Obama admin sought to 'empower' British Muslims

[Confederate Kahanist]

http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=240521

By Aaron Klein
© 2010 WorldNetDaily

BIRMINGHAM, UNITED KINGDOM - FEBRUARY 02: The Minaret of Birmingham Central Mosque is silhouetted against the sun as Muslims arrive for friday prayers at Birmingham Central Mosque on 2 February, 2007 in Birmingham, England. Around 3,500 attended prayers where religous leaders called for calm in the wake of the nine arrests during anti-terror raids across the city. Detectives are continuing to question nine men in an alleged attempt to conduct an 'Iraqi' style kidnap of a British soldier. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

The Obama administration directed embassy employees in the U.K. to conduct outreach to help "empower" the British Muslim community, according to a classified U.S. diplomatic cable released by Wikileaks and reviewed by WND.

A separate cable summarized statistics showing a rise in the British Muslim population and increased radicalization there. The cable referenced a poll that showed 32 percent of Muslims on U.K. campuses believe killing in the name of religion is justified, while 40 percent want Muslims in the U.K. to be under Islamic law, or Shariah.

A cable dated Feb. 5 directed as a "top priority" for the U.S. embassy in Britain to conduct outreach to the Muslim community there.

"Although people of Muslim faith make up only 3 to 4 percent of the U.K.'s population, outreach to this key audience is vital to U.S. foreign policy interests in the U.K. and beyond. ... This is a top Mission priority," stated the cable.

The cable summarized a plan involving "engagement and community capacity-building" to counter "violent extremism."

Among the plan's dictates:

    * "Empowering Muslim communities to mobilize against extremism."

    * "Empowering Muslim communities to build community resilience."

    * "Encouraging community cohesion, respect for pluralism and integration across ethnic and religious groups."

    * "Increasing Muslim communities, understanding of U.S. foreign policy in Muslim countries and counter-terrorism objectives; countering the view that the West is at war with Islam."

The cable went on to commend the American ambassador to the U.K., Louis Susman, for making Muslim engagement a top priority.

States the cable: "Beginning with an Iftar in 2009 shortly after his arrival, he has spoken to Muslim groups in Wales and Scotland, visited the London Central Mosque, and hosted an interfaith breakfast at his residence, among other activities."

Susman, however, has recently come under fire for his visit to the East London Mosque, which is accused of hosting and espousing extremist Islamist views that have encouraged terrorist acts. The mosque has twice hosted speeches by senior al-Qaida leader Anwar al-Walaki.

Meanwhile, a separate cable, dated Jan. 6, 2009, relates troubling statistics for British Muslims, including a growth of that community to over 2 million.

Among the statistics cited:

    * Unemployment rates were higher for Muslims than any other religion, for both men and women.

    * Muslims were most likely to be unavailable or not actively seeking work due to reasons such as disability, being a student, or looking after the family and home.

    * Muslims had the highest rates of disability, with 24 percent of females and 21 percent of males claiming a disability.

    * According to a poll of 600 Muslim and 800 non-Muslim students at 30 universities throughout the U.K. conducted by the Centre for Social Cohesion, 32 percent of Muslims on U.K. campuses believe killing in the name of religion is justified, 54 percent wanted a Muslim party to represent their world view in Parliament and 40 percent want Muslims in the U.K. to be under Islamic law.