A joint letter signed by faith and community leaders vowing to combat extremism was published in The Guardian earlier this week.
The following statement was issued in The Guardian on Wednesday:
“We represent charities, civil society organisations and safeguarding groups from across the UK. We speak for the many religions, faiths, ethnicities, denominations, colours and creeds that make up modern Britain. And we each in our own way find ourselves on the front line of the battle against all extremists, who sow hate and prey on young people to encourage them to harm themselves, their families and the fabric of the communities in which they live. We work every day to protect young people at risk from radicalisation, but it is a daily battle and one that demands a coordinated and concerted response.
“Today – with one voice – we launch our collective fightback against those who wish to do us harm. We reach across the boundaries of our backgrounds to come together in unity with one aim in mind – to protect our communities, our families, our young people and our way of life. United, we declare that we reject the lies extremists spread and that we refuse to allow them to groom our young people and destroy our families and communities.
“We pledge to work together to defeat their poisonous ideology: by sharing our knowledge of how extremists seek to exploit young and vulnerable people, and our experiences of what works in response; by coming together to meet regularly, and to agree a coordinated effort to protect and empower members of the communities in which we live; by saying simply and clearly with one voice – enough is enough.
“We invite everyone who loves life – whether non-government, government, voluntary or private sector – to join us in shaping these solutions (see https://fightbackstartshere.com). We face a common and determined enemy. We must offer a common and determined response.”
Signatories:
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Suleman Nagdi Spokesperson, Federation of Muslim Organisations
Abu Muntasir Founder, JIMAS
Hanif Qadir Founder, Active Change Foundation
Shafiul Islam Volunteer, Active Change Foundation
Fatima Lahnait Volunteer, Active Change Foundation
Sara Khan Director, Inspire
Kalsoom Bashir Director, Inspire
Nick Taylor Chief executive, Tim Parry Jonathan Ball Foundation for Peace
Sajda Mughal Founder, JAN Trust
Mike Haines
Barbara Henning
Hifsa Haroon-Iqbal Islamic Society of Britain
Kashan Amar Upstanding Neighbourhoods
Peter Lewis Councillor, Leicestershire County Council
Riaz Ravat St Philips Centre, Leicester
Gary Kramer Leicester Hebrew Congregation
Tony Nelson Leicester Hebrew Congregation
Rev Dr Albert W Mosley Methodist Minister
Jaffer Kapasi Anjuman e Saifee, Leicester
Allan Hayes Member, Federation of Muslim Organisations
Sabir Khan Chairperson, Bolton Council of Mosques
Bishop Tim Stevens Bishop of Leicester
Suniya Qureshi Chief executive officer, Qismat Foundation
Resham Sandu Sikh Welfare & Cultural Society
Resham Singh The Punjab Link Council
Ali Panju Ridhayatallah Theatre
Davinder Prasad British Organisation for People of Asian Origin
Rev Canon Barry Naylor Diocese of Leicester
John Young Member, Federation of Muslim Organisations
Rabbi Danny Rich Liberal Judaism
Rabbi Richard Jacobi Woodford Liberal Synagogue
Rabbi Odom Brandman Chabad Lubavitch
Rabbi David Hulbert Bet Tikvah Synagogue
Saleha Jaffer Founder, Families Against Stress and Trauma (FAST)
Mohammed Abbasi Co-director, The Association of British Muslims
Khurshid Ahmed Co-director, The Association of British Muslims
Paul Salahuddin Armstrong Co-director, The Association of British Muslims
Hashim Sacha Rabetah Al-Ulama Al-Islamiyyah
Steve White Member, Federation of Muslim Organisations
Fiaz Rashid Pakistan & Kashmir Welfare Association
Iqbal Bhana Kirkless Faith Forum
Riaz Khan Member, Federation of Muslim Organisations
Imam Moulana Mohammad Shahid Raza British Muslim Forum, Leicester Central Mosque
Mahebub J Ladha Muslim Council of Peterborough
M Hafeez Katib Oadby and Wigston Muslim Association
Rt Rev Richard Atkinson Bishop of Bradford
Manjula Sood Member, Federation of Muslim Organisations
Aysha Iqbal Patel Member, Odara
Kiran Iqbal Member, Odara
Satya Minhas Chair, Hindu Council UK
Barry Jacobson Universal Peace Federation
Imam Irfan Chishti Me and You Education
Rev David H Clark Church of St James the Greater
Canon Andrew Wingate St Phillips Centre
Mohamed Salim Mangera Member, Federation of Muslim Organisations
Daud Sameja Leicester Christian Muslim Dialogue Group
Naomi Shaw Member, Federation of Muslim Organisations
Rev Barnabas Alexander Wesley Hall, Mayflower, Uppingham Road Methodist Churches
Miriam Levene Leicester Progressive Jewish Congregation
Adam Deen Director, The Deen Institute
Yasmin Desai Member, Federation of Muslim Organisations
Tanzeem Sardoiwala Member, Federation of Muslim Organisations
Shaheda J Patel Member, Federation of Muslim Organisations
Farhana Essat Member, Federation of Muslim Organisations
Ahmed Ravat Member, Federation of Muslim Organisations
Salim Yusuf Lorgat Islamic Relief
Hafsa Salim Lorgat Islamic Relief
Aisha Essat Member, Federation of Muslim Organisations
Nazia Yusuf Member, Federation of Muslim Organisations
Yasmeen Chothia Member, Federation of Muslim Organisations
Rabiya Khansia Member, Federation of Muslim Organisations
Aisa Sidat Member, Federation of Muslim Organisations
Imran Gangat Member, Federation of Muslim Organisations
Fatima Gangat Member, Federation of Muslim Organisations
Fayyaz Ahmed Member, Federation of Muslim Organisations
Aisha Varachia Member, Federation of Muslim Organisations
Yunus Badat Member, Federation of Muslim Organisations
John Woodhouse Westminster Cathedral Interfaith Group
Kaya Hadley JAN Trust
Balgees Barendilla Volunteer, Active Change Foundation
Esther Trienekens Volunteer, Active Change Foundation
Aqsa Latif Volunteer, Active Change Foundation
Javid Rahman Volunteer, Active Change Foundation
Zarah Qadir Volunteer, Active Change Foundation
