British Muslim soldier: Islamists should treat UK as their own country
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23794413-british-muslim-soldier-hits-out-at-radical-groups.do
Kiran Randhawa13.01.10
Ads by Google
World Wide Army Surplus @ local prices +low shipping and gr8 price
Help deployed Jewish soldiers celebrate the holidays. Donate now.
In Or Out? Tell Angus Reid Your Opinion Now
Toy soldiers, Military Miniatures Historical Figures. Free Shipping!
A Muslim soldier today condemned Islamist groups for their extreme views saying it was “about time they began treating this country as their own”.
Corporal Mohsin Mughal, 29, criticised organisations such as Islam4UK, saying they were sending out the wrong message and insisted the majority of Muslims value the job the military do.
A Home Office order to ban Islam4UK, led by Anjem Choudary, comes into force tomorrow following the outcry over its plan, since dropped, to march through the Wiltshire town of Wootton Bassett near RAF Lyneham where the bodies of servicemen are brought back.
Mr Choudary has since been given
24-hour protection by the Met after fears that a far-Right group may be plotting an attack on him.
Corporal Mughal, regional supervisor for Defence Dental Services which provides dental care for the armed forces, said: “I can only condemn the views of this group and others like them.
“I'm a serving Muslim in the forces and I am just doing my job. It's not for soldiers to decide what country to invade or what action to take, that's up to the politicians. To attack us for these decisions is wrong.”
The London-based soldier, who joined the Army eight years ago, declined to give details of where he lives for fear of reprisals.
He added: “The Muslim community in general have a lot of respect for what we do. The Army has many roles, we don't just fight wars.
"In the past week we have seen soldiers helping get food to people stranded due to the snow. These people should recognise that.”
Corporal Mughal, originally from Pakistan, served in Iraq for three months in 2003.
He added: “There are a minority of people who have a negative perception of the British armed forces, and these tend to be second and third generation Muslims. It's about time they began treating this country as their own.
“They live here in this peaceful country and that's largely down to the armed forces who protect them.”
For Corporal Mughal, who has been instrumental in launching the Armed Forces Muslim Association, joining the Army is following in a family tradition.
His grandfather fought for the Allies during the Second World War and spent five years in a Burmese prisoner of war camp. His younger brother has also joined up as a regular.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment