The MCB has sought to undermine evidence that there was a plot to take over schools in that way. "The document proved to be a fake," complained an MCB statement, "but accusations of an extremist plot still exist." 

They do — and for the simple reason that whether the letter is a fake is not the issue, nor ever has been. The issue is whether the substance of the letter was true. Clarke and Kershaw found that it was, with evidence that some, or all, of the five Trojan Horse steps were present in at least 14 primary and secondary secular state schools, and two state faith schools.

Although neither inquiry found evidence of "direct radicalisation or violent extremism", Clarke did find "clear evidence" of teachers and governors "who espouse, sympathise with or fail to challenge extremist views . . . however intolerant or obnoxious".

Kershaw did not find evidence of an anti-British agenda. However he did not have access to some evidence available to Clarke, like the Park View Brotherhood's WhatsApp messages, which Clarke reveals contained a "total lack of challenge" to any views unless critical of other Muslims, including "anti-Western rhetoric" and "explicit antagonism towards the British military". A class at Golden Hillock secondary was reportedly "shown images of jihad, involving a battlefield and rocket launchers". Some governors actively stopped the police from teaching children the Prevent strand of the government's counter-terrorism strategy, which explains how to avoid being drawn into terrorism. I'm also told that at one school, two governors appointed by Birmingham council were on the counter-terrorism "sympathisers" watch list. 

The fact that children were also learning to be intolerant of difference and diversity falls within the Prevent programme's official definition of extremism. That definition includes "vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values", such as "mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs". There were also numerous links posted to speakers known for their extremist views, some of whom were invited to speak to the children. Sheikh Shady Al-Suleiman, for instance, has called on God to "destroy the enemies of Islam . . . to give victory to the Muslims in Afghanistan and Chechnya . . . to give victory to all the Mujahedeen all over the world" and to "prepare us for the jihad". 

The sheikh was invited to talk to 15- and 16-year-olds at Park View school but the acting principal, Mozz Hussain, said he merely focused on the importance of exam revision. Staff, however, told Clarke that some students were so shocked by what he had said that they talked about it for days, saying things like: "Oh my God I can't believe what he has just said — there are people dying in Afghanistan."

The man named in the Trojan Horse letter as the prime mover behind the plan was the chairman of the Park View Educational Trust, Tahir Alam, a former BT engineer turned educational activist and governor of six schools, well known for his energetic promotion of Islamic education. He was also an Ofsted inspector.

In a mostly unpublished interview with BBC Radio 4's The Report, Alam said the school had checked out Sheikh Shady Al-Suleiman before he was invited to speak but no evidence of extremism had been found. This is strange because evidence of his extremist views is available on the internet at the click of a mouse.