A Nottingham imam has hit back as the Muslim charity he leads is expected to be among a number of groups and individuals named in a review of counter-extremism. Dr Musharraf Hussain, the chief executive of Karimia Institute in Bobbers Mill, has called the review an 'experiment' while claiming that publishing such a list would be "disloyal to the people and groups who worked against extremism".
According to a report in The Times, it is anticipated that he will be on a list of names to be published in the long-awaited review of the Prevent programme, carried out by William Shawcross. Prevent is part of the Government's counter-terrorism strategy, which aims to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism.
It aims to address all forms of terrorism, however it continues to prioritise according to current threat levels. The review, which is yet to be published, is expected to criticise the government and local authorities for failing to stop some Muslim groups and individuals from spreading extremism.
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And Dr Hussain is reportedly expected to be described as one of the "problematic figures" who the report says have been allowed to spread Islamic extremism while enjoying taxpayer funds. He denies these allegations and criticised the report ahead of it going live, adding: "We know the government will publish this list because they do not care about whether it will lead to more radicalisation and extremism."
Dr Hussain is an Islamic scholar, and also a trustee of Muslim hands and was awarded an OBE by Her Majesty the Queen in 2008 for his services to community relations in Britain. He is listed as deputy lieutenant on Nottinghamshire County Council's website.
Speaking to Nottinghamshire Live, Dr Hussain said he wants to address the findings of the report from his personal view. He made it clear that his views should not be attributed to the Karimia Institute.
"These [the names in the review] are the most moderate people fighting against extremism at every level. Why are we penalising them?", he said.
"No-one will come to our help or even listen to us. I have been a very loyal citizen, I worked very hard. We have done our best and even those projects that we got money for were really underpaid.
"That is why in Nottingham you do not have that kind of extremism - because I worked so hard in the last 20 or 30 years. And yet, this is what we get from our wonderful government." He added: "I think this will humiliate Muslim groups and organisations, and that will lead us to more extremism."
He has campaigned against extremism for years in the UK, however he has been criticised for spreading extremist narratives. In an interview with the BBC in 2021 he said then that he felt “positive” about the fall of Kabul, adding that it was “an amazing opportunity for the Taliban to show they can bring positive and good change”.
Asked about the statement, he told Nottinghamshire Live: "What is wrong with that sentence? I have never supported them, I have got death threats from them [Talibans]. All I meant by that is that the ball is now in their court and it is for them to show them that they have changed - but that is nothing of a support of any kind. There is no implication, there is no connotation to it."
Dr Hussain said he received death threats 'from the Taliban' in 2008 when "we were publishing their atrocities and condemning them of attacks". He added: "I am not interested in that and I am more interested more about the safety and security of my own country and what is good for us here. I have no relationship and loyalty to anyone other than my own country here."
Karimia declined to comment when approached by Nottinghamshire Live. The charity delivered Prevent-funded projects only between 2008 and 2010, according to its website. There is no suggestion that it is spreading Islamic extremism through its activities.
A Government spokesperson said: "The Government is currently reviewing the recommendations of the Independent Review and will publish the report and our response in due course. It is only right that the government takes the time to prepare and deliver a considered response."
A Nottinghamshire County Council spokesman said: “The comments made by Dr Hussain are wholly made in a personal capacity and are not issued in his role as a Deputy Lieutenant.”
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