The murky world of UK Islamic organisations

Much is often said about the dangers of the UK based radical Islamic outfit al-Muhajiroun, its former leader Omar Bakri Mohammed the “Tottenham Ayatollah”, and its subsequent leader Anjem Choudary. However, a multitude of other murky and often radical Islamic organisations are still operating with impunity across the UK. Many of them closely linked in a hidden network of changing names, directorships and backers.

1. Islamic Human Rights Commission

The IHRC is a non-profit organisation based in Wembley, London. It has been described as a “radical Islamist organisation that uses the language of human rights to promote an extremist agenda including the adoption of shariah law”. It is also said to be “one of a number of right-wing Islamist organisations and promoter of jihadism in the UK”.

It describes itself as a campaign, research and advocacy organisation. Many of its recent campaigns have focussed on anti-terrorism laws in the UK and also pro-Palestine, anti-Israel and “anti-Muslim (sic) racism”. Its campaigns have supported high-profile associates of Al-Qaeda, the Taliban and Hezbollah. It is an organiser of the annual Al-Quds day demonstration in London and gives its annual “Islamophobe of the Year” awards. In 2015 it awarded “International Islamophobe” to the Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris, less than two months after…