about Aayat al-Akhras, an 18-year-old Palestinian suicide bomber, who killed two Israeli civilians in a Jerusalem supermarket. The article, entitled "A bride in the dress of martyrdom" described her attack as a "heroic operation... in the heart of the Zionist entity."

After 9/11, Mockbul Ali wrote in the newspaper: "If you are not white, you are most likely to be 'liberated' through bombings, massacres and chaos. Welcome to terrorism as a liberating force. Welcome to civilization - western style."

Mockbul Ali now heads the FO's "Engaging with the Islamic World Group (EIWG)", founded three years ago. This group has an annual budget of $15.8 million. And its mission? To engage with groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood and other radical Islamic factions. These include groups such as Jamaat-i-Islami, the party founded in Pakistan by the other godfather of Islamism, Sayyid Abul A'la Maududi (1903 - 1979).

In July this year, Mockbul Ali approved the granting of a visa to Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, a member of the Bangladesh Jamaat-i-Islami. During Bangladesh's war for independence from Pakistan, Sayeedi was responsible for killing Hindus and Bangla citizens. He has been involved in persecutions of the Ahmadiyya sect in his native country, and has said that US soldiers in Iraq should convert to Islam or die: "...let all the American soldiers be buried in the soil of Iraq and never let them return to their homes." Sayeedi has compared Hindus to excrement. He is also linked to the terrorist group JMB, which has carried out numerous bomb attacks and suicide bombings. But Mockbul Ali let him come to Britain, where he visited the Saudi-funded East London Mosque. So warped is Mockbul Ali's mindset that he claims Sayeedi is a "mainstream Muslim figure".

Mockbul Ali's “Engaging with the Islamic World Group” has also entertained Qaradawi and other Islamists at the expense of the British taxpayer. In July, it funded an Islamic conference based in Istanbul, which cost $550,863. Qaradawi and his wife were paid to fly to the conference and back, and to stay in a luxury hotel. 180 other Muslim leaders from various Middle East locations were paid to travel to the conference, which was held in the Ceylan InterContinental Hotel.

Mockbul Ali remains in his job, engaging with the terror supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood and others. Even Britain's elected representatives can not ask questions about him. On May 8, Conservative MP Michael Gove asked questions in the Houses of Parliament about Mockbul Ali. He wanted to know "in what capacity Mr. Mockbul Ali is employed to advise the Foreign Office; what level of security clearance he has; and what vetting procedures were undertaken before he was offered employment." Kim Howells, the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office told him that such information was classified.

Britain should remain as a friend and ally of the United States. But it is the duty of a good friend to point out where someone is going wrong. As a good friend of Britain, the United States government should pressure the United Kingdom to explain why it continues to hire this traitor to both countries' mutual interests.

Radical Islam Watch