Police: Blackburn terror action was 'completely appropriate' (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Police: Blackburn terror action was 'completely appropriate'
2:12pm Sunday 21st March 2010 in
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- By Tom Moseley » Reporter
POLICE insist they have the backing of the Asian community following the conviction of two Blackburn brothers on terrorism offences.
On Friday Abbas and Ilyas Iqbal were jailed for a total of four years and six months after being found guilty at Manchester Crown Court.
The duo, who wore army-style camouflage clothing, had been seen as a 'laughing stock' by many in the Whalley Range community.
But Chief Superintendent Bob Eastwood, who is in charge of the Blackburn with Darwen, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley division, denied claims the authorities had overreacted to the threat they posed.
Mr Eastwood, who also headed up Lancashire police’s Diversity and Community Cohesion unit for two years, said: “We have picked up on that, but also we have picked up on people saying ‘thank God they have been convicted, we don’t want people like that in the community'.
“The behaviour was sufficiently serious not only to bring charges, but for the jury to convict them. "Therefore the action we took was completely appropriate.”
Mr Eastwood also insisted the acquittal of Muhammed Ali Ahmad, a white Muslim convert, at the same trial would not inflame community relations, saying it was 'business as usual'.
Police are wary of far-right groups trying to 'capitalise' on the convictions, he said, adding: “I would urge people not to try and inflame community relations, because that doesn’t help anyone.”
Abbas Iqbal, 24, of Percival Street, was sentenced to three years in prison and 23-year-old Ilyas Iqbal, also of Percival Street, was sentenced to 18 months. He walked free from court having already served 447 days in custody.
Abbas was convicted of dissemination of terrorist publications and preparation for acts of terrorism. He was cleared of possessing documents likely to be useful to a terrorist.
Ilyas was convicted of possession of a publication likely to be useful for terrorists. He was cleared of preparing for acts of terrorism and possessing documents likely to be useful to a terrorist.
The pair had called themselves the Blackburn Resistance, and filmed propaganda in the style of al-Qaeda. But the judge at Manchester Crown Court said he 'doubted they would have amounted to much'. He even told Abbas that vanity may have been his 'biggest weakness' in that he 'looked like he was getting ready for an attack'.
Comments(14)
Tosh67
says...
6:23pm Sun 21 Mar 10
stan the man wrote:what has asking for backing got to do with policing the streets and removing scum?
Have the backing of the Asain Community,dont tell me the Police asked for permission of them.
who the hell does the asian community think it is, and note to the old bill, just got my council tax bill which i am forced to contribute along with a shed load of other taxes i pay, so do your fecking job and police the street.
Akki
says...
7:54pm Sun 21 Mar 10
I agree.
Joepublicspeaking
says...
8:59pm Sun 21 Mar 10
garyb
says...
10:41pm Sun 21 Mar 10
I'm in no way saying this is an un-warranted conviction I'm just wondering does this charge depend on someone's opinion at the time as to what they are.
Say for example if I had a list of all military bases in the UK in my office ? I have also once had a copy of the Anarchists cook book on my laptop. For those of you that don't know its an old american undergound manual but includes simple bomb making plans. ALthough you can simply obtain it by searching Google
Imran786
says...
12:44am Mon 22 Mar 10
The white dude fired the gun aswell but he was aquitted.
Just the 2 muslims found guilty (not the convertable)
Sky news has the video so how come he got away.
Me got a funny feeling he works for MFI sorry MI5.
Trapping innocent kids
Imran786
says...
1:02am Mon 22 Mar 10
BRFCs
says...
9:30am Mon 22 Mar 10
I urge 'proper' members of the muslim community to come forward and denounce this type of behaviour as this is the only way of bridging the gap in attitudes in our already hugely segregated town.
As a Christian, I constantly denounce the neanderthal, backwards thinking, hate-filled attitudes of some of the christian community that reside in Blackburn. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be much denounciation of these types of incidents from the muslim community when it concerns so called 'muslims'.
In order for Blackburn to be able to continue harbouring positive race relations, this needs to be addressed or we are sleepwalking our way into even bigger problems. This incident should provide for a wake-up call.
Izanears
says...
11:59am Mon 22 Mar 10
time.team
says...
1:05pm Mon 22 Mar 10
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It’s very difficult to talk about a subject so difficult as integration without causing concerns and being accused of talking out of turn. Very complicated, but without wanting to cause any offence, perhaps I may be able to continue?
Any different community wanting to set up home within another community will come across problems of integration. This applies to all, the ’travellers’ being one community just to serve as an example and in no way wanting to cause offence! That community would on the whole like to live a different lifestyle within another community that comprise of the majority. This situation causes fear and anxiety purely because of what could be loosely described as ownership. The original community wanting to continue to live as they always have done. Are you all still with me?
Obviously to allow a ‘transformation’ to take place will depend if that said ‘different’ community truly want to become as one with where they now find themselves. But this is where I feel unable to comment any further due to the many constraints that do not allow me to do so. These unsaid problems will not be ‘sorted’ unless those ‘things’ are discussed honestly between all parties. Everyone knows what those long term problems are but they must be talked about freely to enable all of our lives to move forward. So far this has never happened?
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BIG Problems and the police are right in the middle of it all. So please, someone have the courage to ‘TALK’ about the problems that have always existed!
Cool Lad
says...
2:31pm Mon 22 Mar 10
Izanears wrote:Victoria park eh? I doubt it would ever happen so don't worry love. They wont ban your husband/partner from walking you around the park, just tell him not to forget your leash!
A park in Pendle which is very popular with dog walkers is coming under pressure from certain members of the Asian community. They want it to become a dog free zone!
RAyzer
says...
4:41pm Mon 22 Mar 10
thoroughbred
says...
1:10am Tue 23 Mar 10
Cool Lad
says...
6:39pm Tue 23 Mar 10
thoroughbred wrote:Hello thoroughinbred, for your information I have a full time job and I pay plenty of tax!
Cool Lad...your'e not cool at all, i've never seen one single line of comprehension from you, you're a complete moron, get a job, play on facebook in your spare time and leave intelligent forums for the intelligent!
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As for accusing me of being a moron, it takes one to know one!
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You carry on being a grump in your hellhole of a town Blackburn, I really do feel sorry for you. Take a break keyboard warrior.
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TERRORISM CASE: Brothers Ilyas and Abbas Iqbal, have been found guilty of terrorism offences.
Muhammad Ali Ahmad, was found not guilty of preparation for acts of terrorism
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stan the man says...
4:08pm Sun 21 Mar 10