The ISIS militant known as Jihadi John has been unmasked. (Photo : Reuters)
A Labour politician and a student organization in Britain are harvesting the backlash of being linked to an extremist Muslim charity that backs Islamic State beheader Jihadi John.
The endorsement by Cage Director Moazam Begg of Jeremy Corbin may work against the politician winning the Labour leadership. Asim Qureshi, the leader of Cage, an Islamic charity, has once described Mohammed Emwezi - the real name of Jihadi John - as a beautiful young man.
Begg's endorsement of Corbin may cost the latter's bid as Labour leader. The results of the Labour leadership selection will be known on Saturday. Corbin signed a letter in October that defended Cage which had supported also other extremists such as Abu Hamza, a radical Muslim cleric, and Aafia Siddiqui, also known as Lady Al Qaeda, reports Express.
The letter was published in a British national daily days before Begg left prison after the dropping of seven terrorism-related charges against him. Begg was previously detained in Guantanao but released without charge in 2005.
The letter even hit the British government for freezing Cage's assets and back accounts. It also asked the Charities Commission to abandon the probe of the charity's donors.
Corbyn's signing of the letter was criticized by Muslim MP Khalid Mahmood for his backing the charity known for its chequered past. Mahmood and Labour MP for Birmingham Perry Barr chided sympathizers of Cage for their failure "to understand the seriousness of the challenges we face at this moment in terms of countering radicalization."
The two said it is not proper for MPs, especially the leader of Labour Party to be involved with Cage.
Meanwhile, also under fire is the National Union of Students (NUS) for inviting Begg to be speaker at a series of protest rallies. The campaign is against the government's anti-terrorism programs. Ironically, the NUS admitted a few months ago that Cage leaders were sympathizers of violent extremism.
Among those who chastised the NUS were Student Rights and the Henry Jackson Society, reports Daily Mail.
Student Rights Director Rupert Sutton said, "Given this comes just months after the NUS angrily condemned suggestions they would work with CAGE, this is rank hypocrisy." In turn, Henry Jackson Society Associate Director Douglas Murray said, "The NUS is on the wrong side of this whole matter and every time it's caught out lies and distorts its own record."
