One
European Sharia Supporter Fears Losing Democracy, the Other Enjoys Its
Gifts
by Abigail R. Esman • Oct 24,
2018 at 3:02 pm
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Of late, most of Europe has focused its counterterrorism efforts on
handling the potential returnees from Syria, and possible radicals hiding
among migrants from the region. Yet recent events indicate that not all
European countries are fully prepared to defend against the radicals who
already live there.
Case in point: Anjem Choudary, founder of the radical group Sharia4UK, was released from prison Friday. He served just half of
his 5½-year sentence for inviting support for ISIS. Yet experts warned that
he "actually got worse in prison," and now sees himself as a
martyr.
By contrast, only days later, just across the channel, lawmakers took a
different tack with Choudary's acolyte, Fouad Belkacem, founder of a group
called Sharia4Belgium based on Choudary's model. Compounding his earlier
12-year sentence for promoting terrorism, a Belgian judge on Monday revoked
the 36-year-old's Belgian citizenship. Although Belkacem is Belgian by
birth, he also has Moroccan citizenship through his parents. He now fears
being deported.
His lawyers have promised to contest the decision, insisting that
Belkacem is "very sorry" for his actions. "He never thought
the whole Sharia4Belgium story would end up like this," attorney
Liliane Verjauw told the court, apparently overlooking the fact that
Sharia4Belgium was demonstrably behind a large number of Belgian Muslims
who joined the Islamic State.
Ironically, speaking of the man who sought to replace democratic Belgian
laws with sharia-based law, Verjauw described the possibility of Belkacem's
deportation to Morocco as "a disaster." "Democratic values
are not easily found in such countries," she said.
By contrast, Choudary remains British, and has been released to a
halfway house, where he is expected to remain for six months before being
released into the community. Yet Nick Lowles, CEO of the anti-racist group
Hope Not Hate, told the New York Times, "No other British
citizen has had so much influence over so many terrorists as Choudary –
we've tracked over 120 Islamist terrorists linked to him." Added
former counterterrorism detective David Videcette, "There wasn't ever
a time when I was researching individuals and extremists related to plots
where someone involved wasn't connected to him."
Choudary's release conforms with UK laws that allow prisoners to exit
midway through their term based on good behavior, the New York Times
said. According to the terms of his release, however, he has been barred
from attempting to radicalize others, though how such activities will be
prevented is not clear. He is further banned from using the internet or
speaking to children – measures he has said he intends to fight, calling them
"disproportionate" to the crime and a violation of his human
rights.
Six months from now, Belkacem is likely to be in Morocco, probably in
prison. Choudary will be free to return to pursuing his dream of creating a
sharia state in Europe. Which will make Europe safer?
Related Topics: Abigail
R. Esman, Anjem
Choudary, Sharia4UK,
Fouad
Belkacem, Sharia4Belgium,
released
terrorists, ISIS,
recruitment,
Liliane
Verjauw, Nick
Lowles, Hope
Not Hate, David
Videcette
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