Progress Report 2009-2010 Making Our Country Better, Safer and Prouder
Dec 31, 2015
Progress Report 2009-2010Making Our Country Better, Safer and Prouder
Mission StatementQuilliam is the world’s first counter-extremism think tank. Located in London, our founders are former leading ideologues of UK-based extremist Islamist organisations. Quilliam stands for religious freedom, human rights, democracy and developing a Muslim identity at home in, and with, the West. We engage in innovative research, training, and public messaging to do the following:
• challenge extremist ideology to expose the intellectual bankruptcy of their worldview• promote political pluralism as an antidote to Islamism• inspire positive change so that Muslims and others live harmoniously as citizens, not as
separatist communities.
Who we areThe founders of Quilliam, Ed Husain and Maajid Nawaz, are both former Islamists who have resoundingly rejected the political ideology of Islamism while remaining committed to Islam. They manage a diverse team of Quilliam staff with previous experience in a broad range of fields. The core work of Quilliam is organised around four departments:
The Directors’ Office
The Directors’ Office spearheads our public engagement work through advising policy-makers, networking among community thought-leaders to shift the terms of debate, regular media commentary and public speaking activities to explain extremism, and fundraising.
The Outreach and Training Unit
The Outreach and Training Unit is the foremost provider of radicalisation awareness courses in this field, training and educating public sector workers on issues relating to Islamist ideologies. The unit also assists the directors with outreach work.
The Research and Policy Unit
The Research and Policy Unit generates evidence-based reports intended to expose and challenge extremists as well as help facilitate Muslim integration. The unit also organises regular roundtables on critical issues.
The Global Affairs Unit
The Global Affairs Unit runs projects abroad that challenge Islamist ideologies and equips people with counter-arguments. These include large-scale tours of and events at university campuses in Pakistan.
Contents
For information on our current activities please contact us or visit our website.
Tel. +44 (0) 207 182 7280 Email. [email protected]
Website. www.quilliamfoundation.org
Highlights of 2009 - 2010
Statement from the Chairman of the Board
Statement from the Directors
Directors’ Office
Publications
Events
Outreach
Training
Public Messaging and Communications
The Pakistan Project
People
Finances
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4
5
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
21
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Highlights of 2009 - 2010
Quilliam’s Global Affairs Unit reaches
over 5000 students in outreach events held at 25 universities across the whole of Pakistan to help create a new network to tackle extremist narratives 2009-2010
Quilliam hosts Noman Benotman of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, the latest jihadist group to publicly reject al-Qaeda’s message and publish a theologically-based critique of Islamist violence January 2010
Quilliam’s Outreach and Training Unit trains
over 1000 British public sector workers in countering extremism 2009
CBS News’ flagship programme, 60 Minutes, follows Quilliam and dedicates an entire programme to us and our work reaching roughly
14.5 million viewers worldwide April 2010
In Defence of British Muslims: A response to BNP racist propaganda is released – the first document of its kind to challenge the accusations of the British National Party against British Muslims. It was quoted from on the Nick Griffin edition of BBC Question Time August 2009
Iqbal Wahhab OBE, a leading British Muslim entrepreneur, is appointed as the new chair of Quilliam’s Advisory Board January 2010
Quilliam launches a series of events at British universities to talk about issues of radicalisation and Islamism. Universities include: York, Leeds, Manchester, Durham, City University, LSE, SOAS, Kings College, UCL, Cambridge and Oxford 2009-2010
Alongside Policy Exchange and Progress, Quilliam hosts events at the Conservative and Labour Party conferences including key political thinkers and high profile MPs such as the Rt Hon John Denham MP and Baroness Pauline Neville-Jones September and October 2009
Quilliam’s report on highlighting radicalisation in British prisons generates major news stories in the British and international press including The Sunday Times, The Daily Mail, The Associated Press, Newsweek, CNN, Radio 4 Today Programme and BBC News November 2009
Quilliam, having long disassociated ourselves from such rhetoric in our public messaging, welcomes President Obama’s change of lexicon from ‘the Muslim world’ to ‘Muslim-majority countries’ as language that no longer reinforces al-Qaeda’s narrative June 2009
Quilliam successfully reaches out to key policy-makers in Washington DC: Maajid Nawaz launches Pakistan: Identity, Ideology and Beyond at the Middle East Institute hosted by Ambassador Wendy Chamberlin and meets with Richard Holbrooke and his ‘Af-Pak’ team August-September 2009
Ofcom launches an investigation into the Islam Channel as a direct consequence of Quilliam’s report that studied Islam Channel content over a three month period March 2010
Months of community outreach up and down the country culminates in an event at St Paul’s Cathedral for Muslim thought-leaders, community activists and imams January 2010
Maajid Nawaz and Ghaffar Hussain deliver Quilliam’s Radicalisation Awareness Programme to the US Department of Homeland Security in Washington DC September 2009
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Statement from the Chairman of the Board
Statement from the Directors
It’s been another tough, but successful year – a year
that can best be described by us with three words:
consolidation, debate and outreach.
In our first year, our strategy was to address global media
and key national governments to explain the nature
of Islamist extremism. We also presented solid policy
proposals which would help governments to challenge
these extreme ideologies.
This year, whilst consolidating that media and political
work we additionally strove to stimulate new debates
and discussions around identity and extremism, helping
to marginalise old approaches to politics and religion
among activist Muslims.
During this time, alongside such debates and our media
briefings, roundtables, policy meetings and reports,
we also initiated outreach in order to influence the
influencers.
With this in mind, we have been busy speaking at UK
campuses to reach out and address the next generation
of Muslim and non-Muslim thought-leaders emerging
from our universities in order to tackle extremism.
We also travelled to Pakistan every three months to
help university students there to build and forge new
alliances against extremism in a country that has direct
implications for the UK.
Additionally, we have been busy building deep coalitions
and networks with Muslim thought-leaders and critics
across the country. Rolling up our sleeves, we spent many
hours of meetings at community gatherings in lecture
halls, restaurants, mosques, community centres and living
rooms. As a result, we are in a relatively stronger position
to be able to do what we do, and say what we say, whilst
maintaining close ties and receiving active and critical
support.
Today, Quilliam is a dedicated team of people committed
to making Britain a better place. We have a solid
reputation for professionalism, expertise and rolling back
extremist influences in Britain.
In this report, we showcase our second year’s work.
Quilliam continues to strive to instigate difficult debates
and re-shape society’s discourse around extremism.
However, this year we have also expanded our remit to
look at issues of integration, citizenship, identity and
far-right extremism that are increasingly affecting all of
society and, without adequate handling, can lead to the
alienation that feeds Islamist narratives.
We are appreciative of the many individuals that have
helped us along the way in these last two tough years,
not least friends in communities, the media, businesses,
politics and government. To those people, thank you.
Quilliam still has a long, long way to go. Extremism
remains untackled in university campuses, prisons and on
the internet, as well as elsewhere. But we are now well
on that journey to, we hope, making Britain better, safer
and prouder.
Ed Husain and Maajid Nawaz
Quilliam Co-Founders and Co-Directors
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For many years, I had been
privately noticing – how
could you fail to? – the rise
of extremism in Muslim
communities around the
UK. Over these years, I have
been appalled to see that
profoundly abhorrent views
were being articulated not
by dubious clerics from
the other side of the world but by people who grew up
in neighbourhoods like mine, who went to schools like
mine, even finding them within my family circles.
By sidelining them as something unrelated to what
defined me, I was implicitly letting them make headway
in preaching a view of the world a million miles from
my own. Whilst I was doing nothing apart from feel
embarrassed by them, they were going out spreading
their vision of anger, conspiracy and hate. And doing so,
sadly, with increasing success.
The anti-Iraq War slogan “Not in my name” was equally
applicable to my views on the espousal of Islamism on
behalf of British Muslims, of which I am one. How are
people to know that however much they are growing,
these extremists still represent a tiny proportion of
opinion among us?
So when I met Quilliam’s founders, it was clear that it
was time for me – and the many people like me – to
enter the fray and redress the distortion of British Muslim
opinion and to support their consistent and articulate
challenges of the hardliners, exposing their activities and
recruitment procedures and pushing forward the more
mainstream, pluralist set of views that British society is
built on. By taking on this challenge, they put themselves
at considerable personal risk; the people whom they are
challenging are not renowned for welcoming scrutiny or
criticism.
The advisory group which I now chair seeks to provide
wider support for Quilliam’s work to ensure processes
are robust, that communications are effective and that
we are supported by and engage with the private sector
and ordinary individuals as well as with government and
public bodies. More of us need to come forward and
support Quilliam – whether it’s with words, actions or
money. We need all three to ensure that safety, peace
and tolerance win the day.
Iqbal Wahhab OBE
Founder of Roast and Chair of Quilliam’s Advisory Board
Directors’ Office
This year, the directors have
continued to help shape the
response of the UK and the
international community to the
threat posed by extremism and
terrorism. In particular, they have
played a key role in assisting US and
UK government counter-terrorism
strategies, whilst also strengthening
civil society groups and networks
to respond to radicalisation. The
directors’ work supports and
reinforces the work undertaken by
Quilliam’s other units.
Muslim communities
and leaders
The dangers of extremism within
Muslim communities in the UK
can be defeated if British Muslims
work together to eradicate the
threat. Whilst Quilliam is not a
representative Muslim organisation,
the directors support the outreach
team by reaching out to Muslim
thought-leaders, imams and
organisations in order to shape
the discourse, encourage inter-
community relations and create
resilience to the messages and
impact of extremists. To these ends,
the directors have been meeting
with Muslim community members
in the Midlands, the North West
and in London particularly. The
outcome of dedicated time and
effort from many people was an
event attended by key Muslim
thought-leaders at St Paul’s
Cathedral in January 2010.
Public messaging
Informing and influencing the
public debate on extremism and
counter-terrorism is pivotal to
Quilliam’s work. The directors
dedicate much time to this,
targeting their messages according
to the specific subject and needs of
the audiences. For instance, in the
last year, the directors have written
columns in newspapers from
The Sun to The Guardian; spoken
at events from select committee
inquiries to community gatherings
and universities; and delivered high-
level presentations at think-tanks,
NGOs and government departments
in the UK, Europe and the US.
Examples of impact:
In March 2010, the directors
and Quilliam’s media team pro-
actively supported the launch
of an anti-terrorism fatwa
by Shaikh Dr Tahir ul-Qadri,
founder of the international
Minhaj-ul-Quran movement.
Quilliam briefed journalists on
the importance of this fatwa,
issued a press release drawing
attention to it and were
interviewed on it in the national
and international media. The
result was that the fatwa was
widely covered in the press, and
that Shaikh Qadri’s message
was heard globally by both
Muslims and non-Muslims, with
particular focus on his assertion
that suicide bombers would go
to hell.
Since mid-2009, the directors
have launched a messaging
campaign specifically targeted
at universities with a view to
raising awareness of campus
extremism and exposing
students to a wider variety
of Muslim thought than the
often narrowly Salafi or Islamist
ideologies promoted by many
student Islamic societies. Ed
and Maajid have now spoken at
universities including LSE, UCL,
SOAS, Kings College, Durham,
Manchester, Leeds, Bristol,
Westminster, Buckinghamshire,
Kingston, Cambridge and
Oxford. Ed was interviewed for
an extensive article in Pi, UCL’s
student newspaper. Maajid
has also undertaken a national
tour of universities in Pakistan.
For further information see the
Outreach and Pakistan Project
pages.
Policy assistance
Over the past year, the directors
have assisted in guiding government
counter-terrorism policy through
private meetings, briefings
and public messaging. This
predominantly takes place in the
UK, but also extends to Brussels,
The Hague, Washington DC and
Pakistan, among other places.
Examples of impact:
Quilliam contributed both
written and oral submissions
to the recent Communities
and Local Government Select
Committee inquiry into the
Preventing Violent Extremism
strategy. Ed delivered the oral
submission at an inquiry session
held in Parliament in which he
expanded on the concerns raised
in Quilliam’s written submission.
He particularly criticised its
current lack of focus on actively
challenging extremism whilst
making some recommendations
about how Prevent could
be made more effective in
the future. These concerns
were picked up widely in the
committee’s written report.
Following Quilliam’s report on
the threat of radicalisation in
prisons, the directors and the
author of the report met with
key members of HM Prison
Service to advise on how best to
tackle prison radicalisation, as
well as raising the issue through
media appearances and public
events including one at the
International Centre for the Study
of Radicalisation. As a direct
result, civil society and policy-
makers are now far more aware
of the threat Britain faces from
prison radicalisation.
In the wake of the Detroit Bomb
Plot, Quilliam publicly warned
that passenger profiling risked
damaging counter-terrorism
efforts as there is no profile of
a suicide bomber who can be of
any race, age or ethnicity. Ed also
wrote in the print edition of
The Guardian that ‘The profiling
of ordinary Muslims not only
opens other avenues for al-
Qaeda, but results in the
harassment and potential loss of
support from the very people we
need on our side to contain al-
Qaeda: ordinary Muslims’. In the
wake of such debate, ministers
and opposition politician leaders
have largely rejected the concept
of racial or religious profiling.
National cohesion
The directors actively engage
themselves in issues of national
cohesion. Creating cohesive
societies is important to undermine
the sense of alienation felt by
some communities that feeds into
Islamist narratives. A key concern
is the Israeli-Palestinian dispute.
It is important that, regardless of
events abroad, it does not translate
into anti-Semitic sentiment and
a breakdown of Muslim-Jewish
relations in the UK. For this reason,
the directors actively encourage
Muslim-Jewish relations. As well as
private meetings, Ed attended a day
at the Holocaust Memorial Centre in
Nottinghamshire, spoke at an event
at the Israel Diaspora Trust and
wrote an article entitled ‘UK Jews
and Muslims can co-exist’ in the
Jewish Chronicle. Other examples of
the directors’ involvement include
joining other Muslim organisations,
publications and voices to remind
Muslims of the importance of
Remembrance Sunday as well
as actively speaking out against
far-right nationalism through their
media commentaries and public
events.
Media commentary
This year Maajid and Ed have
authored numerous articles and
have been interviewed for a host
of television and radio channels.
They have written for publications
including New Statesman, Progress,
Jewish Chronicle, The Times, The
Independent, The Daily Mail, The
Sun, The Guardian, The Observer
and Dawn. Highlights of their
broadcast appearances include
Maajid on BBC Any Questions and
challenging Anjum Choudary on
BBC Newsnight, as well as regular
appearances on BBC Radio 4’s
Today Programme and the BBC
World Service. For more information
see the Public Messaging and
Communications pages.
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During nearly two years at Quilliam I have seen many examples of our work crippling extremist organisations in the UK and abroad. These organisations and individuals no-longer have the freedom of movement to spread their poisonous narrative unchallenged.
Ed Jagger, Head of Operations & Finance
Publications
Impact All of Quilliam’s publications are distributed widely,
targeting relevant MPs, policymakers, NGOs and journalists
depending on the recommendations contained within
them. Such distribution ensures that our reports do not
remain static pieces of research, but are used to instigate
and stir up critical debate among key thinkers and
politicians.
In order to assist with this, report forewords have been
written by leading politicians including Baroness Pauline
Neville-Jones, Jon Cruddas MP, Baroness Sayeeda Warsi
and Patrick Mercer OBE. A high-profile example of success
includes the Conservative Baroness Sayeeda Warsi using a
piece of evidence from the BNP report on the controversial
BBC Question Time episode that featured Nick Griffin,
Chairman of the British National Party. Other examples
include discussing Muslim women and employment with
the UK’s first Muslim Cabinet minister on BBC Radio
4’s Woman’s Hour and a full investigation of the Islam
Channel launched by the broadcasting regulatory authority
Ofcom. Behind the scenes, this year’s reports have led to
key meetings with, among others, HM Prisons Service, the
Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board, the Ethnic
Minority Advisory Group and high profile ministers and
shadow ministers.
Quilliam publications also generate a significant amount of
media attention including print, broadcast, websites and
blogs. Examples of generated content are available on our
website www.quilliamfoundation.org/media.html.
Re-Programming British Muslims: A study of the Islam Channel by Talal Rajab was released in March 2010. The report was based on three months of viewing, recording and analysing key Islam Channel programmes. The report concludes that the channel is often dangerously divisive in its rhetoric and content, breaching a number of broadcasting regulations. Recommendations include a full investigation of the channel by Ofcom.
A Brief History of Islamism by Ghaffar Hussain was released in January 2010. An accessible introduction, it focuses on key Islamist movements and their ideas, showing how the political ideology of these movements, when combined with puritanical Saudi Wahhabism, helped to create modern Jihadism. It is the first in Quilliam’s ‘Concept Series’ – short and easily digestible publications that intend to explain the nature of the Islamist threat today to civil servants and the general public.
Unlocking Al-Qaeda: Islamist Extremism in British Prisons by James Brandon was released in November 2009. The report found that unless radical measures are put in place and made immediately effective, British prisons risk becoming ‘universities of terror’ where extremists are recruited and radicalised. The report contains more than 30 recommendations for the Prison Service that were followed up by meetings with the relevant individuals.
A Selected Translation of the LIFG Recantation Document translated by Mohammed Ali Musawi was released in October 2009. This was the first translation into English of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group’s ‘refutation’ of al-Qaeda jihadist ideology. The LIFG was a Libyan jihadist group affiliated to al-Qaeda, and this document therefore provides a powerful ideological tool in the battle against jihadist ideology, damaging al-Qaeda’s credibility.
In Defence of British Muslims: A response to BNP racist propaganda by Lucy James was released in August 2009. The paper took ten key accusations made by the British National Party against Islam and British Muslims and systematically refuted their arguments. It was endorsed by forewords from MPs from each of the three major political parties and was distributed widely to relevant people in the public sector including MPs, PPCs and local councillors in BNP target areas.
Pakistan: Identity, Ideology and Beyond by Fatima Mullick and Mehrunnisa Yusuf was released in August 2009. The report called on the US and other western governments to undertake a paradigm shift in their approach to counter-extremism efforts in the country. It drew upon analysis of questionnaires distributed among students during Quilliam’s May tour to provide insights into the thoughts of Pakistani youth on issues relating to extremism, nationalism, religion and politics.
Immigrant, Muslim, Female: Triple Paralysis? by Anya Hart Dyke and Lucy James was released in July 2009. Based on the largest poll to date of unemployed South Asian Muslim women, the report showed that, contrary to stereotypes, the majority of these women wanted to work but were restricted by a lack of support from their families and the government. As such, Britain is under-utilizing a vital source for integration and counter-extremism. Recommendations were directed at a range of government departments.
Reclaiming the Nation: In conversation with Pakistani youth by the Global Affairs Unit was released in June 2009. The report aimed to outline some of the problems Pakistan is facing, and provide answers to some of the pertinent questions raised by students during Quilliam’s workshop tours. The report was widely distributed to university students in Pakistan as a tool to aid understanding and build support for Quilliam’s Pakistan Project.
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Feedback
In Defence of British Muslims
First rate, well done.
Denis MacShane MP
Just read your report and an excellent piece of work.
Something that many other groups should have done
long ago.
Public sector worker, London
Immigrant, Muslim, Female
I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed reading your
report. Thank you for coming out and saying these
things. It is a pity Government does not listen.
ESOL tutor
Re-Programming British Muslims
It is a heroic work. You’ve made this country a
better place.
Founder of leading political blog
Unlocking Al-Qaeda
I must applaud you for your excellent research and
conclusions about prison radicalization. It is my sincere
desire that prisons in the UK and the US take heed of
your writings.
Member of the US Department of Justice,
Federal Bureau of Prisons
My belief that Islam is more than the closed-minded, rigid interpretation of extremists inspired me to work for Quilliam. Then it motivated me to author a report exposing the BNP’s lies that all British Muslims are extremists. Be they far-right nationalists or Islamist extremists, we cannot sit by and let their ideas win.
Lucy James, Research Fellow
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Events
Annual event
To celebrate Quilliam’s first birthday, we began the year
with a large anniversary event held at the British Medical
Association in April 2009. Entitled ‘What do Britons have
in common?’ it sought to facilitate discussions around
the problems of integration and belonging in the UK.
Guest speakers included the Rt Hon Liam Byrne MP,
Michael Gove MP, Parvin Ali OBE and Dr Tahir Abbas,
and the event was introduced by Angus Walker, Editor
of ITN News.
Roundtables
The Research and Policy Unit (RPU) also organises
regular specialist roundtables for decision-makers,
opinion-formers and practitioners from the media,
think tanks, academia, community organisations and
government. These usually consist of one or two key
speakers and 30-50 attendees, with a focus on the
question and answer session in order that the events
prioritise discussion and debate.
Quilliam has organised five roundtable events this year:
• ‘How to win a cosmic war’ with Reza Aslan (Assistant
Professor at UCLA and writer of No God But God) on
his new book How to Win a Cosmic War,
3 June 2009.
• ‘Pakistan: Identity, Ideology and Beyond’ with
Maajid Nawaz (Co-Founder & Co-Director, Quilliam)
and Fatima Mullick (GAU Project Manager, Quilliam)
on the Global Affairs Unit’s work in Pakistan,
28 October 2009.
• ‘Refuting Al-Qaeda: Former jihadists and the battle
of ideologies’ with Noman Benotman (Libyan Islamic
Fighting Group) on the LIFG’s Corrective Studies
document that refutes al-Qaeda jihadist ideology,
11 January 2010.
• ‘A Roundtable with the President of Somalia’ with
President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed (President of Somalia’s
Transitional Federal Government and former leading
member of the Islamic Courts Union), held at the
Karimia Institute, 9 March 2010.
• ‘The Uighur’s: China’s forgotten Muslims’ with
Dr. Enver Tohti (Chairman of the Uighur Association)
about the situation of, and threat of radicalisation
facing, Muslim Uighurs in China’s north-western
Xinjiang province and possible ramifications for the
West, 12 April 2010.
All roundtables are followed up with a summary of
the proceedings, which are distributed widely in order
to maximise the impact of our events. These have
proved popular, particularly among contacts abroad
and are available on our website at http://www.
quilliamfoundation.org/events.html.
Events at party conferences
Quilliam also held events at the Labour and Conservative
Party conferences:
The Labour conference event on 28 September 2009 was
held in conjunction with Progress and was entitled ‘How
should the left engage with British Muslims?’ Speakers
included the Rt Hon John Denham MP (Secretary of State
for CLG), Ed Husain (Co-Founder & Co-Director, Quilliam),
Martin Bright (Jewish Chronicle) and Tahir Abbas FRSA
(Birkbeck College).
The Conservative conference event on 7 October 2009
was held in conjunction with Policy Exchange and was
entitled ‘What would a real counter-extremism policy
look like?’ Speakers included Baroness Pauline Neville-
Jones (National Security Advisor to the Rt Hon David
Cameron MP), Maajid Nawaz (Co-Founder & Co-Director,
Quilliam), Paul Goodman MP (Shadow Communities
Minister) and Paul Richards (former CLG advisor to the
Rt Hon Hazel Blears MP).
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One of the things I value most about Britain is that it welcomes political, religious and social diversity. Quilliam is a vital voice in the struggle to maintain this and protect the rights of Britain’s citizens against extremists who seek to destroy it.
Skye Blythe-Whitelock, Intern
Working alongside the Quilliam team has been an invaluable experience. It is refreshing to meet people who are so genuinely passionate about fighting the spread of the Islamist ideology.
Natalie Stanton, Intern
• Ghaffar Hussain gave a series of roundtable presentations in
Washington DC in February 2010 at prestigious institutions
including the Centre for Strategic and International Studies
and the Marine Corps Base, Quantico – a major training
centre for the US army.
• Ghaffar Hussain participated as keynote speaker at a
roundtable discussion in March 2010 organised by the
Media Diversity Institute in Rabat, Morocco, that discussed
radicalisation in the West.
• James Brandon spoke at the Jamestown Foundation in
Washington DC in April 2010 about the links between
extremist groups in Yemen and the UK.
The directors have also been particularly active in their
international outreach, from Brussels and The Hague, to
Washington DC, to Pakistan. For information on Quilliam’s
outreach in Pakistan see the Pakistan Project pages.
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Outreach
Whilst Quilliam is a think tank and not a representative
Muslim organisation, we recognise the importance of
engaging with a cross-section of society in order to help
facilitate change through influencing the influencers
in critical debates. Crucially, this involves both listening
as well as sharing ideas and experiences. This takes
place on an individual basis as well as group meetings,
roundtables, seminars and lectures. We proactively seek
opportunities to meet and discuss with a wide range of
people including students, community members, Muslim
thought-leaders, public sector workers and researchers
both within the UK and abroad.
Community outreach
Quilliam has both organised and been invited to attend
community events up and down the country. This has
included the training of imams (in Urdu) in the Midlands,
and speaking at community events in areas including
London, the Midlands and the North West.
By activating the networks facilitated through such
community outreach, Quilliam was able to organise
an event for Muslim thought-leaders in January 2010
in conjunction with the St Paul’s Institute. This was an
all-day event comprising of attendees from around the
country that took place in the unique surroundings of St
Paul’s Cathedral. Two panel discussions were held. The
first assessed the barriers faced by British Muslims to
integration in the UK, while the second questioned the
engagement of British Muslims with a prospective new
Conservative government. Both panels generated healthy
dialogue and debate, and the day as a whole facilitated
communication and cooperation between British Muslims
from around the UK in a relaxed environment. The day
closed with a tour of St Paul’s Cathedral.
University outreach
Concern surrounding the radicalisation of students at
universities has been long-held, and has been re-ignited
in the wake of the Detroit Bomb Plot. Members of
Quilliam’s Outreach and Training Unit, as well as the
directors, have been actively reaching out to speak at
university events over the past year. Those spoken at
include the University of York, the University of Leeds, the
University of Manchester, the University of Cambridge,
the University of Oxford, Durham University, the Unversity
of Bristol, the University of Westminster, London School
of Economics, The School of Oriental and African Studies,
City University London, University College London, Kings
College London, the University of Kingston, the University
of Buckinghamshire and at the London programme of
New York’s Syracuse University. Topics range from the
nature of Islamism, counter-extremism and radicalisation
on campuses, to the rise of English nationalism.
Schools outreach
Quilliam has also spoken at several schools this year on
a range of topics including the personal experiences of
the ex-Islamists at Quilliam, the Israel-Palestine conflict
and, to the younger children, about the religion of
Islam in general. The schools include Dauntsey School
in Wiltshire, King Edward’s School in Birmingham,
and Copland Community School, Highgate School and
Westminster School all in London.
Global outreach
Quilliam outreach projects extend beyond the UK.
Members of Quilliam, including the directors, are
active in building communication with individuals and
organisations abroad. Trips this year include:
• Mohammed Ali Musawi accompanied a British Muslim
delegation to Algeria in March 2010, meeting with
the Algerian Minister of Religious Affairs, members of
the Algerian parliament and other senior officials, as
well as students, to discuss the challenge of extremism
that faces Muslims in the UK and globally.
• Ghaffar Hussain attended roundtable discussions
in Cairo, Egypt, in January 2010 focusing on
radicalisation in a western context.
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Feedback
From discussions I’ve had with people who attended the event,
it seems you really stirred debate — even beyond those in the
room, to their friends — which is great.
UCL student
It is efforts of people like you who might make the difference in
the long run.
British Muslim
As a British born Muslim, I am very grateful that we have such a
responsible and sensible voice to educate and rectify such issues.
British Muslim
I would like to pay my respects to Mr. Nawaz for his courage
and openness in speaking about his experiences. I was taken by
his arguments which made me realise that there is a way out of
biased racial and religious discussions.
Major in the Royal Netherlands Army
Washington DCBerlin
Pakistan
Syria
AlgeriaMorocco
BrusselsThe Hague
The mixture of everyone’s backgrounds, life experiences, and different religious and political points of views makes working at Quilliam incredibly interesting, fun and different.
Cassandra Hamblett, Personal Assistant to the Directors
Working with Quilliam has given me the opportunity to meet with and speak to people from around the world about being British and being Muslim. This has reiterated to me that the array of interpretations within Islam must be utilized as the first line of defence against narrow-minded extremism.
Mohammed Ali Musawi, Research Fellow
Muslim propaganda. These sessions aimed to highlight
key arguments used by far-right ideologues and provide
ideological rebuttals to them. Sessions delivered include
several held with members of the Equality, Diversity and
Human Rights Unit of the Association of Chief Police
Officers.
More information is available on the above training
sessions at www.quilliamfoundation.org/quilliam-
outreach-and-training-unit.html
To register interest in training contact Ghaffar Hussain,
Head of Outreach and Training, at
Feedback
Genuinely the best course I have attended in the time
I have been on the PVE agenda.
Police officer, West Midlands Police
Excellent delivery of the day’s training. This is a
“must-see” presentation to police officers.
Police officer, Staffordshire Police
Thought provoking and interesting. Both presenters
had a relaxed style and were very knowledgeable and
professional.
Police officer, Sussex Police
Excellent course – extremely academically rigorous and
conducted in a professional and engaging manner.
Public sector worker, Westminster City Council
I cannot begin to describe how beneficial the training
provided by Quilliam was. It should be mandatory
training for all JTTF [Joint Terrorism Task Force] agents.
It provides a background necessary to work terrorism
cases.
Member of the US Department of Homeland Security
15
Training
Radicalisation Awareness Programme
During 2009, Quilliam’s dedicated Outreach and
Training Unit delivered training to over 1000 British
public sector workers, and have continued to roll out
training during 2010. The training programme, known
as the Radicalisation Awareness Programme (RAP) is
unique in being the only programme of its kind that is
purely dedicated to educating people about the modern
phenomenon of Islamism, its distinction from the religion
of Islam and its ideological role in modern terrorist
violence. RAP sessions are available at a beginner or
intermediate level and are Excel-accredited.
Over the past year RAP training has been delivered to a
variety of public sector workers in the UK ranging from
police forces to government offices and local councils.
Training sessions have been held during 2009-2010 with:
• Camden Council
• Coventry Police
• Government Office for East Midlands
• Hounslow Council
• Islington Council
• Staffordshire Police
• West Mercia Police
• Westminster Council
• Woking Police
Quilliam also delivers bespoke training sessions that are
tailored to the needs of our client. To date, bespoke
training workshops have been delivered to:
• Al Khoei Foundation
• The Charity Commission
• The Holocaust Memorial Centre
• Suffolk Police
• UK Border Agency
• Woking Police
RAP training sessions have also been delivered outside
of the UK to the US Department of Homeland Security
in Washington DC, colonels and lieutenants in the Iraqi
Army in Florida as well as four day sessions with students
across Pakistan. Further information on the latter is
available on the Pakistan Project pages.
Following on from Quilliam’s paper In Defence of British
Muslims: A response to BNP racist propaganda, the
Quilliam Outreach and Training Unit delivered a number
of training sessions that explored the nature of BNP anti-
14
Travelling around the UK I have met a whole range of inspiring individuals from different Muslim communities. We must rise above the clamour of extremist voices by amplifying those of the majority mainstream, who motivate me in my job every day.
Talal Rajab, Trainer & Research Fellow
Contributing to the debate on the future of British society has been the most rewarding part of my work by far. Be it discussing the economic integration of Muslim women on BBC Radio 4 or the future of religious guidance with respected imams, my work has sought to tackle key issues head on.
Anya Hart Dyke, Senior Research Fellow
I am driven in my role by the belief that our training and outreach efforts are genuinely having a positive impact. National cohesion, security and religious freedoms are important ideals and require a collective effort. I hope our work can make a difference in this regard.
Ghaffar Hussain, Head of Outreach & Training Unit
In the media – a selection
Quilliam’s public messaging has generated a wealth
of output across a wide range of media, including
broadcast, online and print. Here is a selection of some of
the year’s highlights in national and international media.
For a comprehensive list of our media activity please visit
www.quilliamfoundation.org/media.html.
Documentary on Quilliam and our work, 60 Minutes,
CBS News, April 2010
‘Lent Talks’, BBC Radio 4, 10 March 2010
‘UK Jews and Muslims can co-exist’, Jewish Chronicle,
11 March 2010
‘Muslim leader to condemn terrorists’, Press Association,
2 March 2010
‘Radical departure’, New Statesman, 11 February 2010
Airport profiling, BBC Breakfast News, 2 February 2010
‘Interview: Ed Husain’, Pi Newspaper (UCL student
newspaper), February 2010
Maajid Nawaz challenges Anjum Choudary on Islam4UK
ban, BBC Newsnight, 12 January 2010
‘Attacking Christians in Egypt and Malaysia: In the name
of Islam?’ IslamOnline, 10 January 2010
‘Let’s all celebrate Christmas, I will’, The Sun,
23 December 2009
‘The Danger of Prison Radicalization in the West’,
CTC Sentinel, December 2009
‘Al-Qaeda runs jihad from British prisons’,
The Sunday Times, 15 November 2009
‘Any Questions with Maajid Nawaz, Jacqui Smith MP,
Nadine Dorries MP & Billy Hayes’, BBC Radio 4,
23 October 2009
‘An Ed Husain v Geert Wilders debate would be great for
democracy’, The Telegraph, 15 October 2009
‘The BNP’s arguments should be used against them’,
The Telegraph, 9 September 2009
Airline plot coverage, BBC World, 8 September 2009
‘Ban hate meetings’, East London Advertiser,
3 September 2009
‘Why don’t South Asian Muslim women work outside the
home?’ Woman’s Hour, BBC Radio 4,
19 August 2009
‘Where is the Muslim anger over Darfur?’
The Independent, 10 August 2009
‘Islamic Supremacist Group Holds First U.S. Conference’,
Fox News, 17 July 2009
UK-based group plots coup in Pakistan, The News
International, 6 July 2009
‘Islamist radicalization – a Swedish problem denied’,
Stockholm News, 3 July 2009
Documentary on Quilliam’s Pakistan university tour,
BBC Newsnight, 23 June 2009
‘Former militant renounces extremism’, Dawn,
7 June 2009
‘Liberal Paralysis: Progressives must assist moderate
Muslims in their efforts to counter extremist ideology’,
Progress, 1 May 2009
17
Public Messaging and CommunicationsQuilliam has shaped and contributed extensively to the
debate around Islamist extremism and the underlying
causes of radicalisation among British Muslims. Quilliam
believes in working with the media in order to speak
directly to the public about the issues of terrorism and
extremism that are of significant concern to ordinary
people. Through the media, Quilliam has provided
a robust articulation of moderate Muslim concerns,
publicly challenging extremists and sidelining the Islamist
groups that for too long have dominated the public’s
perception of British Muslims. Separately, Quilliam has
injected much-needed balance into debates about the
relationship between Islam and extremism as well as
providing expert analysis for news programmes and
documentaries. Where possible, the communications
team has also tried to put the media in contact with
other moderate Muslim voices in order to further diversify
the debate.
Press releases and strategic briefings
Quilliam’s communications team issue regular press
releases and briefings to target audiences on topics that
are significant in shaping, or have a particular impact on,
the counter-extremism debate. This year’s highlights have
included:
• ‘Anti-terrorism fatwa launch in London tomorrow’,
1 March 2010
• ‘Saudi extremism continues to influence British
Muslims’, 17 December 2009
• ‘Quilliam calls on British mosques to open doors
to the public’, 18 September 2009
• ‘Welcome change of lexicon away from
‘the Muslim world’’, 4 June 2009
To view a comprehensive list visit
www.quilliamfoundation.org/media.html.
Mosque messaging
Quilliam’s communications team has also sent several
letters to over 800 mosques in the UK on key issues of
concern. This year, these have included a letter urging
imams to remind their congregations to vote in the
European elections to minimize the impact of the British
National Party, a letter providing ideas to mosques on
how to undermine far-right extremism, and a letter
calling on mosques to remind their congregations of the
importance of Remembrance Sunday in recognising the
sacrifices made by British troops in defending freedom
and democracy.
Media monitoring
In addition to our public messaging, behind the scenes
the communications team actively monitors coverage on
Islam-related issues to ensure fair and accurate content is
being produced. Where particular or repeated problems
arise, Quilliam has contacted the relevant journalists
and editors in order to influence the future content of
their output. This has had a significant effect on how
a number of media outlets have covered Islam and
extremism.
16
Quilliam has helped to create a space in which people feel able to address the issue of Islamist extremism from an informed perspective without fear of being called racist or Islamophobic. The result is that the British political class is really starting to understand the nature of Islamist extremism and has begun to talk seriously about tackling it. The UK is a stronger, safer place as a result.
James Brandon, Head of Research & Communications
Co-Director Ed Husain gave a presentation on the
history and evolution of Islamist movements while
Maajid chaired a lively debate in which students
discussed the motion ‘Does the primary responsibility in
countering extremism lie with Pakistanis?’
• November 2009: Quilliam hosted a one day training
seminar in Lahore for the senior directors of over 40
Pakistan-based NGOs from the Punjab and NWFP
regions. Maajid led a discussion which resulted in
the construction of an action plan for collaboration
on future areas of counter-extremism work. Through
uniting influential NGO figures, the seminar constituted
an initial step in building a network of civil society
actors to enhance counter-extremism initiatives within
Pakistan.
• July 2009/January - February 2010: Quilliam held a
series of workshops with university students across key
cities in Pakistan. These day-long sessions provided an
opportunity for in-depth discussion on numerous issues
surrounding extremism, sectarianism, foreign policy and
the state of democracy within the country.
• February 2010: Maajid addressed delegates at the
Pakistan Young Leaders’ Conference in Islamabad,
an event hosted by the National Union of Pakistani
Students and Alumni. The conference, which was held
jointly in Oxford and Islamabad, brought together
a diverse array of Pakistani youth to promote youth
participation and national leadership, and to discuss
possible solutions to Pakistan’s current problems. In his
address, Maajid highlighted the potential role Pakistani
youth could play in resolving national problems,
particularly extremism, through collective action.
Through sustained engagement, Quilliam has amassed a
large body of student volunteers who continue to support
and popularize our counter-extremism message across
Pakistan. Over the upcoming year, our focus will turn
to seeding a sustainable student-led social movement
that will popularize critiques of Islamist ideologies and
promote a secular democratic framework in an effort to
secure Pakistan’s future from the plight of extremism and
terrorism.
Media
Over the last year Quilliam’s work in Pakistan has featured
widely in print, broadcast and web media including
Dawn, Daily Jang, Progress, VOA News, Geo TV, The News
International, Reuters, BBC Newsnight, The Observer,
Aaj TV, and The Guardian. For a comprehensive list see the
Pakistani media section available on our website at
www.quilliamfoundation/media.
Feedback
Mr Nawaz... is an authentic voice of moderation and is
one of the few who is able to construct and deliver an
alternative narrative to that offered by those currently
battling our forces in NWFP and elsewhere.
The News International
Nawaz’s message is one rarely heard in Pakistan, where the
response to extremism has been overwhelmingly military,
with little attempt to try to rehabilitate insurgents or keep
young people from turning to militancy in the first place.
Dawn News
Discussion like today is needed on campuses.
Student, Quaid -e- Azam University
I was extremely impressed and really appreciate it; [the
event] gave me a lot of courage.
Student, University of Malakand
I felt I could open up to issues we usually keep quiet to.
Student, IQRA University
You people are doing a great job educating the youth of
Pakistan, so that together we may eradicate the menace of
fundamentalism and radicalism.
Student, Islamabad
I deeply extol the efforts of the Quilliam team for the
services they are rendering to our nation.
Student, Quetta
19
The Pakistan Project
Over the last year, Pakistan has continued to face
alarming levels of Islamist-inspired terrorism. Violence
across the country has killed thousands and terrorized
millions more. Whilst the Pakistan army continues to
engage in military operations, Quilliam believes that
military solutions can only ever be a stop-gap; they must
be complemented with a long-term strategy which
challenges Islamist ideologies and provides a credible
counter-narrative.
Over the last two years, Quilliam’s Global Affairs Unit
(GAU) has served to bolster such counter-extremism
efforts on the ground in Pakistan by focusing on
youth populations, who are often attractive targets for
recruitment to the extremist cause. Our efforts have
focused on challenging Islamist ideologies and promoting
values of democracy and pluralism through intellectual
discussion, debate and dialogue.
Key objectives
• Capacity building events for students to discuss key
issues and de-construct narratives widely used by
Islamist groups
• Strategic messaging within national and international
media to amplify non-Islamist voices within Pakistan
• Partnerships with engaged members of civil society
and local organisations to draw upon local expertise
and knowledge
• Harnessing support from active youth groups to
popularize Quilliam’s message and increase in-country
ownership for our work
Pakistan trips 2009-2010
Influencing ideas and changing trends requires a
sustained level of engagement. To this end, GAU have
organised a series of events in several cities across
Pakistan, from training workshops with students to
debates and conferences with civil society.
• April - May 2009: GAU conducted a nationwide tour
of university campuses, reaching a total of over 5000
students from public and private institutions. As well
as discussing the threats that Islamist extremism poses
to the country, Quilliam Co-Founder & Co-Director
Maajid Nawaz highlighted the difference between the
faith of Islam and the ideology of Islamism.
• July 2009: Quilliam partnered with Bargad — a local
youth development NGO — to host a five day national
conference for student leaders from various political
parties across Pakistan. Quilliam Co-Founder &
18
The Pakistan project is a job as exciting as it is important. There is a real sense of urgency but, at the same time, an exhilaration that comes from seeing the potential, the support, and the enthusiasm displayed by people who wish to reclaim their country and their faith, often at great personal risk, from those who have hijacked them.
Fatima Mullick, GAU Project Manager
Finances
Directors’ Report and Accounts
The summarised accounts on this page have been
extracted from the audited accounts of the charity
which were approved by Directors on 27 October 2009.
These summarized accounts may not contain sufficient
information to allow a full understanding of the
financial affairs of the organisation.
Further financial information requests can be submitted
to Ed Jagger, the Head of Operations and Finance for
The Quilliam Foundation.
Signed on behalf of the board of directors
Maajid Nawaz
Co-Director
23 March 2010
Report of the Auditors
to the Members of The Quilliam Foundation Limited
We have examined the summarised accounts set out
on this page.
Respective Responsibilities of the Directors and the
Auditors
You are responsible as Directors for the preparation of
the summarised accounts. We have agreed to report
to you our opinion on the summarised accounts’
consistency with the full accounts, on which we
reported to you on 27 October 2009.
Basis of Opinion
We have carried out the procedures we consider
necessary to ascertain whether the summarised
accounts are consistent with the full accounts from
which they have been prepared.
Opinion
In our opinion, the summarised accounts are
consistent with the full accounts for the period ended
31 March 2009.
H.W Fisher & Company
Registered Auditor
Acre House
11-15 William Road
London, NW1 3ER
Period ended 31 March 2009 (£)
Income
Grants and donations 879,245
Training, consultancy and publications
36,211
Income Total 915,456
Expenditure
Staff Costs 422,597
Publications, Events and PR 110,134
Overseas projects 117,238
Premises costs 104,469
IT and Website 34,143
Office administration and communications
27,772
Professional Services 52,748
Audit and Accountancy fees 32,747
Sundry expenses 13,755
Depreciation of tangible assets 13,290
Expenditure Total 928,893
Please note this is the first audited period from
Nov 2007 ending 31 Mar 2009
21
People
Quilliam Staff
Maajid NawazCo-Founder and Co-Director
Ed Husain Co-Founder and Co-Director
Cassandra Hamblett Personal Assistant to the Directors
Senior Management Team
Ed JaggerHead of Operations and Finance
James Brandon Head of Research and Communications
Ghaffar Hussain Head of Outreach and Training Unit
Anya Hart Dyke Senior Research Fellow
Lucy James Research Fellow
Mohammed Ali Musawi Research Fellow
George Readings Communications Officer & Research Fellow
Talal Rajab Trainer & Research Fellow
Sophie Thompson Research Fellow
Fatima Mullick Global Affairs Unit Project Manager
Imran Khan Global Affairs Unit Project Officer
Salma Butt Pakistan Coordinator
2009-2010 interns
Skye Blythe-Whitelock
Conor Roarty
Natalie Stanton
20
The Quilliam Foundation LimitedFinancial summary for the period ended 31 March 2009
Quilliam Non-Executive Advisory Board
Chair: Iqbal Wahhab OBE Founder of Roast Restaurant
Dr Catherine Fieschi Director of Counterpoint, think tank of the British Council
The Reverend Canon Dr Giles Fraser Canon Chancellor of St Paul’s Cathedral
Professor Timothy Garton Ash St Anthony’s College, Oxford
David Goodhart Editor of Prospect Magazine
Michael Gove MP Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families
Dr David Green Director of CIVITAS
Dr Musharraf Hussain OBE Director of the Karimia Institute
Sheikh Dr Ali al-Saleh al Najafi Imam of the Ahlul Bayt Islamic Centre, Dublin
Dr Ghayasuddin Siddiqui Director of the Muslim Institute
Meeting with the entire editorial board of a major national newspaper to point out where their coverage of Islamism has been misleading and damaging was a great example of what Quilliam does best – helping to foster a level of nuance and understanding in public discourse about Muslims that has been lacking.
George Readings Communications Officer & Research Fellow
Quilliam would like to thank several American charitable foundations, several private individuals, the UK Home Office and the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office for making Quilliam’s work possible.
Interning at Quilliam has been an invaluable experience as it has shown me how to put my theoretical knowledge to use through practical action, which has the potential to affect real change to the benefit of all of society.
Conor Roarty, Intern
Whether exposing the modus operandi of Islamist groups in Britain or encouraging students across Pakistan to unite against extremism, Quilliam’s work this year has ensured we are one step closer to a cohesive society that boldly challenges Islamist extremism and unashamedly champions our shared values.
Sophie Thompson, Research Fellow
General enquiries
Email: [email protected]
Tel: Mon - Fri 09:00 - 17:00 +44 (0) 207 182 7280
Press enquiries
Email: [email protected]
Tel: Mon - Fri 09:00 - 17:00 +44 (0) 207 182 7286
Out of office hours, including weekends: +44 (0) 7590 229 917
Mailing address
Quilliam
PO Box 60380
London
WC1A 9AZ
Compiled by Lucy James
“Throughout my life I have read the Qu’ran, hundreds of Qu’ranic exegeses, I am an author of one hundred books of Hadith...... and I have not gone through a single commandment of the Qu’ran, a single commandment of the Hadith of the holy Prophet where he has stated that the Muslim ummah is bound to establish one khilafah [caliphate] for the whole world. I have been listening to this nonsense for the last 20 years.”
Shaikh ul-Islam Dr Tahir ul-Qadri,
Founder, Minhaj-ul-Quran International, March 2010, London
www.quilliamfoundation.org
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Challenging Extremism Promoting Pluralism Inspiring Change