http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...ack-against-rightwing-extremists-1695485.html
"Mr Latif sadly concluded that Luton's ordinary Muslims were paying the price for the actions of the "Al Muhajiroun boys". Which is why he decided to act against them. Shortly after Friday prayers last week he and 300 supporters marched down to Dunstable Road where the sect often set up their stall and told them in no uncertain terms that they were no longer welcome in Luton. His group was spontaneously joined by a number of shopkeepers who were equally fed up with the Islamists putting off their customers with their firebrand preaching.
Despite retaliating with angry taunts of "shame on you" and "go back to your synagogue", the extremists eventually backed down and sloped off towards the town centre. They have vowed to return but many within Luton's Muslim community say they will now get the same treatment if they ever come back.
For outside observers the fact that Luton's Muslims turned on the extremists in their midst shows how angry many British Muslims are at the small number of Islamists who routinely give them a bad name. But within Luton itself, it wasn't the liberal Muslims of the community that turned on the extremists – it was the ultra-orthodox conservatives that finally snapped.
Mr Latif's Masjid Al Ghurabaa follows the Salafi school of thought, the socially conservative Saudi sect in which male adherents tend to grow long beads and dress in simple tunics and women usually adopt the full-length niqab veil. "To outsiders we come across as very traditional," he says. "We don't listen to music – my wife and I, for instance, wouldn't go to a wedding if there was music playing. But that doesn't make us extremists. Islam teaches people to strongly believe in social cohesion and strictly prohibits shedding any innocent blood. The hot-headed young men that belong to Al Muhajiroun promote violence and preach a false version of Islam that reflects badly on ordinary Muslims. That's why we took action."
The spontaneous protest against Luton's firebrand street preachers has prompted a genuine outpouring of support amongst the wider Muslim community. This Saturday local business leaders are holding a meeting to try to persuade the police and local authorities to help them crack down on former Al Muhajiroun members."
"Mr Latif sadly concluded that Luton's ordinary Muslims were paying the price for the actions of the "Al Muhajiroun boys". Which is why he decided to act against them. Shortly after Friday prayers last week he and 300 supporters marched down to Dunstable Road where the sect often set up their stall and told them in no uncertain terms that they were no longer welcome in Luton. His group was spontaneously joined by a number of shopkeepers who were equally fed up with the Islamists putting off their customers with their firebrand preaching.
Despite retaliating with angry taunts of "shame on you" and "go back to your synagogue", the extremists eventually backed down and sloped off towards the town centre. They have vowed to return but many within Luton's Muslim community say they will now get the same treatment if they ever come back.
For outside observers the fact that Luton's Muslims turned on the extremists in their midst shows how angry many British Muslims are at the small number of Islamists who routinely give them a bad name. But within Luton itself, it wasn't the liberal Muslims of the community that turned on the extremists – it was the ultra-orthodox conservatives that finally snapped.
Mr Latif's Masjid Al Ghurabaa follows the Salafi school of thought, the socially conservative Saudi sect in which male adherents tend to grow long beads and dress in simple tunics and women usually adopt the full-length niqab veil. "To outsiders we come across as very traditional," he says. "We don't listen to music – my wife and I, for instance, wouldn't go to a wedding if there was music playing. But that doesn't make us extremists. Islam teaches people to strongly believe in social cohesion and strictly prohibits shedding any innocent blood. The hot-headed young men that belong to Al Muhajiroun promote violence and preach a false version of Islam that reflects badly on ordinary Muslims. That's why we took action."
The spontaneous protest against Luton's firebrand street preachers has prompted a genuine outpouring of support amongst the wider Muslim community. This Saturday local business leaders are holding a meeting to try to persuade the police and local authorities to help them crack down on former Al Muhajiroun members."
