This Pakistani-British kid Maajid Nawaz started identifying with hip-hop groups like Public Enemy and N.W.A, moving from “F–k tha police” to “F–k all y’all,” from “rebellious rap to political rap to political activism,” as Nawaz puts it, and then to Islam—or, rather—Islamism. He is the co-founder and director of Quilliam, the world's first counter-extremism think tank. Now living in London, he educates about the dangers of radicalization in the Western world … The movement that attracted … Mr. David Amess (Southend, West): Tonight, Maajid Nawaz lies incarcerated in a prison in Egypt. Mr Nawaz recently travelled to Pakistan to challenge extremist thinking in the country's universities. He served four years in an Egyptian prison as an Amnesty International 'prisoner of conscience', until he became de-radicalised and … Maajid Nawaz said he has personal experience of the process, having not seen his son for more than five years. "When there's not even accusation, let alone a proven allegation, of criminal conduct, it's simply emotional and physical manipulation. He addressed the US Senate's Homeland Security Committee on the subject of Islamist extremism. No Maajid Nawaz show on Saturday 2nd January 2021. Maajid Nawaz said he has personal experience of the process, having not seen his son for more than five years. His mother, Abi, is described as a literature-loving liberal woman whose family moved to Southend when she was nine. [14], In July 2020, Nawaz began a hunger strike to protest against China's imprisonment and alleged atrocities of its Uyghur population and to promote a parliamentary petition urging the government to impose sanctions on China over its treatment of Uyghur Muslims. [31] He met Islamist Dr Essam el-Erian, the spokesman of the Muslim Brotherhood. 27 January 2016. Maajid Nawaz Life Me Prison Egypt There were people who had sampled my voice from speeches when I was an Islamist and made them the chorus of pro-Islamist … "No response to emails, calls, no response whatsoever. [40] He also spoke at the "Sovereign Challenge" conference organised by United States Special Operations Command where he advocated the need to move beyond hard power, and look at new counter-radicalisation strategies. You can find him on Instagram as @maajidnawaz. "There is a bitterness inside me, what took you so blooming long that countless parents are being alienated from their child in this country? We do indeed need to step up how we deal with extremism. He met Robinson in 2013 during the filming of a BBC documentary When Tommy met Mo, and subsequently met the EDL's co-leader, Kevin Carroll. He was brought up in a prosperous, middle-class, anglophile household of Pakistani origin. 'Oh see your dad didn't even turn up on parents' day?'. That really touched me." He also benefited from the company of imprisoned Egyptian politician Ayman Nour who was the head of the centre-liberal Tomorrow Party and a runner-up to the 2005 Presidential Elections. According to him, an insurgency is different from a conventional war in that insurgents rely on some level of support from the communities they recruit from. Nawaz has co-founded an activist group in Pakistan, Khudi, which aims to combat extremism. "I can't remove that bitterness because it's been over five years since I've had any contact with my child. At 16, he was already a ranking member in Hizb ut-Tahrir, a London-based Islamist group. I personally endorse @sajidjavid as Tory leader. LBC radio host and anti-extremism activist Maajid Nawaz has urged Brits not to be “scared” into supporting another coronavirus lockdown, arguing they do more harm than good – and then received widespread praise online. Born in Southend-on-Sea, Essex to a British Pakistani family, Nawaz is a former member of the Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir, an association that led to his December 2001 arrest in Egypt, where he remained imprisoned until 2006. Maajid has an elder brother and a younger sister. One needn’t look further than Michael Gove’s poster boy, Maajid Nawaz, co-founder of Quilliam Foundation and LBC host, and his latest comments regarding the pope’s alleged statements. Cafcass recognising parental alienation. 1pm - 4pm, "There's a bitterness inside me, I'm going to admit, when I read this. Mo later worked for the Dewan Group in Islamabad, Pakistan where he won a court case against his employer which had banned trade unions. You don't know what is being said to a child about how much you care about them. In July 2012, he published his autobiography, Radical. He was arrested in April and accused of belonging to the Islamic liberation movement. Agent Provocateur? [13], In February 2019, Nawaz was reportedly assaulted in a racially-motivated attack by a white man. [5], Nawaz was educated at Westcliff High School for Boys, a grammar school in Westcliff-on-Sea, a suburb of Southend. [2] He wrote an autobiography, Radical (2012) and has since become a prominent critic of Islamism in the United Kingdom. And if that sounds like an odd transition, it’s not. In the first instance I found myself agreeing with Mr Nawaz when LBC tweeted. [53] Respect Party politician George Galloway called on Muslims, via a tweet, not to vote for the Liberal Democrats while Nawaz is one of their candidates. @Keir_Starmer as Labour leader & @LaylaMoran as new leader for @LibDems #Solidarity", "Lib Dem candidate receives death threats for tweeting Prophet Mohammed cartoon", "The Liberal Democrats face a true test of liberty", "George Galloway And Muslim Activists Round On Lib Dem Candidate Maajid Nawaz", "Nick Clegg attacks death threats against Maajid Nawaz – Lib Dem candidate who tweeted a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed and Jesus greeting each other", "How Did Maajid Nawaz End Up on a List of 'Anti-Muslim Extremists'? He was formerly on the UK national leadership for the global Islamist party Hizb ut-Tahrir and was involved in the organisation for almost 14 years. Another Mea Culpa as per below: After your arrest, before your acquittal, and in my confusion, I entertained judgemental thoughts about you @AlexSalmond As the story now appears a great deal more complicated than I assumed, I unreservedly apologise to you for judging you so Shelagh Fogarty For almost 14 years, Maajid Nawaz was involved with the global Islamist party Hizb ut-Tahrir (HT). Everyone knows it needs to change. [21] These videos became the catalyst for Nawaz's formal recruitment in the HT. Young Maajid … Protesting outside the congress as Mike Pence certifies Joe Biden as the next president. [30], While imprisoned in Mazrah Tora, Nawaz came across a wide spectrum of Muslims with varying ideological leanings: Jihadists, Islamists, Islamic scholars and liberal Muslims. [5] Mo later worked for the Dewan Group in Islamabad, Pakistan where he won a court case against his employer, which had banned trade unions. Five years later Maajid was recruiting for Hizb ut-Tahrir in the UK, an Islamist organisation that wants to see regimes in Islamic countries overthrown and replaced by a new Islamic caliphate. What big rally ? Either way, he is incentivised to drift further right and has been well rewarded for doing so until now. We've found that Mr. Nawaz and Quilliam have made valuable and important contributions to public discourse, including by promoting pluralism and condemning both anti-Muslim bigotry and Islamist extremism. ", "I'm A Muslim Reformer. Like most foreign prisoners, he was not subjected to torture, but faced the threat of torture during interrogation and witnessed other prisoners being tortured. Maajid going to the big rally on January 6th? His father, Mo, is an electrical engineer who had worked for the Pakistan Navy but had to leave on medical grounds after he contracted tuberculosis. 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