Didsbury mosque not cause of Manchester Arena bomber’s radicalisation
Volume Three of the Manchester Arena public inquiry, published yesterday, has found that Didsbury mosque was not an active factor or cause in the radicalisation of suicide bomber Salman Abedi and his brother, Hashem, convicted as his accomplice. But it did say that leaders at the mosque, which was attended by the arena bomber and his family, were guilty of wilful blindness to the debate about the Libya conflict, in the period before the bomb attack. The chair of trustees, Fawzi Haffar, said it was being used as a scapegoat. He told BBC North West Tonight: “What Salman Abedi did was evil and he definitely did not become radicalised by listening to a 10-minute sermon here or joining forces with other so-called terrorists or other radicalised people at this centre. If we had known that Salman Abedi was a radical, if we were told by the security services or warned by the police to ‘please watch out for this person’, I would have done anything to prevent what happened. Anything.” Twenty-two people died in the attack in 2017 and more than a thousand were injured.
Calls for better advice on end of life care for British minorities
A joint study between the Muslim Council of Britain, Marie Curie, University College London and the University of Leeds says the Covid-19 pandemic made pre-existing heath inequalities worse and disproportionately impacted minority groups. It says that health care providers need to do more to raise awareness of palliative and end of life care services for minority groups, including Muslims. It suggests that greater involvement of a diverse range of people in health and social care services is needed to tackle inequity in access to care.
Times report into Hasidic schools in north London
The Times publishes an investigative report by Andrew Norfolk into the education of Hasidic Jewish boys in Stamford Hill, north London. It reports concerns that boys can barely read or write aged 16, having been taught in private schools, where Yiddish is the primary language, and after receiving two hours of secular lessons each day. There are allegations of unsafe school conditions and unregistered primary schools. A bill giving increased powers of inspection and oversight to Ofsted and the local education authority was shelved last year. Chinuch UK, representing 12 registered ultra-Orthodox boys’ schools in Stamford Hill, is quoted saying they were run “according to UK government regulations”.
Global bishops opposed to same sex relationships to visit London
Global Anglican bishops opposed to same sex marriage are planning to visit London in the coming months. They will offer support to evangelical churches, who believe that same sex relationships are un-Biblical and therefore object to the general synod’s recent decision to move forward with blessings for same sex couples. The Rev William Taylor, Rector of St Helen’s Bishopsgate, said in a filmed statement that there is no security for evangelical Anglican churches or clergy in London without bishops with whom they agree. Archbishop Foley Beach, of the Anglican Church in North America, is coming to London in March to meet church leaders from the dioceses of London and Southwark.
Faith leaders urged to support cost of living campaign
Faith leaders are being asked to join a campaign with more than 50 civil society organisations, trade unions and charities, to ask the government to pledge action on the cost of living crisis. Stop the Squeeze has three demands: Guarantee affordable, clean energy for everyone; Ensure everyone has access to a Living Income; Reform the tax system with higher taxes on wealth. FaithAction has alerted faith leaders to the campaign so they can add their signatures of support.
Christian peers deny “New Issues” group is anti-Muslim
Hope not Hate, a campaign group against the far right, has published an investigation alleging that a group of peers and campaigners is promoting an anti-Muslim agenda in Parliament. It identifies two peers, Baroness Cox and Lord Pearson, and Christian Concern’s Tim Dieppe, as members of the New Issues Group. All three have denied the group is anti-Muslim. Church Times report here
The Jewish festival of Purim takes place on Monday 6 and Tuesday 7 March. Read our latest factsheet on its history, meaning and customs here
