Asghar Bukhari
Encyclopedia
Asghar Bukhari is a founding member of the Muslim Public Affairs Committee UK
(MPACUK), which describes itself as Britain's largest Muslim civil rights group.
Asghar believes that it is his duty as a Muslim to engage in the community and be politically active. He became politically active during the Salman Rushdie affair.
Bukhari is credited with increasing British Muslim's political involvement in the UK electoral system. He was critical of the 7 July 2005 London bombings
and the violent protests due to Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy
,.
, a £60 cheque and a letter headed with a quote from John Locke
, "All that is needed for evil to triumph is for good people to stand idle". This was reported in The Observer as David Irving had made statements in the past supporting Holocaust Denial.
Bukhari said that he felt that Irving was, "being smeared for nothing more than being anti-Zionist" and that the "pro-Israeli lobby often accuse[s] people of anti-Semitism
. He said he felt that Holocaust denial was wrong, and that did not know that Irving was a Holocaust denier when he donated money to him.
Bukhari then published an audiocast where he stated: "David Irving claimed he was not anti-Semitic and was in fact being attacked by the powerful pro-Israeli lobby; in short, being smeared ... I believed him, it's as simple as that ... I would not have supported anyone who is anti-Semitic."
Facebook
During the Gaza War (in which 13 Israelis, and 1,417 Palestinians died), Bukhari, in a Facebook
thread said: "Muslims who fight against the occupation of their lands are 'Mujahadeen' and are blessed by Allah. And any Muslim who fights and dies against Israel and dies is a martyr and will be granted paradise ... There is no greater oppressor on this earth than the Zionists, who murder little children for sport."
The British
Centre for Social Cohesion
, a right-wing think tank, passed his comments onto the police.
As a result, MPACUK responded by criticising Centre for Social Cohesion for "wasting police time by reporting Asghar Bukhari for supposedly contravening the new law banning 'glorification of terrorism'. MPACUK – who actually care about stopping terrorism – expect our taxes to be spent trying to prevent anyone from blowing us up on tube trains (not dealing with politically-motivated malicious reports against media spokespeople from Muslim groups!)"
Muslim Public Affairs Committee UK
The Muslim Public Affairs Committee UK is a not-for-profit British Muslim organization set up to address a perceived under-representation of Muslims in British politics...
(MPACUK), which describes itself as Britain's largest Muslim civil rights group.
Asghar believes that it is his duty as a Muslim to engage in the community and be politically active. He became politically active during the Salman Rushdie affair.
Bukhari is credited with increasing British Muslim's political involvement in the UK electoral system. He was critical of the 7 July 2005 London bombings
7 July 2005 London bombings
The 7 July 2005 London bombings were a series of co-ordinated suicide attacks in the United Kingdom, targeting civilians using London's public transport system during the morning rush hour....
and the violent protests due to Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy
Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy
The Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy began after 12 editorial cartoons, most of which depicted the Islamic prophet Muhammad, were published in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten on 30 September 2005...
,.
David Irving
In 2006, Bukhari had sent David IrvingDavid Irving
David John Cawdell Irving is an English writer,best known for his denial of the Holocaust, who specialises in the military and political history of World War II, with a focus on Nazi Germany...
, a £60 cheque and a letter headed with a quote from John Locke
John Locke
John Locke FRS , widely known as the Father of Liberalism, was an English philosopher and physician regarded as one of the most influential of Enlightenment thinkers. Considered one of the first of the British empiricists, following the tradition of Francis Bacon, he is equally important to social...
, "All that is needed for evil to triumph is for good people to stand idle". This was reported in The Observer as David Irving had made statements in the past supporting Holocaust Denial.
Bukhari said that he felt that Irving was, "being smeared for nothing more than being anti-Zionist" and that the "pro-Israeli lobby often accuse[s] people of anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
. He said he felt that Holocaust denial was wrong, and that did not know that Irving was a Holocaust denier when he donated money to him.
Bukhari then published an audiocast where he stated: "David Irving claimed he was not anti-Semitic and was in fact being attacked by the powerful pro-Israeli lobby; in short, being smeared ... I believed him, it's as simple as that ... I would not have supported anyone who is anti-Semitic."
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
thread said: "Muslims who fight against the occupation of their lands are 'Mujahadeen' and are blessed by Allah. And any Muslim who fights and dies against Israel and dies is a martyr and will be granted paradise ... There is no greater oppressor on this earth than the Zionists, who murder little children for sport."
The British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Centre for Social Cohesion
Centre for Social Cohesion
The Centre for Social Cohesion is a British think tank headquartered in London and founded in 2007.-Foundation and constitution:CSC was established with funding of circa £275,000 from Civitas. The organisation is constituted as a company limited by guarantee, and was incorporated and registered...
, a right-wing think tank, passed his comments onto the police.
As a result, MPACUK responded by criticising Centre for Social Cohesion for "wasting police time by reporting Asghar Bukhari for supposedly contravening the new law banning 'glorification of terrorism'. MPACUK – who actually care about stopping terrorism – expect our taxes to be spent trying to prevent anyone from blowing us up on tube trains (not dealing with politically-motivated malicious reports against media spokespeople from Muslim groups!)"