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Islamic Forum of Europe

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Andem (talk | contribs) at 20:12, 21 March 2010 (Removed an apparent press release filling the rest of the article. Entire section thereafter referred to everything as "we".). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Official logo of the IFE

Islamic Forum Europe is an Islamist organisation based in London with at least two branches in the United Kingdom. Its website states it has branches in "most of the European countries including: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland".[1] Its youth wing is called Young Muslim Organisation (YMO), "an organisation based in Tower Hamlets" in London, "with several branches across Britain," and is very active among the Bangladeshi community.[2] The YMO was established mainly by Bangladeshi youths in East London during the period of racial attacks in Tower Hamlets in 1978. Its women's wing is Muslimaat UK.[1] Its "regular activities" include:

Individual and group Da'wah, Study Circles, courses in Tafsir, Hadith, Seerah and History Seminars, Conventions and Camps Islamic cultural exhibitions for non-Muslims and the annual Discover Islam Month, Arabic Language & Shariah courses, Insight and Discover Islam magazines, Local Radio stations (particularly in Ramadan), Developing Mosques, Schools and Islamic Centres, Raising funds for humanitarian relief, participating in local, national and global issues affecting the Ummah and humanity at large.[1]

However, a Dispatches documentary aired on 1 March 2010 suggested the IFE are an extremist organisation with an agenda to tackle the social ills of society. Dispatches quoted Azad Ali, the IFE's community affairs coordinator, as saying, "We need to save our commuity before our community which we reside in becomes chaos".[3] In a comment piece in the Guardian newspaper, Inayat Bunglawala of the Muslim Council of Britain, suggested that many of the people interviewed on the programme had hidden agendas of their own and highlighted that Jim Fitzpatrick, who suggested the labour party had been infiltrated by IFE members, was up against George Galloway in the upcoming elections who had overturned a 10,000+ majority held by Oona King at the last general election.[4][5]

Channel 4's recent Dispatches programme and the accompanying Sunday Telegraph articles depict Islamic Forum of Europe (IFE) as an insidious and extremist organisation bent on taking over institutions in Tower Hamlets, and even the whole country.

The group is said to have a more limited following in Birmingham where it has around 80 members.[2] Its London and Sunderland branches are affiliates of the Muslim Council of Britain.

References

  1. ^ a b c RESPONDING TO THE CALL
  2. ^ a b Bangladeshi Diaspora in the UK SOAS Conference on Human Rights and Bangladesh
  3. ^ IFE: not harmless democrats
  4. ^ Watch out: democratic Muslims about. The Guardian. 3 March 2010.
  5. ^ Galloway's Rebuke to Dispatches Programme. Socialist Unity. 1 March 2010
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