Another day, another arrest of a group of suspected fifth columnists planning to commit acts of terror against British targets overseas. A story befitting lead billing on the BBC News website you might think? No. Instead we see “Officer ‘abused Iraqi prisoners”. So, where precisely do you think it might be located? Second billing? In the top stories section? Headlining the regional news portal? Well no actually. It’s not even featured on the BBC News frontpage. The story is instead relegated to the Manchester regional page under the heading of “Five arrested during terror raids” [1].
What does the BBC say about these five? Does it give us some clues as to their identities or backgrounds? Yes. Apparently they were men aged between 21 and 62. That’s it. No other details. Why?
Thankfully, other news outlets have been slightly less coy in their treatment of the story. The Times timorously edges towards the truth when it almost casually mentions that “properties in inner-city areas [of Manchester] with large Muslim populations have been sealed before a lengthy search.” Furthermore, “Neighbours spoke of front doors being knocked and shouting at around 4am. One described a man of Pakistani origin being led away.” [2] The Daily Telegraph homed in on the truth a little further when it reported on “a 62-year-old man arrested at his home on Willows Lane, Deane, Bolton, [who] taught the Koran at a number of mosques across the region. "I'm surprised. He carries out spiritual sessions twice-a-week. He is very spiritual," said one source within the Muslim community.” [3]
“Surprised”? Why was the source “surprised”? The “source” stated clearly that the man “is very spiritual”, which is Muslim code for describing someone who is a rabid kufr hater. This elderly fellow is said to have preached at a number of mosques in the Northwest, so we can be rest assured that if indeed he proves to have been involved in a terror plot, he will have been spreading his ‘spiritual’ message widely and freely to all of those wonderfully ‘moderate’, ‘spiritual’ and ‘devout’ people in his congregations. How very reassuring. Over now, to a message from Greater Manchester Police:
References:
[1] http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/8361758.stm
[2] http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article6918663.ece
[3] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/6582086/Raids-on-suspected-terrorist-recruitment-network.html
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