Quilliam foundation supports Wilders
The Quilliam Foundation, a self-described “counter-extremism think-tank”, has issued a statement condemning the government ban on Geert Wilders.
Maajid Nawaz, Director of the Quilliam Foundation, says:
“Banning Geert Wilders from the UK is not the solution. Just as the ideas of non-violent Islamist groups like Hizb ut-Tahrir should be tackled through debate and argument, so should those of Wilders and others. Freedom of speech should be protected – so long as people do not use this freedom to call for violence against others.
Wilders has evidently been convinced by the words and actions of Islamists and jihadists that Islam is inherently violent and intolerant. We therefore challenge him to an open debate in which we will argue that Islam is not an inherently violent religion and that, contrary to what he apparently believes, Muslims are not a threat to Europe and its values.
Ed Husain, the co-Director of the Quilliam Foundation, says:
Geert Wilders is undoubtedly an ill-informed, hate-driven bigot with many unpleasant views but he is not directly inciting violence. As a result, unlike in the case of Yusuf al-Qaradawi, I do not support the decision to ban him from the UK. By threatening parliament with a mob, Lord Ahmed is contributing to the negative portrayal of Muslims and their religion.
You got that right. Lord Ahmed is a clown.
(Hat tip HP)
Lord Ahmed wants kicking out of the UK!!!
[…] public. As Maajid Nawaz, co-founder of the anti-extremist think tank the Quilliam Foundation, puts it: Banning Geert Wilders from the UK is not the solution. Just as the ideas of non-violent Islamist […]
lmao. is this the Ed Hussein that argued in his book for Hizb-ut-Tahrir to be banned?
He’s got to get his story straight or he’ll have even less credibility than he does now.