'We all have role to play to remain safe'
A WELSH Muslim think- tank says more must be done to tackle extremism after two Cardiff brothers were jailed for plotting to bomb the Stock Exchange.
Gurukanth Desai, 30, and Abdul Miah, 25, were among nine men jailed on Thursday for the plot.
Dr Masood Yousef, a director of the Wales Institute for Muslim Affairs, says their convictions came as "a shock but sadly not as a surprise".
He said everyone could play a role to ensure Wales remained safe and secure. Swansea-based Mr Yousef, 35, said although more was now being done to tackle extremism it had been "present and left largely unchallenged" for many years in cities across the UK.
"We have to welcome the increasingly robust way in which both the police and local authorities are taking action to disrupt the activities of radicalisers who provide the mood music for violent extremists and often seek to justify or condone their actions," he said.
"Alongside this, there have been some notable efforts by Muslim communities in Wales to refute the arguments of such people, but we can and will do more."
He said the London bomb plot case showed the need to put tackling extremism ahead of "many pressing social issues" affecting Muslim communities.
He added: "I think communities across Wales can have confidence in the ability of the police to identify and arrest terrorist plotters, but more needs to be done to prevent young men and women getting drawn into this in the first place.
"We all have a role to play in ensuring that Wales remains a safe and secure place and that no-one living in Wales is allowed to threaten the safety of others either here, in other parts of the UK or globally."
South Wales Police said they recognised the trial may have raised concerns about extremism in Cardiff and elsewhere.
13 Comments
View all
by trunkles3
Sunday, February 12 2012, 3:28PM
“British Nazi Party complaining about censorship ! What next? Will they support the Human Rights Act ?”
by fred65
Sunday, February 12 2012, 1:35PM
“by trunkles3
Oh please we are not talking about shop lifting!
Most people would be appalled at what is going on "Well" most "normal" people..”
by trunkles3
Sunday, February 12 2012, 11:30AM
“Liverpool court case - why the fuss when there are people in the dock? The victims have not been ignored, people have been charged with offences. The police have done their job.
There are hundreds of convictions every year, where the press are forbidden to mention the case until after the jury has decided the case. Once the case is over, we will know all about it.”
by geraldine2
Sunday, February 12 2012, 10:30AM
“does the muslim think tank have any comments on the abuse in liverpool of under age british white females by up to 47 muslim men?
why are we not seeing this disgusting story splashed across the media?”
by handyman
Sunday, February 12 2012, 10:23AM
“what does this muslim think tank think of the 47 muslim men in court in liverpool regarding sexual abuse of UNDER 16 year old white british girls?!?!?!”
by UpperBank
Sunday, February 12 2012, 2:42AM
“These outsiders will never understand Wales or what it is to be Welsh.”
by trunkles3
Saturday, February 11 2012, 8:10PM
“Let us hope we're not going to get similar problems in the Muslem community as we've had in northern Ireland. Cardiff Riverside councillor Mohammed Sarul Islam has spoken out against extremists and has received threats from them. He and other community workers have received personal alarms and the police presence in the area has increased accordingly.
What a sad state of affairs, after we've often taken these people because they claim to have been driven out of their own countries.”
by huwwuh
Saturday, February 11 2012, 7:54PM
“Does the Welsh Muslim think tank have any comments on the 47 muslims pedophiles that are being tried in Liverpool Crown Court and the reason for the news blackout?”
by geraldine2
Saturday, February 11 2012, 7:11PM
“Vote the british national party in may!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
by dogfa
Saturday, February 11 2012, 6:46PM
“dear mr muslim please leave britain and turn the lights off behind you as you close the door!
i saw this written behind a toilet door in asda llanelli last week”