Life In Israel
UK: Muslim Community angry after undercover cops find terrorists in mosques
From the BBC: Relations between the Muslim community and Greater Manchester Police are being strained after officers infiltrated mosques.
UK: Muslim Community angry after undercover cops find terrorists in mosques
Some Islamic groups have told the BBC Asian Network that they are angry about undercover tactics used in recent counter terror operations.
Police deny relations with the community have deteriorated.
The North West Counter Terrorism Unit carried out an investigation which involved officers posing as Muslims.
They attended prayer meetings and services at a dozen unnamed mosques in Manchester after they befriended four Muslim men for more than a year.
Three of the men, Munir Farooqi, 54, Israr Malik, 24, and Matthew Newton, 29, were convicted of terrorism charges in September. Another man was acquitted.
The court heard Farooqi, a former Taliban fighter, had tried to recruit the undercover policemen to go to Afghanistan to fight British soldiers.
Farooqi was given four life sentences, Newton was jailed for six years and Malik was given an indeterminate sentence and told he would serve at least five years.
But the covert nature of the operation has led to tensions between Greater Manchester Police and its Islamic advisory group.
Yasmin Dar, a member of the Greater Manchester Police (GMP) Mosques and Community Forum, said: “It’s alarming, you’ve got one community that is being targeted.
“I’ve not heard of any cases of undercover officers going into churches or synagogues, so why a particular faith? Relations with the police have hit rock bottom. It’s created a lot of mistrust with the police.”
[Yaeli's answer to your question: Because people aren't trying to recruit for Al Qaeda or plan terrorist attacks in Synagogues and Churches...]
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