A Hot Summer in Scotland

by Daniel Pipes
Mon, 22 Aug 2005

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The Scotsman newspaper runs parallel quotes in one article that define the current outer limits of British debate.

Yaqub Zaki, born in Greenock, Scotland as James Dickie, now deputy leader of the self-styled Muslim Parliament of Great Britain, and author of an article in Muqarnas (a scholarly journal in which I too have published) on "The Mughal Garden: Gateway to Paradise," says he has no problem with Muslims mounting a rocket or bomb attack on the prime minister's residence at 10 Downing Street.

I say go ahead, I would be very happy. The IRA did it. They had rockets that were ready to rain down on No 10. "It would be a shame because it's a beautiful Georgian property. I wouldn't like to see it destroyed but as for its inmates, well, I don't care much for what happens to them.

He would not object to the bombing of Tony Blair's office and residence? "No, I wouldn't be upset, no. But I'm not calling for his execution." Zaki raised the possibility that the July 7 attacks in London were carried out in collusion with the security services to demonize Muslims.

On the other side, The Rev David Lacy, moderator of the Church of Scotland (the church's ranking position), invited imams who encourage hatred and terrorism to leave the country.

They have been welcomed as brothers and have treated us as enemies. It is hypocrisy - they should leave. If we are their enemies they should have nothing to do with us, but they don't. They speak out against us from within and get heart operations and care on our system. And we are happy to do that for them, to give them rights and care, but we expect them to love us in return and accept our right to be who we are.

Comment: Nowhere in the Western world is the debate so polarized as in the United Kingdom; and this exchange suggests that Scotland may be where in the UK it is the most bitter. (August 22, 2005)

Related Topics: Muslims in the United Kingdom, Radical Islam

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