A leading British MP has spoken out against a concerted campaign to cover up efforts by extremists to take over UK schools and radicalise pupils.
Khalid Mahmood, the Labour MP for a Birmingham seat and the longest serving Muslim in the House of Commons, warned that a 2015 scandal involving local education was being written out of public memory.
The think tank Policy Exchange said in a report issued on Monday that the effort involved a high-profile podcast series, books and campaigner appearances.
In a foreword, Mr Mahmood said the extent of the continuing cover-up was fuelling conspiracy theories about events at the school, which led to an investigation commissioned by the UK government into extremism and a damning report by Ofsted, the education regulator.
In particular he warned of the effect of the podcast, The Trojan Horse Affair, which was aired this year.
“Eight years on, there is a risk that the truth — as understood by the public as well as within more specialist academic circles — will be even more diminished,” Mr Mahmood wrote.
“This threw fuel to the fire of conspiracy theories about a supposed 'witch hunt' of Muslims led by an 'Islamophobic' government.
"The podcast was uncritically embraced and promoted by activists who claim Muslims were scapegoated by the official inquiries and the media coverage of the Trojan Horse affair.
"But these activists do not represent all Muslims, many of whom told me they were too afraid to publicly challenge the activists’ narrative.”
The Policy Exchange report shows how systematic the school authorities in certain parts of Birmingham had been in pushing extremist concepts of what should be taught.
Policy Exchange said the organised efforts to exert control included matters such as diminishing the teaching of science subjects such as biology.
It quoted from the findings of senior police terrorism expert Peter Clarke about the extent of organising.
This encompassed “the effective takeover of the governing body by like-minded people” and “interference by the governing body in the curriculum and the day-to-day running of the school”.
It also included “bullying and intimidation of senior teaching staff" and “the reinforcement of Muslim identity to the exclusion or disparagement of others”.
Policy Exchange also said head teachers considered to be hostile by the organisers, who used WhatsApp groups such as Park View Brotherhood, were in line to be sacked.
“In several of the schools inspected, children are being badly prepared for life in modern Britain," a report by the leading educationalist Sir Michael Wilshaw concluded at the time.
The Policy Exchange report also had a foreword from Britain's Levelling Up Secretary, Michael Gove, and commentator Nick Timothy.
“The notion that the events in Birmingham had nothing to do with extremism is as dangerous as it is false, since it conceals an ugly truth that too many prefer not to acknowledge," they wrote.
"We have a problem in Britain with Islamist ideology and its adherents, who seek to impose their intolerant values on Muslim communities, including children, through non-violent means including the capture of important institutions such as schools," they wrote.
"The fear of being branded 'Islamophobic' has only made it more difficult to speak up about such extremism.”
The ultimate purpose was to undermine the government's main counter-extremism policy, Prevent.
“There is a well-organised campaign that seeks to undermine our counter-extremism work and the government’s counter-radicalisation strategy, Prevent," the Conservative Party representatives said.
More coverage from the Future Forum
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Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
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Fuel economy, combined: 8.1L / 100km (estimated)
if you go
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday (All UAE kick-off times)
Borussia Dortmund v Eintracht Frankfurt (11.30pm)
Saturday
Union Berlin v Bayer Leverkusen (6.30pm)
FA Augsburg v SC Freiburg (6.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Werder Bremen (6.30pm)
SC Paderborn v Hertha Berlin (6.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Wolfsburg (6.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Borussia Monchengladbach (9.30pm)
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Cologne v Bayern Munich (6.30pm)
Mainz v FC Schalke (9pm)
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
Expo details
Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia
The world fair will run for six months from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021.
It is expected to attract 25 million visits
Some 70 per cent visitors are projected to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion of international visitors in the 167-year history of World Expos.
More than 30,000 volunteers are required for Expo 2020
The site covers a total of 4.38 sqkm, including a 2 sqkm gated area
It is located adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Recent winners
2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)
2004 Nathalie Nasralla (France)
2005 Catherine Abboud (Oceania)
2007 Grace Bijjani (Mexico)
2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)
2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)
2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)
2011 Maria Farah (Canada)
2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)
2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)
2014 Lia Saad (UAE)
2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)
2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)
2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)
2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)
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About Okadoc
Date started: Okadoc, 2018
Founder/CEO: Fodhil Benturquia
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Healthcare
Size: (employees/revenue) 40 staff; undisclosed revenues recording “double-digit” monthly growth
Funding stage: Series B fundraising round to conclude in February
Investors: Undisclosed
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
Saudi Cup race day
Schedule in UAE time
5pm: Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors Cup (Turf), 5.35pm: 1351 Cup (T), 6.10pm: Longines Turf Handicap (T), 6.45pm: Obaiya Arabian Classic for Purebred Arabians (Dirt), 7.30pm: Jockey Club Handicap (D), 8.10pm: Samba Saudi Derby (D), 8.50pm: Saudia Sprint (D), 9.40pm: Saudi Cup (D)
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
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Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
The specs
Engine 60kwh FWD
Battery Rimac 120kwh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) chemistry
Power 204hp Torque 360Nm
Price, base / as tested Dh174,500
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Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
