EDL member collected info on Muslim officers


by Sunny Hundal    
10:05 am - June 13th 2012

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Last year it was reported that a suspected member of the English Defence League, who attended their meetings and rallies, collected names and of serving Muslim Officers.

An investigation also found partial addresses and surveillance videos of Muslim officers on his computer, along with a quantity of fireworks and other explosive devices.

But an FOI request has now found that Muslim police officers were concerned that the investigation was “very poor” and “dismissive” of concerns expressed by officers.

It reveal that Muslim officers were also concerned they were being told the man was a ‘lone wolf and not linked to any organisations, but a few minutes of Googling found his links with the EDL and details of attending EDL rallies and meetings.

They detailed all this in a letter to Theresa May. That letter has been uncovered through an FOI request by blogger Richard Bartholomew.

The letter by Britain’s National Association of Muslim Police (Namp) said:

Last year the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) arrested a man who was actively gathering intelligence/information on serving Muslim Officers including myself and other senior NAMP executive members. According to MPS he was in possession of a quantity of fireworks/Devices, neither NAMP nor any of other persons targeted have or were ever made aware of the full extent of this enquiry e.g. explosives and other enquiries to date. The police also found partial addresses and surveillance videos on his computer, this would suggest that he was undertaking reconnaissance activities. At the time were told that the man arrested was a lone wolf and not linked to any organisations.

It took us just a few minutes of basic internet research to establish that this individual has links with the EDL and has attended EDL rallies and meetings, which we brought to the attention of MPS. He was released with any bail conditions and no risk assessment was carried out. This individuals is still of concern to us and we are not aware whether he is still subject to any ongoing intelligence work by SO15 or whether he has been referred to the National Domestic Extremism Unit for intelligence purposes or de radicalisation programme.

The investigation by Specialist Operations (SO) was very poor and dismissive of our concerns… It took the intervention of ACPO officers to inject a degree of seriousness into the investigation. However, sadly the investigation did not lead to charges being brought forward… MPS advised us that a file was sent to Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and they have advised no further action be taken. Earlier this year we had the opportunity to meet senior officials from CPS, we were extremely upset and disheartened to learn that they have no recollection of giving MPS advice on this particular case.

The letter was passed to James Brokenshire MP, Parliamentary Undersecretary for Crime and Security.

But nothing more seems to have come out of it.

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About the author
Sunny Hundal is editor of LC. Also: on Twitter, at Pickled Politics and Guardian CIF.
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Reader comments


1. Varinder Singh

Unless the government starts to treat the English Defence League (EDL) as a credible threat to public safety, I fear that it is not long until we will see another ‘Anders Breivik’ emerge, but this time from the EDL.

I still don’t see why the government was so quick to ban organisations such as Islam4UK (which was correct in my opinion) but is so complacent in banning violent organisations such as the EDL.

2. Chaise Guevara

Well, what was the CPS’s rationale for not prosecuting? That seems to be the relevant question. Had he broken the law in such a way that a prosecution would be likely to result in conviction? Possession of fireworks isn’t a crime, for a start.

3. Dissident

Chaise

Fireworks are easy to throw in someones face, or through an open window or letterbox. They are also easy to disassemble, put in a plastic bottle with some nails etc…

…need I say more?

Legalisms are convenient hideyholes for EDL monsters.

4. Chaise Guevara

@ 3 Dissident

“Fireworks are easy to throw in someones face, or through an open window or letterbox. They are also easy to disassemble, put in a plastic bottle with some nails etc…

…need I say more?”

Yes, you need say more. Because my point is that they’re not illegal. Listing bad things about fireworks does not address this point. At all. You seem to be responding to a completely different comment.

“Legalisms are convenient hideyholes for EDL monsters.”

Once again I’m going to have to ask you whether you’re suggesting a change in policy, and if so, what.

5. Robin Levett

@Chaise #2:

Possession of fireworks isn’t a crime, for a start.

It all depends… Unlicensed (using that term broadly) possession of category 4 fireworks is indeed a crime;

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2004/1836/regulation/5/made

6. Chaise Guevara

@ 5 Robin

What is a category 4 firework? Possession of fireworks generally is obviously legal because you can buy the things in One Stop.

The point I’m making here is that, if the man in question a) didn’t commit any crimes or b) is suspected of committing a crime but the evidence isn’t sufficient to make a conviction likely, then the fact he was not prosecuted is a non-story.

Now, for all I know he committed a crime and there’s a mountain of evidence to prove it, but the OP doesn’t make this claim. So for now I am unconvinced that it is “sad” that he wasn’t prosecuted, or that something more should have “come out of it”.

7. Robin Levett

@Chaise #6:

A category 4 firework is a firework within Category 4 of the relevant British Standard – which covers everything not tested as falling within categories 1-3, generally meaning professional display fireworks.

8. damon

Back to that old question about the EDL having members (or not) again.
And whether the EDL leadership approve of this surveillance of the muslim police officers.
I very much doubt it, but then again, they are just a loose collection of football hooligans and whack jobs, so they will attract all sorts of potentially dangerous fantasists.

If the police thought there was real criminal activity in there I’m sure they would throw the book at him. Why wouldn’t they? They got a guy sent to prison for making racist tweets.
Targeting police officers (if proven) would get you sent to prison for years.

9. Just Visiting

Dissident

> Fireworks are easy to throw in someones face, or through an open window or letterbox.

So is petrol.
Should that be banned?

So is battery acid – widely used in some parts of the world to punish female family members who have dented something called ‘family honour’.

Should that be banned?

You are in danger of losing all credibility on LC if you post without first giving some thought to what you are actually saying.


Reactions: Twitter, blogs
  1. Liberal Conspiracy

    EDL member collected info on Muslim police officers http://t.co/KNdWZvQ2

  2. Richard Bartholomew

    EDL member collected info on Muslim police officers http://t.co/KNdWZvQ2

  3. Tom Mycock

    EDL member collected info on Muslim police officers http://t.co/KNdWZvQ2

  4. NorseFired

    EDL member collected info on Muslim police officers http://t.co/KNdWZvQ2

  5. Asa Winstanley

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  6. Mina

    RT @libcon: #EDL member collected info on Muslim police officers http://t.co/P6V21PBv

  7. Varinder Singh

    EDL member collected info on Muslim police officers http://t.co/KNdWZvQ2

  8. Varinder Singh

    EDL member collected info on Muslim police officers http://t.co/KNdWZvQ2

  9. RITA

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  10. Nemesis Republic

    RT @libcon: #EDL member collected info on Muslim police officers http://t.co/uPMNRUvt

  11. Dr Ramadhan Saeed

    @libcon: #EDL member collected info on Muslim police officers http://t.co/cSnrdkI5 < more proof that 4 EDL it's an all out hatred 4 Muslims

  12. Rob Lugg

    EDL member collected info on Muslim police officers http://t.co/KNdWZvQ2

  13. Jason Brickley

    EDL member collected info on Muslim police officers http://t.co/qEuoMdh5

  14. No2EDL

    EDL member collected info on Muslim police officers http://t.co/KNdWZvQ2

  15. leftlinks

    Liberal Conspiracy – EDL member collected info on Muslim police officers http://t.co/ubcsrKoC

  16. AJ

    #EDL member collected info on M#uslim #police officers | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/BQIBb8PQ

  17. Paul Birkin

    EDL member collected info on Muslim police officers http://t.co/KNdWZvQ2

  18. AJ

    #EDL member collected info on #Muslim #police officers | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/BQIBb8PQ

  19. BevR

    EDL member collected info on Muslim police officers | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/PFj7NqhP via @libcon

  20. Pucci D

    EDL member collected info on Muslim police officers http://t.co/KNdWZvQ2

  21. EAli

    RT @libcon: #EDL member collected info on Muslim police officers http://t.co/P6V21PBv

  22. Alan Hinnrichs

    #EDL member collected info on #Muslimpoliceofficers | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/3ik0QYnj via @libcon

  23. Sweet Dick

    RT @AlanHinnrichs #EDL member collected info on #Muslimpoliceofficers | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/umKQKJ2o via @libcon

  24. NorseFired

    @bigmickeyEDL < Nah. Your Hitler-licking buddies scoop that prize http://t.co/2ycfZXn7 #EDL / @sheryl2311 @Ivan_Jelical

  25. Citizen Pleb

    @bigmickeyEDL < Nah. Your Hitler-licking buddies scoop that prize http://t.co/2ycfZXn7 #EDL / @sheryl2311 @Ivan_Jelical





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