Improving the image of Muslims – Bukhari-style

Asghar Bukhari

A PROMINENT British spokesman on Muslim affairs, who once had a hard-on for jailed holocaust denier David Irving, has been caught out spewing bile on the social networking website, Facebook.

Asghar Bukhari, who has set up media response workshops to educate and engage Muslims about dealing with the media, says in one recent Facebook thread:

Muslims who fight against the occupation of their lands are ‘Mujahadeen’ and are blessed by Allah. And any Muslim who fights and dies against Israel and dies is a martyr and will be granted paradise … There is no greater oppressor on this earth than the Zionists, who murder little children for sport.

The Centre for Social Cohesion spotted the quote, and Damien Thompson of the Telegraph followed it up:

I was interested to see how Bukhari would ‘deal’ with me when I rang him to ask about an interesting discovery by The Centre for Social Cohesion, in my opinion the most formidable of the think-tanks monitoring Islamic extremism, which has been rooting around Facebook discussions.

Well, Bukhari didn’t evade the question. He confirmed that the Facebook discussion was authentic, and said: “‘I stand by that [his comments], and I think any Muslim in the world stands by that … if you think I’m going to tap dance for you and say ‘These Muslims are really bad and should sort their own house out’, then I’m not going to.”

Indeed, he added, if that was my view then I could ‘p— off’.

Hmm. Is that the technique that Bukhari recommends in his media workshops? He also said that he was prepared to repeat his Facebook comments to any TV station that wanted to interview him. But, you know, I’m not so sure that the references to paradise for anti-Israel ‘fighters’ and the description of Zionists as casual child-killers were intended for public consumption. Which is why he lost his cool when I rang. Asghar, mate, let me give you a media tip: Facebook rants aren’t private.

In 2006, Bukhari, described by the Observer as “one of the most prominent speakers on Muslim issues” in the UK, was exposed as a supporter of David Irving, the controversial historian who for years denied the Holocaust took place.

Bukhari, a founder member of The Muslim Public Affairs Committee (MPAC) sent money to Irving and urged Islamic websites to ask visitors to make donations to his fighting fund.

Bukhari contacted the discredited historian, sentenced in 2006 to three years in an Austrian prison for Holocaust denial, after reading his website.

In one email Bukhari tells Irving:

You may feel like you are on your own but rest assured many people are with you in your fight for the Truth.

Bukhari pledges to make a donation of £60 to Irving’s fighting fund and says that he has asked ‘a few of my colleagues to send some in too.

Bukhari confirmed sending the letters in 2000.

I had a lot of sympathy for anyone who opposed Israel. I wrote letters to anyone who was tough against the Israelis – David Irving, Paul Findley, the PLO. I don’t feel I have done anything wrong, to be honest. At the time I was of the belief he [Irving] was anti-Zionist, being smeared for nothing more then being anti-Zionist.

You can read the full Observer report here.