(1) The Claimant is an extremist Islamic speaker who espouses extremist Islamic
positions.
(2) The Claimant had recently promoted and encouraged religious violence by telling
Muslims that violence in support of Islam would constitute a man’s greatest deed.
SECOND ISSUE: DEFENCE OF JUSTIFICATION INTRODUCTION
75.
The BBC relies upon the following speeches and other matters in support of its plea of
justification:
(1) A speech given by the Claimant at Kingston University in late October 2006
(KINGSTON UNIVERSITY SPEECH (2006));
(2) “Advice” by the Claimant to Tawfique Chowdhury posted on the Web on 19th
and 20th February 2009 (ADVICE TO TAWFIQUE CHOWDHURY
(2009));
(3) A speech given by the Claimant to a “Deviant Groups” seminar at LIC on 29 th
May 2009 (DEVIANT GROUPS SPEECH (2009));
(4) A speech given by the Claimant at a rally for Aafia Siddiqui outside the US
Embassy in London on 28th March 2010 (AAFIA SIDDIQUI SPEECH
(2010));
(5) A speech given by the Claimant at an annual dinner for CAGE on 21st August
2010 (CAGE PRISONERS SPEECH (2010));
(6) A speech given by the Claimant at a dinner hosted by HHugs on 9th March
2010 (HHUGS SPEECH (2011));
(7) A speech given by the Claimant at a rally outside HMP Belmarsh on 7 th
August 2011 (BELMARSH PRISON SPEECH (2011));
(8) Invitations to extremist speakers to speak at the Lewisham Islamic Centre
(INVITATIONS TO SPEAKERS); and
(9) Press statements issued by the Lewisham Islamic Centre (PRESS
STATEMENTS).
Preliminary observations
76.
The Claimant’s speeches and utterances touch on a wide range of Islamic theological
and ideological topics and themes. They were delivered predominantly in English but
interlaced with numerous Arabic words and citations from the Qur’an and Sunna, as
well as Islamic theologians, scholars and ideologues. Each of the speeches has been
subject to detailed, rigorous and sophisticated theological, ideological and syntactical
analysis by both sides and by their expert witnesses.
77.
In order to deconstruct and analyse these speeches, and arrive at a proper understanding
of their true meaning in each case and, in particular, whether they espouse “extreme
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