Author: Shrabani Basu and Amit
Roy
Publication: The Telegraph
Date: October 11, 2001
A UK-based fundamentalist group
has issued a fatwa against Tony Blair, but the British Prime Minister shrugged
off the threat even as security agencies reacted by tightening their ring
of steel around him.
The call was issued by al Muhajiroun,
which has a London base. Abdul Rehman Saleem, a spokesman for the group,
yesterday called on the faithful to assassinate the British Prime Minister,
saying that any Muslim, British or foreign, who "wants to get rid of him"
would not be punished under Islamic law, but praised.
"Because the allies, the British
and the Americans have started bombing the Muslims of Afghanistan, for
those people over there, the government buildings here, the military installations,
including 10 Downing Street, become legitimate targets. That includes the
Cabinet and it includes the Prime Ministers as well," Saleem said by phone
from Lahore.
But Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammed,
the leader of al Muhajiroun, who is in trouble for issuing a fatwa against
President Pervez Musharraf, distanced himself from Saleem's remarks. "It
is not allowed for any Muslim living in this country to get involved in
action like this," he said.
He confirmed that Saleem was a member
of his organisation but insisted that he spoke for the organisation in
Pakistan, and not for British Muslims.
Blair, however, maintained a studied
indifference. The British Prime Minister, who has been travelling the globe
in an effort to keep Islamic countries within the anti-Taliban coalition,
was today in Oman where he enjoyed an informal curry lunch with British
troops who may be used in a ground offensive in Afghanistan.
Blair queued up like the others
to get his tray and let slip that one of his sons was considering a possible
career in the armed forces.
Asked about the threat, Blair replied:
"The people who are actually going into action are in far greater danger
than me, and my first thoughts are with them."
He added he would not lose any sleep
because of the increased danger to his life. "No, I'm afraid it comes with
the job," he said.
But British security agencies are
taking no chances, despite Blair's outward show of nonchalance. A home
office spokesman said: "A view will have to be taken on whether any action
will be taken in the light of this individual's latest comments."
