English Defence League supporters have thrown missiles at police in Woolwich after a machete attack that left one man dead.
A group of between 75 and 100 men gathered at The Queen’s Arms pub on Burrage Grove, where they sang nationalistic songs.
Sky News correspondent Alistair Bunkall, who is at the scene, said: “As soon as the EDL got into the town centre … it became not only a lot harder for the police to try and contain anything, but also the aggression (increased) quite considerably. “A few missiles have been thrown, glass bottles and the like. The police are trying to surround them and they’ve been charging them as well with batons.”It came after two men were arrested following separate attacks on mosques hours after the suspected terrorist incident in Woolwich. A 43-year-old man is in custody on suspicion of attempted arson after reportedly walking into a mosque with a knife in Braintree, Essex.
Local MP Brooks Newmark said on this Twitter account: “Local mosque in Braintree attacked by man with knives and incendiary device. Man arrested. No one injured. “Just met with leaders of local mosque in Braintree which was attacked this evening. Thanked local police for their swift response.” Essex Police confirmed a 43-year-old from Braintree had been arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and attempted arson after the incident in Silks Way at 7.15pm. Meanwhile police in Kent were called to reports of criminal damage at a mosque in Canterbury Street, Gillingham, at 8.40pm. A spokesman said a man was in custody on suspicion of racially-aggravated criminal damage.
Update: UK Braintree’s Member of Parliament confirms vandalism of Mosque in his constituency (scroll down to see further details).
Update: Exclusive Photos of EDL Members in Balaclavas + Threatening to kill Muslims tonight (scroll down to see + Independent UK’s Post on EDL Violence Tonight).
As Muslims, we fully condemn violence of this kind, we do not endorse it nor do we accept it as being okay. Shaykh Omar Suleiman had this to say:
The news report out of woolwich is chilling. Authu billah. How heartless do you have to be to do that!
The brutal killing in Woolwich, London reminds us of the saying of the Prophet of Islam (pace & blessings be upon him):
“By the One in Whose hand is my soul, there will come a time when the killer will not know why he killed, and his victim will not know why he was killed.” [Muslim].
Do the lunatics, publicist and brain-washed, wherever they may be killing citizens, know why they are taking lives of peoplle?
Masjid e Umer condemns this heinous atrocity that occurred Yesterday – it is was barbaric act of pure evil worthy of nothing but contempt. There is no evidence and no room in Islam for such unacceptable behaviour. The Quran clearly states:
“….whoever kills a soul unlawfully – it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one – it is as if he had saved mankind entirely….”. Surah 5 Verse 32
We would also like to ask the community to remain calm and vigilant, as such barbaric acts usually cause reaction by other extreme groups.
We ask Allah to protect everyone and safeguard the Muslims and Mosques and guide us all to the straight path, Ameen.
The men who killed a man using machetes in London today committed a criminal and evil act. I pray that all communities remain united and don’t let this cause hatred and division. Know that whoever did this does not represent any community or any religion.
Br. Hamza + Br. Adnan have posted this video in response to the Woolwich incident:
Unfortunately, violence against Muslims who are innocent of the actions of a few have begun to pop up, where it is reported in Essex that an armed intruder with two knives attempted to stab members of the congregation and then tried to burn down the Mosque in response to the Woolwich attack:
Man arrested following incident in Silks Way, Braintree
Police have arrested a 43-year-old man from Braintree following reports of a man in possession of a knife in Silks Way, Braintree, at 7.15pm on Wednesday, May 22, 2013.
The man has been arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and attempted arson and remains in custody.
No one was injured.
In another attack, a Mosque in Gillingham was vandalized in response to the Woolwich incident:
A man has been arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated criminal damage over an attack on a mosque in Gillingham tonight.
Kent Police said officers are providing a visible presence in communities across Kent after a man was murdered in a suspected terrorist attack in Woolwich, south London, today.
It has been reported that display cabinets at a mosque in Gillingham were smashed earlier this evening.
Police confirmed they were called to a report of criminal damage at a religious building in Canterbury Street, Gillingham at 8.40pm.
Officers arrested a man at 8.44pm on suspicion of racially aggravated criminal damage.
One witness reported that a man ran in to the mosque and started smashing up windows and bookcases.
Frail Mohammed Saleem, 75, who used a walking stick, was knifed three times in the back just yards from his front door on Monday night. The blows were struck with such violence they penetrated all the way through to the front of respected community elder’s body.
Detectives leading the murder hunt said a racially-motivated attack was a “significant line of inquiry”. Mr Saleem usually made the same trip to his local mosque five times a day with a friend – but on Monday he walked alone.
His horrified wife, Said Begum, discovered the grandfather of 22 dying on the pavement after neighbours raised the alarm. Cops released CCTV footage of a man seen running in the area of the attack in Small Heath, Birmingham.
Tommy Robinson and his followers (the phrase “in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king,” comes to mind) are intent on running Islam and its teachings out of the country and are using criminal acts from Muslims as evidence for their cause. Their next stop is set for Woolwich, following the death of a man and the broadcast of an ITV video showing a bloodied man claiming to be fighting for Allah.
The militant anti-Islamic today ordered the march toward Woolwich, exactly three months after he was released from prison for possessing a fake passport following the killing of an alleged British soldier in a suspected jihadist attack – note the words ‘suspected’, the motives of the attack have not, as yet, been confirmed
I’m sorry, Mr Robinson, but I think you’ll find the problem isn’t with Islam. You see, the real issue here is with extremism and you pointing at every news story involving a Muslim and shouting “SEE! I TOLD YOU,” isn’t going to cut it.
Islamic terrorist attacks account for fewer than 100 deaths in the UK – which, of course, is too many. But, in recent years, we’ve seen the IRA apologise for the death of 1,800 “non-combatants” alone, I can guarantee the knuckle-draggers won’t be chasing Paddy down the road on St Patrick’s day.
Lest we forget that Anders Breivik, a Christian, killed 69 people – mostly teenagers – on and around the island of Utøya, Norway and the many, many school shootings by mostly white, non-Muslim people in the United States.
At no point in this piece do I intend to protect any murder or act of terrorism, but we should certainly not tar an entire religion with a brush as a result of the sinister actions of a few.
The EDL are claiming that since the attack took place, their Facebook page has had over 3,000 new ‘likes’ – do not be one of those people, you’re only giving credence to an organisation dedicated to the hatred of an entire sect of people. The group would have you believe that each and every practicing Muslim will behead you for hanging a St George’s Cross from your roof – it’s not true, I promise.
And, I’m sure, EDL-apologists around the country will claim I’m a journalist, paid by the government to keep acts of violence by Muslims quiet. Were that true, I’d have many more pairs of nicer trainers, I promise you.
At the time of writing this column, too few details exist to write a well-rounded opinion piece on the Woolwich situation, but the furore the EDL is creating on Twitter is unsettling. As we speak, the tweet from the fascist group’s official Twitter account, which calls its members to arms, has over 775 retweets, considerably more than my own which intended to warn the police of possible violence (a measly 17).
Here’s exclusive photos of Tommy Robinson’s EDL members, provided exclusively by CC via EDL Members Gary Lord and Jonathon Francis (who is seen below threatening to kill Muslims tonight):
There was one attack done in the name of Islam in Woolwich today.
In response, one man tried to stab members at his local Essex Mosque and then attempted to burn it down – this isn’t terrorism though.
In another response, another man vandalized a Mosque in Gillingham, but this isn’t terrorism.
The EDL have called their members for a violent march against Muslims in London – this isn’t terrorism though.
Last month a Muslim man was killed by a British national for not being ‘Caucasian’, but this stabbing attack was not considered terrorism because the man who died was not Caucasian.
May Allaah protect everyone (the non-Muslims and Muslims alike) in the UK tonight, Ameen.
This is both funny and ironic at the same time. To be quite honest, this is as raw as you can get in really understanding Christian dogmatic logic. This isn’t meant as an insult, or something to denigrate our brothers in faith with, but it is meant to highlight the sheer audacity they have to worship a human being.
Earlier today, I saw the academically fraudulent Anthony Rogers claim that I was ‘largely’ being ignored by his herd. Unfortunately for him, he’s probably missed the few and very recent public discussions I’ve had with Samuel Green, a colleague of his from the Answering Muslims website. This is what Anthony had to say on May 20th:
Yet, just a month ago, his colleague – Samuel Green (pictured below) from Answering Islam and Answering Muslims had an indepth discussion with me. What would Anthony do, if I were to enlighten him with the emails that I’ve had between myself and Samuel Green – time will tell!
Jesus himself admitted that the Father is the only true God. Since Trinitarians believe that the Father and the Son are distinct Persons, that they are not the same Person, wouldn’t this prove that Jesus denied that he was God?
Br. Yahya Snow recently returned to the apologetics scene with a bang. Yesterday he uploaded a video about everyone’s favourite clown, Sham Shamoun. When Sam saw this, he got so incensed that for a moment he admitted on Br. Paul’s blog that his arguments were idiotic and distorted:
…then I challenge you both to debate me live on ABN for an episode of Jesus or Muhammad show where you will be given the opportunity to refute my idiocy and distortions.
Sorry to say this Sam, but there is no use in arguing with someone who openly admits to being dishonest through his own idiocy and distortion of texts and statements. Here’s the spectacular video:
After some time wherein he preached to the gentiles, and after 2 visits to the people of Corinth, they began to doubt in Paul’s apostleship. We don’t blame them and for good reason. This is what Paul has to say on the matter:
This will be my third visit to you. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”2 I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat it while absent: On my return I will not spare those who sinned earlier or any of the others, 3 since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. 4 For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God’s power.Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him in our dealing with you.
5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?6 And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. – 2 Corinthians 13:1-6.
What’s going on here?
The people begin to doubt in Paul’s authenticity, despite him having done miracles (2 Cor. 12:12). However they are right for doubting him, as false believers can do miracles (Matthew 7:21-23).
Paul says two – three witnesses are needed to validate anything. His only witness is Christ in him. Essentially, the only witness at this point is Paul claiming to have God inside him. Thus he’s failed his own criteria, as he is his only witness.
He then ignores pleas for substantial proof and does a bit of circular reasoning.
Instead of providing evidences, he tells the people to examine themselves and to stop judging him.
There’s a dilemma here. Paul’s only evidence is the ministry he’s done and established amongst the people. Thus, when they test themselves as verse 5 commands them to, they are either found to be faithful to Christ or not and through this, they will know the truth about their own faith. There’s a problem though, if Paul’s evidence is the ministry he’s established and when the people test themselves and find that they are not faithful, doesn’t that make him a false apostle?
Think of it this way. Let’s say I sell you a car, you purchase it but then begin to doubt my validity as a car sales man. To prove my role to be true, I challenge you to drive the car for a day, test it yourself and you’d see my remarks on the car were true. Yet, the car failed during that day, doesn’t that make me a bad salesman? This is exactly the case with Paul. It’s pure circular reasoning, the people greatly doubted him, thus his ministry was a failure, as the test he gave them was to test their own faith – which they lacked after their second meeting! Nonetheless, let’s see what John Gill’s Commentary had to say on verse 5:
Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith,…. These words are to be considered in connection with 2 Corinthians 13:3 for seeing they sought and demanded a proof the voice and power of Christ in the apostle, he directs them to self examination, to look within themselves, to try, prove, and recognise their own souls; where if things were right, they would find a proof of Christ’s speaking in him, to them: he advises them to examine the state of their own souls, and see whether they were in the faith; either in the doctrine of faith, having a spiritual and experimental knowledge of it, true love and affection for it, an hearty belief of it, having felt the power of it upon their souls, and abode in it; whether, as the Syriac version reads it, , “ye stand in the faith”, firm and stable; or in the grace of faith, either of miracles, or that which is connected with salvation; and which if they were in it, and had it, is attended with good works; operates by love to Christ and to his people; by which souls go out of themselves to Christ, live upon him, receive from him, and give him all the glory of salvation: and if this was their case, he desires to know how they came by their faith; and suggests, that their light in the doctrine of the Gospel, and their faith in Christ Jesus, as well as the miraculous gifts many of them were possessed of, were through his ministry as the means; and this was a full proof of Christ’s speaking in him.
This last sentence is important. Miracles are what Christ’s ministry through Paul depended on. Yet miracles are for a weak people of faith, (Cf. Matthew 12:39: But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah), in fact, as stated before, miracles can be done by even faithless people:
For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. – Matthew 24:24.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ – Matthew 7:21-23.
So far, Paul’s own criteria to determine his own apostleship and claim to Christ have all failed. Perhaps there is a Christian out there willing to explain these things to us, however as it stands, from Paul’s own ‘tests‘, he is not and was never a true apostle.
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