British Public Libraries See Major Influx Of Jihadist Literature

From Jihad Watch:

British public libraries see major influx of jihadist literature


This comes despite "hate speech" regulations which are, of course, a subject open to much debate. Laws to that effect have become a handy weapon across Europe against those who would criticize Islam, while "extremist" Muslim clerics are left quite free to spew all the pious bile they can muster.



What is ultimately at issue here is the fact that, where such rules are present, Islamic hate speech appears to be getting a pass again. Those who are intensively working to attack the country, its people, its rights and freedoms, economy and infrastructure, and its way of life are again in line for special dispensation, as if that might slow or prevent someone's "radicalization."



The Muslim Council of Britain quotes familiar talking points below ("wonderful diversity") entirely to its own purpose. But of course, the jihadists, their sympathizers, and active and passive enablers would certainly see to the demise of libraries as Britons know them. The rights to personal privacy and freedom of inquiry, speech, and conscience, which guide Western library ethics (though the American Library Association itself has fallen dismally short of its own stated ideals), would be utterly devastated by Sharia.



"Wonderful diversity" would quickly become much less diverse, and drastically less wonderful. "Islamist hate books inquiry call," by Johnny McDevitt for Channel 4 News, December 3 (thanks to Twostellas):



Among the authors was the first person to be banned from entering the country by the Coalition Government earlier this year.

Works by Zakir Naik as well as other banned Islamist leaders, such as Yusuf al-Qaradawi, Abdullah Al-Faisal and Bilal Philips, are available to borrow across London's libraries.

Indian televangelist Naik was barred from entering the country in June, after Home Secretary Theresa May uncovered comments attributed to him, which she said represented "unacceptable behaviour".

Egyptian Qaradawi was excluded in 2008, when the Home Office said it would not tolerate the presence of those who seek to justify acts of terrorist violence.

During his previous visit in 2004, Qaradawi defended suicide attacks on Israelis as "martyrdom in the name of God", during a BBC interview.

Al-Faisal was jailed in 2003 after cassette tapes of his sermons, which solicited the murder of Jews, Christians and Americans were found. He was deported from Britain in 2007.

Others authors included Muhammad bin Jamil Zino, in whose book, Islamic Guidelines - which we borrowed from Bethnal Green library in Tower Hamlets in east London - tells readers that "The Last Hour will not appear unless the Muslims fight the Jews and kill them."

The Channel 4 News investigation found hundreds of books, DVDs and 'talking book' cassettes by these authors in libraries around several London boroughs.

The borrowed books were taken out with a normal library card, with many coming from Whitechapel library, also in Tower Hamlets.

Until January, the library used to stock taped sermons by Anwar al-Awlaki, the so-called 'Osama bin-Laden of the Internet.' [...]

...MLA [Museums, Libraries and Archives Council] guidelines ... advise that "material which incites religious or political hatred cannot be stocked or displayed"[...]

The Muslim Council of Britain, which branded the exclusions of Naik and Qaradwi "serious errors of judgement," called for caution about the removal of their books.

"Libraries remain sources of information through which debate and ideas are shaped on a range of issues," it said.

The usual tactics to excuse the inexcusable:



"It is difficult to justify the removal of books by authors and speakers who have been banned by the Home Secretary but have not broken any laws, especially, when they are outspoken critics of the underlying narratives that drive the terrorist mindset, are examples of individuals who have been maligned and deliberately misquoted by those who have sought to politicise the issue of national security.

The blame game:



"The removal of books by these sorts of authors simply plays into the hands of those on the right who seek to censor and limit free speech. Given the unique role our libraries play, such a move would be unfortunate and would impact on the wonderful diversity of books that our libraries currently have on offer."...

Here, "diversity" serves the cause of Islam. How about when it doesn't? How about a little Geert Wilders on the shelves? A little something from Kurt Westergaard? Ayaan Hirsi Ali? Wafa Sultan? One could go on and on.



The article continues, with more detail on jihadist authors and books the MCB insists have been misquoted. See also this report from 2007, which sounded a similar alarm (thanks to Zulu).

Posted by Marisol on December 4, 2010 9:12 AM