THE QUESTIONS MAAJID NAWAZ WON’T ANSWER

The UK media has been replete with debate on the request from Islamic State concubine and terrorist comforter Shamima Begum that she be allowed to return from her Syrian prison to the UK. Some say she should be allowed back, others think that she should be absolutely kept out.

Readers will know that Begum left the UK with two associates in 2015 to help wage Jihad in Syria with the barbaric forces of the head choppers of Islamic State.

THE NAWAZ DIMENSION

I asked a few straightforward questions of LBC presenter Maajid Nawaz but they seem to have caused a problem.

Let’s review what happened.

In the first instance I found myself agreeing with Mr Nawaz when LBC tweeted

We do indeed need to step up how we deal with extremism.

Here is his original tweet summarising his views how we “deal” with extremism.

In the monologue that this tweet links back to Nawaz argues that these are British produced terrorists and therefore the UK’s responsibility. I would argue that they are mostly dual nationals, and the products of self enclosed ghettos. And that therefore dual nationals who join terror groups dedicated to destroying the UK should have their UK citizenship cancelled. Maajid believes the opposite.

We are all welcome to hold different opinions but I then asked Nawaz…..

“Are you a dual UK-Pakistani national @MaajidNawaz? In that case we should have prevented your entry back into the UK after your jihad activities in Egypt. We must increase UK enrichment by deporting all dual nationality jihad supporters. New legislation must be created’

His response was as follows

Clearly this was an evasion not an answer, so I followed up by asking politely….

You @MaajidNawaz have admitted carrying out jihad activity in Egypt. Do you believe that dual UK nationals carrying out jihad activity abroad should have their UK citizenship cancelled or not? Simple question. Yes or No? Too tough?

This brought the following response…

Two questions and two ad hominem responses from this public figure. So, let’s get the “facts straight”!

REVIEWING THE FACTS

The facts are simple. From his Wikipedia page…

Born in Southend-on-Sea, Essex to a British Pakistani family,

Given this statement, I simply enquired if he holds British-Pakistani dual nationality. All that is needed is a factual Yes or a No! Why is this a problem, Maajid?

Reading on…

Nawaz is a former member of the Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir. This association led to his arrest in Egypt in December 2001, where he remained imprisoned until 2006.

Maajid has publicly stated that he sought to recruit army officers in Pakistan in order to instigate violent coups and install sharia law governments, and that he travelled to Egypt with a view to agitating against the secular government of Hosni Mubarak. The latter was in the immediate aftermath of 9/11.

You may recognise the young muslim lawyer who helped get him released from his Egyptian prison. He is now London Mayor – I refer of course to Sadiq Khan

THE VIDEO EVIDENCE

Now back in the UK after his release from the Egyptian prison Nawaz gave a speech at the Al Quds (Jerusalem Day) rally in London, in which he called for the establishment of an “Islamic State” in Israel. For the avoidance of any doubt here is the video of it. The speech was given AFTER his return from Egypt to the UK. He sounds pretty radical throughout but you must draw your own conclusion.

If this video is wrong in any regard, I hope Mr Nawaz will correct me. If it is as exactly it appears, I think the “facts” seem straightforward.

Here is a further video clip of Nawaz AFTER he returned to the UK

pic.twitter.com/soWMDiRyYt

— Kavorka (@efocarama23) September 16, 2018

In summary, Mr Nawaz travelled overseas to wage Jihad by his own admission, came back to the UK, and praised “Islamic State” Ms Begum travelled overseas to wage Jihad with Islamic State and now wants back to the UK.

QUESTIONS BUT NO ANSWERS

So the questions remain unanswered;

1. Does Maajid Nawaz have dual British-Pakistani citizenship?
2. Does Maajid Nawaz agree that UK nationals with dual citizenship carrying out jihad activity abroad should have their UK citizenship cancelled?

He insists that the UK government needs to step up how we deal with extremism. I agree.

Cancelling the UK citizenship of UK nationals with dual citizenship carrying out Jihad activity abroad would be a good way to start surely?