Manchester Islamic terror plot: charges come after 15 months of investigations

Four British-Pakistani Muslims have been charged with Islamic terror offences following raids reported here last week (but you wouldn’t know any of these relevant facts if you were to read the Manchester Evening News, or the BBC report of the same story):

Israr Malik, 21, of Fallowfield, Greater Manchester, is charged with intending to commit acts of terrorism.

Matthew Newton, 27, of Stalybridge, Munir Farooqi, 52, of  Longsight, and Haris Farooqi, 26, of  Levenshulme, are accused of intending to assist others to commit acts of terrorism.

Officers from the North West Counter Terrorism Unit detained the men in what was described as a ‘low key operation’ following a 15-month investigation into a plot to commit ‘violent jihad’.

Newton was reported to have previously run a clothing business with the son of the former Celebrity Big Brother winner Bez of the Happy Mondays band.

All four are due to appear at City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London today.

Munir Farooqi, who is the father of Haris Farooqi, was also charged with three counts of soliciting or encouraging another to murder on three separate dates.

Muslim cleric Shaykh Asif Hussain Farooqui, from Bolton, was yesterday released without charge and thanked those who had called for his freedom.

Up to 2,000 people signed online petitions which called for the release of the scholar who is a member of the Al Rahman Mosque in Daubhill.

Campaigners expressed their ‘outrage’ [the usual Vicitmology reflex - Ed.] that the ‘well-respected figure’ in the Muslim community in Bolton had been detained. Some protested outside Greater Manchester Police’s headquarters hours before he was released.

Shaykh Farooqui, who is not related to any of the charged men, was arrested at his home in Deane.

In a statement, he thanked his legal team, police custody staff – who he said respected his religion – and those who prayed and fasted for his ’speedy release’.

He added: ‘I also extend my heartfelt gratitude to all those individuals who have signed petitions, organisations who have written letters and politicians who have shown unwavering support.

‘Regarding the matter for which I have been arrested, I have from the very outset – from my arrest to the conclusion of my detention – maintained my innocence.

‘I understand the need for the police to maintain law and order, and protect us all.

‘However, I am a man of peace. All who know me, and know of me, know this to be true. I encourage people to follow the teachings of Islam and devote their lives to the remembrance of the Creator, to become good Muslims and law-abiding citizens of this country. This time in detention I believe has been a great lesson to us all.

‘I am anxious to return to my family and congregation and would be grateful if my privacy could be respected.’

His solicitor, Nasir Hafezi, said: ‘Shaykh Asif Hussain Farooqui is a man of immaculate good character and is held in the highest esteem within the Muslim community.

‘While in detention the Shaykh continued persistently to maintain his complete innocence with regard to the unfounded allegations of terrorism against him.

He is obviously relieved to be released from police custody and while he was treated well by the custody staff it is clear to anyone who knows, loves and respects the Shaykh that he should never have been arrested in the first place.

‘There is a message for our society as a whole that when the police so fundamentally fail to consider all of the available information, which is often easily accessible, then anyone, irrespective of their religion or standing in the community, can be arrested and detained for lengthy periods under the terror laws.’

Interesting to note that the BBC’s version of this nationally-important story is hidden away in a local Manchester news section and the words ‘violent Jihad’, from the actual charge, are inexplicably absent.

What’s even more intruiging is that the story appears at the time of writing to be completely missing from the website of the area’s leading newspaper, the ultra-liberal Guardian subsidiary Manchester Evening News. However, it does appear on that of their special ‘Asian’ susidiary, ‘The Asian News’.

Little wonder, then, that the majority of Britons have no idea of the extent of the home-grown Jihad threat levelled against them.