Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens's blog

Breivik and Anti-Muslim Bigotry

Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 13:16:35 +0100

BY ALEXANDER MELEAGROU-HITCHENS

I have a piece in the Saturday edition of Lebanon's Daily Star looking at the motivations behind Anders Breivik's attacks last month. Click here if you're interested.

Analysis: Al-Qaeda After Bin Laden

Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens — Mon, 02 May 2011 18:05:09 +0100

The loss of a figurehead as iconic as Osama bin Laden will come as a blow to al-Qaeda and its supporters, but is unlikely to fatally undermine the movement.

Help JIMAS

Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 07:29:06 +0100

ALEXANDER MELEAGROU-HITCHENS

Help JIMAS win a £5000 Co-Operative grant to continue its community work by signing up here and giving them your vote — it won't cost you a thing.

How Western Jihadis See Libya

Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:49:25 +0100

ALEXANDER MELEAGROU-HITCHENS

Reproduced below is my latest analysis for the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation, King's College, London.

Peter Oborne's Hypocrisies

Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 17:30:26 +0000

ALEXANDER MELEAGROU-HITCHENS

Peter Oborne should read his own newspaper before telling us about the glories of a democratically elected Hamas.

Full Faisal Shahzad Video Released

Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 18:04:00 +0000

ALEXANDER MELEAGROU-HITCHENS

A full 40 minute version of a video made by Faisal Shahzad while training for his failed attack on Times Square has been released.

Full Faisal Shahzad Video Released

Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 17:59:10 +0000

ALEXANDER MELEAGROU-HITCHENS

A full 40 minute version of a video made by Faisal Shahzad while training for his failed attack on Times Square has been released.

Cameron is Right

Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 13:03:38 +0000

Reproduced below is an article from Conservative Home by Haras Rafiq, supporting the Prime Minister's Recent Speech in Munich.

Where is the Divide? Cameron Seems to Know

Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 16:05:33 +0000

BY ALEXANDER MELEAGROU-HITCHENS

In last week's issue of the Spectator, Peter Oborne threw his weight behind a faction within the coalition government, headed by Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, who are urging David Cameron and some of his closest allies to reassess their current stance on the role Islamist groups should play both in the direction of British Islam and in the government's counter-radicalisation efforts. He believes that Cameron's neoconservative cabal in Whitehall has fundamentally misunderstood what constitutes extremist Islam, and is mistaken in its rejection of a wide array of British Islamist organisations. Instead, he thinks Cameron and his allies must understand that non-violent Islamist groups can act as a useful bulwark against violent extremism. As well as being flawed, his argument also reveals a surprisingly low opinion of Britain's Muslims.

al-Qaeda Sees an Opportunity in Tunisia

Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 14:23:16 +0000

ALEXANDER MELEAGROU-HITCHENS

Following the unrest in Tunisia, al-Qaeda have released a message of solidarity with dissidents protesting against the regime of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

A Deal in Sangin

Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 12:46:36 +0000

ALEXANDER MELEAGROU-HITCHENS

Reports from Afghanistan are heralding a recent deal between the US forces and tribal leaders in Sangin, central Helmand. The source of nearly a third of British military casualties, it is among the most perilous regions in Afghanistan for ISAF forces.

World Almanac of Islamism

Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 15:19:20 +0000

ALEXANDER MELEAGROU-HITCHENS

The American Foreign Policy Council, a DC based think-tank, has recently released the online version of its World Almanac of Islamism. It is a very useful first stop for researchers and others interested in the different forms of Islamism, and how they have developed on a global scale.

Full Audio Will of Stockholm Bomber Released

Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 19:05:23 +0000

ALEXANDER MELEAGROU-HITCHENS

A complete version of the audio statement by Taimor Adbulwahab al-Abdaly has now been released. Although various media agencies have released parts of it, this is the first I have heard of the full audio. Below is the audio and transcript followed by a short analysis.

Quilliam Open Letter to Channel 4

Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 15:24:01 +0000

ALEXANDER MELEAGROU-HITCHENS

Last Wednesday, Channel 4's '4thought.tv' aired an interview by a former member of banned extremist group al-Muhajiroun. 'Abu Nusaybah' as he calls himself, continues to do the same work he always did for extremist Islam in Britain, recently attending the poppy burning march in South Kensington. The Quilliam Foundation has rightly criticised Channel 4's presentation of this man as a representative of the wider Muslim community.

Who Are the Real McCarthyites?

Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 17:13:56 +0000

ALEXANDER MELEAGROU-HITCHENS

Why don't Islamists and those on the ‘left' read a history book or two instead of spouting ignorant canards about a so called 'neo-McCarthyite' movement against Muslims? The latest example of this flagrant abuse of history is to be found in a blog by the New Statesman's Mehdi Hasan, in which he attacks Daily Telegraph journalist and blogger, Andrew Gilligan.

The New Anti-Semitism?

Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 13:01:14 +0000

BY ALEXANDER MELEAGROU-HITCHENS

Yesterday, the FBI released their comprehensive annual report on hate-crimes committed in the United States. The results may surprise some, and worry others.

Al-Muhajiroun Rally

Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 16:21:24 +0000

ALEXANDER MELEAGROU-HITCHENS

Yesterday, I went along to the rally against British troops in Kensington organised by Muslims Against Crusades, a splinter group of al-Muhajiroun.

Awlaki Research Featured in Today's Telegraph

Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 22:39:18 +0000

BY ALEXANDER MELEAGROU-HITCHENS

Today's Daily Telegraph has featured research from a recent paper I co-authored with my former colleague, Jacob Amis, which covers, among other things, Anwar al-Awlaki's time in the UK.

Anjem Choudary's Legacy

Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 18:48:06 +0000

ALEXANDER MELEAGROU-HITCHENS

Since the revelations that Roshonara Choudhry was encouraged to attempt the murder of Stephen Timms MP by Anwar al-Awlaki's online sermons, Youtube have begun removing Awlaki's videos from their server, and they have quite a big job on their hands. Whether or not this is an effective tactic to prevent online radicalisation is debatable, but not in the remit of this post (for more on that issue see here). Today, we are looking at a British online network of Awlaki supporters and promoters, many of whom seem to be splintered from Anjem Choudary's now banned Islam4UK/al-Muhajiroun organisation.

Radicalisation on British Campuses

Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 11:46:34 +0100

BY ALEXANDER MELEAGROU-HITCHENS

I have a piece, co-authored with Michael Weiss of Just Journalism, in the online version of The Weekly Standard today covering the ongoing problem of Islamic extremism on British university campuses.

The EDL's American Apologists

Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 14:04:43 +0100

ALEXANDER MELEAGROU-HITCHENS

Earlier today, this blog posted a truly shocking video from a recent English Defence League (EDL) rally in Leicester which showed members of the far-right group laying siege to an Asian takeaway full of families. Watch the video now if you haven't already, words cannot quite describe it.

UCL Report on Abdulmutallab

Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 16:46:26 +0100

ALEXANDER MELEAGROU-HITCHENS

Both Nick Cohen on this blog and in the Observer, as well as Student Rights, have covered this issue quite extensively, so I will not repeat the many good points they have made about the recent UCL inquiry into the radicalisation of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. There are, however, a couple of points which have not, from what I have seen, been flagged up.

Possible New Awlaki Video

Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 15:22:30 +0100

ALEXANDER MELEAGROU-HITCHENS

There are rumours circulating within the online jihadist community that a new video of English-speaking al-Qaeda ideologue Anwar al-Awlaki is soon to be released.

White House Designates Iranian Officials

Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 18:23:04 +0100

ALEXANDER MELEAGROU-HITCHENS

The White House press secretary has just released an official statement claiming that the President has designated Iranian officials responsible for or complicit in human rights abuses.

Qaradawi, Quilliam and Bob Pitt

Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 11:03:07 +0100

ALEXANDER MELEAGROU-HITCHENS

Bob Pitt, who runs the Islamophobia Watch blog, has attacked the Quilliam Foundation for their criticism of Islamist ideologue, Yusuf al-Qaradawi.

Choudary's Flag Burners

Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 01:22:05 +0100

ALEXANDER MELEAGROU-HITCHENS

When Anjem Choudary's Islam4UK/al-Muhajiroun organisation was banned in January of this year, many (including this blog) questioned the efficacy of such a move; would they merely change their name and continue to radicalise British Muslims? Weeks after the ban, we revealed that Islam4UK/al-Muhajiroun continued to operate under various names. Indeed, since the ban their activity has continued unabated, and it appears that the flag burning outside the US embassy in London on the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks was their doing.

Death Fatwa for Terry Jones

Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 04:55:39 +0100

ALEXANDER MELEAGROU-HITCHENS

It has been reported that al-Qaeda's Anwar al-Awlaki has issued a fatwa calling for the murder of Terry Jones, the Florida Pastor organising the 9/11 'Burn a Koran Day'.

Pamela Geller Ignores Pleas to Cancel 9/11 Protest

Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:40:04 +0100

ALEXANDER MELEAGROU-HITCHENS

Pamela Geller, the executive director of Stop Islamization of America (SIOA), has said she will ignore the pleas of a number 9/11 families to cancel a proposed protest against the Park51 Islamic centre on the anniversary of the World Trade Centre attacks.

Jihadi Statement on Japanese Tanker Attack

Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:08:23 +0100

ALEXANDER MELEAGROU-HITCHENS

In late July, a Japanese oil tanker was attacked off the coast of the UAE by what appeared to be an al-Qaeda linked terrorist group. Numerous online jihadist forums have now posted an English translation of the claim of responsibility by an organisation calling themselves the Sheikh Yusuf al-'Uyairi Companies of the Shaheed Abdullah Azzam Brigades.

Incitement to Murder Muslims in Surrey

Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:57:09 +0100

ALEXANDER MELEAGROU-HITCHENS

A local Surrey newspaper has reported that extremists are disseminating leaflets in the local area, urging Muslims to kill the Ahmadiyya.