Muslim leader urges action on extremism
A Muslim leader warned about “fascist fanaticism and radicalism” among Irish Muslims, which, he said, was being stoked by foreign Imams preaching in mosques and prayer houses.
Sheikh Dr Shaheed Satardien, a moderate religious leader based in west Dublin, said he was deeply worried about what was happening in Ireland.
“We are seeing a dramatic change in the attitude and actions of young Muslims. It is not an overstatement to say that there is an ocean of extremism in Ireland now.”
He told the Irish Examiner last night that Ireland would end up like England and France if action wasn’t taken.
“What’s happening in London, Paris and Germany will develop in time in Ireland if the situation is not monitored and controlled.”
Sheikh Satardien, who is also chairman of the Interfaith Roundtable, said the terrorist threat in Britain “would definitely spill over” to Ireland.
“There are many Pakistanis here radicalising the youth, preaching at mosques and prayer houses. I am trying to push the moderate line.”
He said recent events in Lebanon had radicalised a lot of Muslims in Ireland.
He said it was urgent the Government set up a liaison system with Muslim leaders, including with the moderate Supreme Muslim Council of Ireland.
“The Irish Government has to set up an umbrella body for Muslims, and work with them. At the moment, they have no one to point the finger at.”
The two main mosques in Dublin, at Clonskeagh and South Circular Road, are not members of the council. They have direct dealings with the Government.
Sheikh Satardien said Irish Muslims needed to develop homegrown leaders, with an affinity to Ireland, and stop importing Imams.
Fine Gael spokesman on justice Jim O’Keeffe backed calls for an umbrella body.
“The Minister for Justice must recognise the threat from radicalisation and open up channels of communication and dialogue, particularly with the moderate Muslim community. The best chance of dealing with the fundamentalists is through the moderates.”
He said the State must properly fund the Garda Intercultural Unit — which develops relationships with minority communities — and the Special Detective Unit — which monitors Islamic extremism.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Justice said a 5 million integration fund had recently been launched to fund integration projects.
After the London bombings in July 2005, Justice Minister Michael McDowell acknowledged the threat posed by the radicalisation of young Muslim men.
He said it required a sophisticated response, to cut off the “ideas and ideology” of radical Islam.
