British authorities are now saying that the man shot by police following Thursday's London bombings had nothing to do with them. This is regretful, but it is part of the price that must be paid as a result of the heightened fear that terrorism brings. The New York Times is reporting, though:
"Nevertheless the man who was shot was under police observation because he had emerged from a house that was itself under observation because it was linked to the investigation of yesterday's incidents." the Friday statement said.
"He was then followed by surveillance officers to the station. His clothing and his behavior at the station added to their suspicions," the statement added, apparently referring to reports that the man was wearing bulky jacket on a summer day.
Other reports claimed that the man ran from police once he spotted them.
Muslims in Britain are now claiming to be victims of police brutality. Before this gets out of hand, here is a brief reality check and a short list of useful things that British Muslims can do in order to avoid the fate of this fellow.
First, do not run from police. It's a really, really bad idea, in Britain, the United States, or anywhere. Just ask Rodney King.
Second, do not wear bulky jackets on hot summer days.
Third, do not hang out at Finsbury Park Mosque, or any other place known to be a watering hole for jihadists and al Qaeda supporters. And for goodness sake, don't be seen with these guys.
Fourth (and most important), renounce jihadism, radical Islamism, and any teacher or group that advocates killings or terrorism as a means of advancing a religious agenda. Muslims around the world have utterly failed to condemn members of their own religion who have twisted it into a formula for salvation that involves murdering innocent people. Do the right thing. Walk away from them.
Now.
And no one will get hurt.
A bigger roundup of this story is available via Michelle Malkin.
And don't miss Arthur Chrenkoff's good roundup and comments.
How Muslims should address the war on terror.
We, as Muslims, know that the motivation for any so-called Jihadist activities is not a "hatred for freedom," but rather a reaction to foreign policies and the encroachment of the West on Islamic world. Is the violence justified? No. Is the violence the best reaction to the policies? No. Does the West want the violent reactions? Yes. Why? So the West can continue its encroachment on the lives of Muslims everywhere. What should Muslims do about it? Muslims in the world should drop the resistance and anger against the West. The greatest fear of policymakers in the West is not the violence; the violence can be quelled, but rather the explosive growth potential in the population of the Muslim World. Muslim nations have the youngest average age of all nations in the world, and therefore the greatest potential for population growth. This is what drives fear in the West and why it reacts with such hatred; the world through demographic change will become more Islamic by default. With the West bringing the war to the Islamic world and killing thousands of Muslims today, the West is actually killing hundreds of thousands if not millions of Muslims a few generations from now. This is at the heart of the West's war on terror agenda. The West must slow the growth of the world Islamic population. If there really is a war between the West and Islam right now, it will not be won or lost with guns, but rather birth rates. Demography is destiny. Muslims will only survive by living peacefully as the Quran teaches, and focusing on the growth and stability of the family as they have done for many generations.
Posted by: sajjad | July 24, 2005 at 12:59 AM