Islam4UK

{{Short description|2008–2010 UK-based radical Islamist group}} {{Infobox organization | image = Anjem Choudary hires.jpg | image_alt = | caption = Islam4UK founder Anjem Choudary in 2011 | logo = | logo_alt = | logo_caption = | map = | map_size = | map_alt = | map2_size = | map2_alt = | predecessor = | merged_into = | successor = | formation = 2008 | dissolved = 2010 | type = | status = | purpose = To make the UK an Islamic state | headquarters = United Kingdom | coordinates =  | services = | language = English | leader_title = | leader_name = | leader_title2 = | leader_name2 = | leader_name3 = | leader_title3 = | leader_title4 = | leader_name4 = | board_of_directors = | key_people = | main_organ = | parent_organization = | subsidiaries = | affiliations = | budget = | num_volunteers = | remarks = | former_name = | footnotes = | name = Islam4UK | native_name = | native_name_lang = | named_after = | image_size = | logo_size = | map_caption = | map2 = | map2_caption = | abbreviation = | founder = Anjem Choudary | founding_location = United Kingdom | merger = | vat_id = | registration_id =  | location = | region_served = | products = | methods = | fields = | membership = | num_members_year = | owner =  | secretary_general = | secessions = | budget_year = | revenue = | revenue_year = | disbursements = | expenses = | expenses_year = | endowment = | num_staff = | num_staff_year = | num_volunteers_year = | website =  }}

'''Islam4UK''' was a radical Islamist group that operated in the United Kingdom. The group was proscribed as a terrorist organisation under the UK's counterterrorism laws on 14 January 2010.<ref name=opsi>[https://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2010/uksi_20100034_en_1 The Proscribed Organisations (Name Changes) Order 2010]. Opsi.gov.uk (2010-07-15). Retrieved on 2011-04-24.</ref><ref name="bbcban">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8453560.stm|title=Government to ban Islam4UK under terror laws |publisher =The BBC|date=12 January 2010|access-date=12 January 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Casciani |first=Dominic |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8441499.stm |title=Profile: Islam4UK |publisher=BBC News |date=2010-01-05 |access-date=2010-01-12}}</ref> Before its proscription it was led by Anjem Choudary.<ref>{{Citation | title = Anjem Choudary on the Islam4UK ban | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/the_daily_politics/8459410.stm| publisher = The Daily Politics on news.bbc.co.uk | date = 14 January 2010 | access-date = 16 January 2010}}</ref>

On its website, Islam4UK described itself as having "been established by sincere Muslims as a platform to propagate the supreme Islamic ideology within the United Kingdom as a divine alternative to man-made law" to "convince the British public about the superiority of Islam, thereby changing public opinion in favour of Islam in order to transfer the authority and power to the Muslims in order to implement the Sharia (in Britain)".<ref>Islam4UK, "[http://www.islam4uk.com/about-us About Us]" {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091231120536/http://www.islam4uk.com/about-us |date=31 December 2009 }}</ref>

==Activities == On 16 October 2009, members of the organisation protested against the visit to Britain by Dutch MP Geert Wilders. They carried banners with slogans such as "Shariah is the solution, freedom go to hell" and "Geert Wilders deserves Islamic punishment".<ref>Mirror.co.uk, "[https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/latest/2009/10/16/protesters-greet-dutch-far-right-mp-115875-21752129/ Protesters greet Dutch far-right MP]"</ref>

In January 2010, the group gained widespread media attention by announcing plans to hold a protest march through Wootton Bassett (now Royal Wootton Bassett); an English town where unofficial public mourning takes place for corteges of armed forces personnel killed on active service, as they make their way from RAF Lyneham to Oxford. Reports that the group planned to carry empty coffins to "represent the thousands of Muslims who have died" were denied by the group,<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.islam4uk.com/pr_2.html |title = Declaration on wootton bassett procession|publisher = islam4uk.com, archived at webcitation.org| date = 2010-01-10 | access-date = 2010-01-10 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190416162746/http://www.islam4uk.com/pr_2.html | url-status = live |archive-date = 2019-04-16}}</ref> although the empty coffins had been proposed by Choudary himself. Choudary said that the event would be peaceful, and that it was not timed to coincide with any mourning processions.<ref name="Timeswootonbassett">{{Citation | last = Henry | first = Robin | title = Extremist muslim group to march through Wootton Bassett | url = http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6973792.ece | work = The Times | date = 2 January 2010 | access-date = 11 January 2010 | location=London}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> The announcement was condemned by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who said that plans for the march were "disgusting" and that "to offend the families of dead or wounded troops would be completely inappropriate".<ref>{{Citation | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wiltshire/8438915.stm|title = Brown warns against 'offensive' Wootton Bassett parade|publisher = bbc.co.uk| date = 2010-01-04 | access-date = 2010-01-04}}</ref> The Home Secretary, Alan Johnson, indicated he would agree to any request from the Wiltshire Police or local government to ban the march under Section 13 of the Public Order Act 1986.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wiltshire/8440408.stm |title=Johnson 'will back' Wootton Bassett Muslim march ban |publisher=BBC News |date=2010-01-04 |access-date=2010-01-12}}</ref>

Choudary said he chose Wootton Bassett to attract maximum attention and, he asserted, 500 members of Islam4UK would carry 'symbolic coffins' in memory of the Muslim civilians 'murdered by merciless' coalition forces.<ref name="telegwb">{{Citation | title = Muslim cleric Anjem Choudary admits Wootton Bassett march is publicity stunt | url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/defence/6929708/Muslim-cleric-Anjem-Choudary-admits-Wootton-Bassett-march-is-publicity-stunt.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100106081440/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/defence/6929708/Muslim-cleric-Anjem-Choudary-admits-Wootton-Bassett-march-is-publicity-stunt.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 6 January 2010 | publisher = www.telegraph.co.uk | date = 4 January 2010 | access-date = 4 January 2010 | location=London}}</ref>

The Muslim Council of Britain stated that it "condemns the call by...Islam4UK for their proposed march in Wootton Bassett", and continues, "Like other Britons, Muslims are not opposed to Britain’s Armed Forces."<ref name="MCB">{{cite web|url=http://www.mcb.org.uk/article_detail.php?article=announcement-853 |title=MCB |publisher=MCB |date=2010-01-04 |access-date=2010-01-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100109023803/http://www.mcb.org.uk/article_detail.php?article=announcement-853 |archive-date=2010-01-09 }}</ref> The Wiltshire Islamic Cultural Centre stated "We, along with all other Muslim community groups in Wiltshire and the surrounding area, including Bath Islamic Society and Swindon Thamesdown Islamic Association, unreservedly condemn this march," adding, "Therefore we are putting the record straight and letting the media and general public know that the vast majority of Muslims have nothing to do with this group", and asking that Wiltshire Police ban the march. They stated that they, along with Call to Islam Centre and Masjid Al-Ghurabah, would counter-demonstrate against "Islam4UK/Al-Muhajiroon".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wiltshire-icc.org/|title=WICC calls for ban on Wootton Bassett March|publisher=Wiltshire Islamic Cultural Centre|date=3 January 2010|access-date=11 January 2010}}</ref>

On 10 January 2010, Islam4UK said it was cancelling its planned march in Wootton Bassett; however, the police had not actually received a request for permission for the march.<ref>{{Citation | title = Islamists cancel Wootton Bassett protest plans | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8451014.stm | publisher = news.bbc.co.uk | date = 2010-01-10 | access-date = 2010-01-10}}</ref>

== Proscription == Islam4UK was listed as an alias of Al Ghurabaa and The Saved Sect, already proscribed under the Terrorism Act 2004, by an order on 14 January 2010.<ref name ="Prosc"/><ref name=opsi/><ref name="bbcban"/> In announcing the proscription, the then British Home Secretary Alan Johnson said: "It is already proscribed under two other names – Al Ghurabaa and The Saved Sect".<ref name="bbcban"/>

In the January 2010 order and a November 2011 order, the names Al Muhajiroun, Call to Submission, Islamic Path, London School of Sharia and Muslims Against Crusades were also listed as aliases. In June 2014, Need4Khilafah, the Shariah Project and the Islamic Dawah Association were added to the list. Note that the order is not needed to establish an alias as identical to another name of a proscribed organization, it is enough that the two are to all intents and purposes the same, and that the individual prosecuted has performed a proscribed act.<ref name="Prosc">{{cite web|title=Proscribed Terrorist Organisation|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/354891/ProscribedOrganisationsAug14.pdf|work=Gov.uk|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141020224519/https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/354891/ProscribedOrganisationsAug14.pdf|archive-date=2014-10-20}}</ref>

Islam4UK issued a statement saying, "Today's ban is another nail in the coffin of capitalism and another sign of the revival of Islam and Muslims."<ref name="I4UKRes">{{Citation|url= http://www.islam4uk.com |title=AL-MUHAJIROUN/ISLAM4UK BAN IS A VICTORY FOR ISLAM AND MUSLIMS | publisher= islam4uk.com, archived at webcitation.org | date=2010-01-12 | access-date=2010-01-12 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100112184523/http://www.islam4uk.com/ |url-status= live |archive-date = 2010-01-12}}</ref> They restated their goal: "Therefore, we will one day liberate our land from occupation and implement the Shariah not just in Muslim countries but also right here in Great Britain. This is something that we believe in, live by and hope that in our lifetime we will witness".<ref name="I4UKRes" /> In a further statement, issued on the same day via their website, they stated that "Islam4UK has been contacted by authorities to (force) shut down its operations, we stress this domain name will no longer be used by us, but the struggle for Khilafah (aka "the Caliphate") will continue regardless of what the disbelievers plot against the Muslims. It is the duty of all Muslims to rise up and call for the Khilafah wherever they may be".<ref name="I4UKRes"/>

The ban has led some ("the left", according to Sunny Hundal writing in ''The Guardian'') to criticise it as a "blow to free expression",<ref>[http://www.indexoncensorship.org/2010/01/islam4uk-ban-a-blow-to-free-expression Blog Archive » Islam4UK ban a blow to free expression]. Index on Censorship (2010-01-12). Retrieved on 2011-04-24.</ref> which will "serve to undermine the government’s effort to prevent violent extremism".<ref>[http://www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom/jonathan-birdwell/ignore-islam4uk-don%E2%80%99t-ban-them Ignore Islam4UK, don’t ban them]. openDemocracy (2010-01-13). Retrieved on 2011-04-24.</ref> Deborah Orr has commented in ''The Guardian'' that the ban "erodes democratic rights with the intention of defending them".<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/jan/14/deborah-orr-islam4uk | work=The Guardian | location=London | title=Is the Islam4UK ban a blow against democracy? | date=2010-01-14 | access-date=2010-05-05 | first=Deborah | last=Orr}}</ref>

==See also== * Islam in the United Kingdom * {{Annotated link|Sharia4Belgium}} * {{Annotated link|Sharia4Holland}}

==References== {{reflist|30em}}

==External links== {{commons category}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20100112184523/http://www.islam4uk.com/ Official website, archived at webcitation.org] * {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.islam4uk.com/ |date=* |title=Official website }} {{Authority control}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2019}}

Category:2008 establishments in the United Kingdom Category:2010 disestablishments in the United Kingdom Category:Islam-related controversies in Europe Category:Islamic organisations based in the United Kingdom Category:Islamic terrorism in the United Kingdom Category:Islamist groups Category:Organisations designated as terrorist by the United Kingdom Category:Political extremism in the United Kingdom Category:Religious fanaticism in the United Kingdom Category:Sharia in Europe