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Gitmo survivor calls for amnesty so officials may confess their war crimes

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“Everything that happened to us is a war crime in Guantánamo,” says freed detainee held for 14 years without charge

"I just want people to tell the truth," says Shaker Aamer. (Photo: BBC/Screenshot)

“I just want people to tell the truth,” says Shaker Aamer. (Photo: BBC/Screenshot)

by Deirdre Fulton, Common Dreams

Despite being held for 14 years without charge at Guantanamo Bay; despite the torture, beatings, and psychological trauma he says he endured there; and despite signs that British intelligence agents knew of the abuse, 48-year-old Shaker Aamer says top UK officials should be granted legal immunity if it will encourage them to tell the truth about their government’s complicity in such atrocities.

“They should be guaranteed that they are not going to go behind bars, so they can tell their part of the story,” Aamer said in an interview with ITV News, his first since returning to the UK in October.

Comparing the U.S. military prison to Harry Potter’s Azkaban—where creatures suck the happiness from criminals—the father of two said Guantánamo Bay is designed to “destroy a human being totally”—mentally, physically, and spiritually.

Aamer called for U.S. President Barack Obama to shut down the offshore prison immediately.

“Everything that happened to us is a war crime in Guantánamo,” he said. “Everything that is happening right now is a war crime in Guantánamo.”

“My message to the President of the United States [Barack] Obama … that if he wants to be the hero, to close Guantánamo,” Aamer continued. “If he really wants to establish justice, if he really wants to live by his word, he’s not going to need to wait for the whole United States of America to support him. He should practice his right as a president, his right as the head of the army, and just close it—close it and the brothers they will help him, if you start thinking about the brothers in Guantánamo as human beings, they will help you to close it.”

In a separate interview with the BBC, also broadcast Monday, Aamer said he does not intend to sue the UK government. “I don’t believe the court will bring justice because of what happened in the past,” he said. “I do not want to prosecute anybody. I do not want anybody to be asked about what his role [was] in the past. I just want people to tell the truth.”

Aamer said he was “80, 90 percent” sure that on one occasion, a British intelligence officer was present when an American interrogator was beating his head against a wall.

Watch the full BBC interview, in which Aamer speaks about being reunited with his children after more than a decade of abuse and isolation, below:

‘Don’t bomb Syria’: Protests across the UK as Syria vote looms

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Demonstrators protest against British bombing of Syria outside Downing Street in London, Britain, 28 November 2015. British Prime Minister David Cameron is calling on MP's to vote for Britain to join France with bombing raids against ISIS in Syria. (EPA/ANDY RAIN)

Demonstrators protest against British bombing of Syria outside Downing Street in London, Britain, 28 November 2015. British Prime Minister David Cameron is calling on MP’s to vote for Britain to join France with bombing raids against ISIS in Syria. (EPA/ANDY RAIN)

by Common Dreams

Thousands of people protested in London and around Britain Saturday against Britain joining in bombing attacks on ISIS in Syria.

The UK Parliament will vote next week on whether to join with the US and France in launching air strikes on Syria. Prime Minister David Cameron is leading the push for bombing.

The UK protests are organized by the Stop The War Coalition movement, which is also holding a string of other demonstrations around Britain.

The Stop The War Coalition said in a statement: “The proposed vote in Parliament on bombing Syria by British forces is likely to take place within the next week. The vote is more likely following the terrible events in Paris. Yet this bombing will not stop terror attacks. Stop the War is opposed to this military response.”

Cameron’s previous government suffered a humiliating defeat in 2013 over launching military action against the Assad government and did not push for a vote for the UK to join in bombing Syria last year.

Current Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who is a founder of the Stop The War Coalition, opposes air strikes.

Writers, musicians, politicians, academics, filmmakers, trade unionists, campaigners and artists write to David Cameron.
To be delivered by Brian Eno and Mark Rylance at the Downing Street protest on 28 November 2015.

28 November 2015

Dear Prime Minister

The current rush to bomb Syria following the terrible events in Paris risks a dangerous escalation which will inflame the war there and increase bitterness against the West. The US has been bombing Isis for a year and admits that Isis is as strong as ever and has continued recruiting.

The experience of the wars in Afghanistan Iraq and Libya shows that Western military interventions lead to large scale casualties, devastating destruction and huge flows of refugees.

Far from tackling terrorism the last fourteen years of war have seen massively increased Jihadi terrorist organization around the world.

Rather than ignoring this recent history by joining the long list of countries that have bombed Syria in the last year we urge the government to stop arming reactionary and aggressive regimes like Saudi Arabia and Qatar that sponsor terrorist groups and look for political solutions as the only viable way to end the conflict.

Yours,

Mark Rylance Actor
Brian Eno Musician
Hans von Sponeck Former UN Assistant Secretary-General
Frankie Boyle Comedian
Will Self Writer
Ken Loach Filmmaker
John Pilger Journalist
Owen Jones Journalist
Caryl Churchill Playwright
Francesca Martinez Comedian
Jeremy Hardy Comedian
Caroline Lucas MP Green Party
Tommy Sheppard MP SNP
Arthur Smith Comedian
Miriam Margolyes Actor
John Hilary Executive Director of War on Want
Michael Rosen Writer
Mark Serwotka PCS General Secretary
Tariq Ali Writer
David Gentleman Artist
Prof John Kinsella Poet
Prof Diane Reay University of Cambridge
Prof Richard Wilkinson University of Nottingham
Victoria Brittain Journalist
Manuel Cortes TSSA General Secretary
Christine Shawcroft Labour NEC
Prof Ray Bush University of Leeds
Prof Christopher Cramer SOAS
Prof George Irvin SOAS
Andrew Murray Chair of Stop the War Coalition
Lindsey German Convenor of Stop the War Coalition
Kate Hudson CND General Secretary
Logic Musician
Prof Susan Newman University of the West of England
Prof Gurminder Bhambra University of Warwick
Prof Ozlem Onaran University of Greenwich
Prof Prem Sikka University of Essex
Jean Urquhart MSP Independent
Elaine Smith MSP Labour

Modi woos diaspora at Wembley, says India’s diversity is its strength

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Modi-Wembley

London: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that diversity was India’s strength as he urged the country’s diaspora to become integral part of its growth story and dispelled concerns highlighted in media over some incidents intolerance in the country, saying that “there is a very deep and best India outside TV screen”.

Addressing a huge, enthusiastic gathering of British Indians at the expansive Wembley Stadium here, Modi announced resumption of a direct flight between London and Ahmedabad, simplification of the process concerning Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card and measures taken towards electronic travel authorisation and e-migration portal.

British Prime Minister David Cameron, who was present at the stadium, described it “a historic day” and said it was biggest gathering of Indian diaspora.

Modi, who spoke for over an hour, talked of his government’s plans to launch railway rupee bond in London and raised slogan “James Bond, Brooke Bond and Rupee Bond” to loud cheers from the gathering.

Modi, who has faced questions over intolerance from the media during his visit to the United Kingdom, said India was a land of diversity. “Diversity is its pride and its strength,” he said.

Towards the end of his speech, Modi recalled work of Imran Khan, a resident of Alwar in Rajasthan who has developed over 50 mobile applications related to education and dedicated them to students.

“My India is in Imran Khan of Alwar,” Modi said. He said leaders of the world ask him with some amazement how there is so much harmony in a diverse and big country like India.

Referring to the work of his government in the past 18 months, Modi said India’s stature had risen in the world and said the diaspora must also be experiencing it.

“This change is the sign of India’s success. Today when India talks, it does from a position of equality,” he said.

“India is moving on the path of development at a fast pace. I can tell you that the speed which India has taken, the direction it has taken, results will be evident soon,” Modi said.

Modi took out his watch and demonstrated that if it is seen upright it shows London time and if it is reversed it shows the time in India.

“There is no other two countries with such equation. Till the time there is sun and moon, the relations between India and England will continue to gain strength. We will cross new frontiers of development,” Modi said.

Modi thanked people for “outpouring their affections” and said India will not judge its diaspora by the colour of their passport.

“You have as much right on India as I have,” Modi said and asked them to renew their links with the country as their dreams will be fulfilled.

Referring to the challenges of terrorism and global warming faced by the world, Modi said life of Mahatma Gandhi showed solution to these problems and India can show the right path.

He also referred to Sufi tradition and said its greater spread would have helped check terrorism.

Modi said while his government wanted FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) in many sectors, for him FDI conveyed First Develop India.

Referring to increase in FDI flows, he said, “The world’s confidence in India was rising. That is our biggest strength. We want to move ahead with that.”

Referering to his proposal to launch a global solar alliance later this month in Paris, he said there were 102 countries which have harness solar energy. “India can lead in this,” he said.

Modi said he wanted to make a “Clean India” and provide round the clock power to all by 2019, which is 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Modi referred to his humble origins as tea seller and recalled his push towards fighting female infanticide and financial inclusion.

Modi told the gathering that India has no reason to be poor took digs at the previous governments over corruption and their inability to remove poverty and said 18,000 villages in India were still without electricity.

“I do not why there is a habit to see that it stays,” he said.

Referring to India having 800 million people below 35 years, he said “a country which has so many youth cannot stay behind”.

Modi said India’s rankings had improved in ease of doing business and in fighting corruption.

Without going into specifics, Modi said he had heard problems raised by Sikh leaders who met him and was working towards addressing them.

People intermittently shouted “Modi, Modi” as the prime minister delivered the speech.

(Agencies)

Modi UK visit sees business deals worth $14 billion

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modi-cameron

London: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit here has seen $14 billion worth of business deals inked by enterprises of the sides, including a $4.4-billion investment by Britain’s OPG Power Ventures to add 4,200 MW capacity of new electricity generation in Tamil Nadu over the next few years.

Among the two-dozen pacts and investment commitments acknowledged by Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and David Cameron was one by Merlin Entertainment to open the famed Madame Tussauds wax museum in New Delhi by early-2017 and another by Vodafone to invest $1.4 billion to support the Government of India’s “Digital India” and “Make in India” initiatives.

This apart, the largest Solar power generator in Europe, Lightsource, said it was investing a little over $3 billion in India to design, install and manage around 3 GW of solar power infrastructure in India over the next five years in partnerships with Indian companies, led by Srei Infrastructure.

“Prime Ministers Cameron and Modi noted the deep and fruitful business relationship between the UK and India and welcomed the 9.2 billion pounds ($14 billion) of commercial deals between the UK and India announced during the visit,” said a joint statement issued by the two sides after the official talks.

Other major deals announced late on Thursday included:

– Standard Life, Bupa and Aviva to invest a combined total of $365 million in their Indian joint ventures

– Pact between Britain’s cloudBuy for facilitating $5,3 billion worth of transactions using an online marketplace

– British technology company Intelligent Energy’s $1.8 billion contract to provide clean energy for 27,400 telecoms towers of GTL

– Holland and Barrett International pact with Apollo to open 1,000 stores in India over the next five years

– Kloudpad Mobility Research’s investment in South India to make next generation smart watches, wearables and tablets

– TVS to open an advanced logistics facility at Barnsley, a town in South Yorkshire

– London Stock Exchange and Yes Bank pact for collaborations on bond and equity issuance, with focus on green infrastructure

– HDFC’s proposal for rupee-denominated bonds overseas up to $750 million under new Indian central bank guidelines

– Wipro’s commitment to increases its investment in Britain.

As per the joint statement, the two prime ministers also announced three UK-India city partnerships with Indore, Pune and Amaravati to support India’s ambitious urban development goals through technical assistance, expertise sharing and business engagement.

They also launched a new Thames-Ganga partnership for healthy river systems.

(Agencies)

Modi arrives in Britain for three-day visit

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Modi-Britain

London: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in London on Thursday for a three-day visit to Britain that will see India and Britain sign a number of pacts on mutual investments and defence cooperation.

Modi, wearing a dark coat, stepped out of the aircraft with folded ‘namaste’.

In a series of pre-departure Facebook posts, Modi said: “My visit is aimed at strengthening cooperation with a traditional friend that is not only a major economic partner of India but also one of the leading economic players of the world.”

Modi’s visit to Britain is the first bilateral visit by an Indian prime minister in nine years after Manmohan Singh’s visit in 2006. Singh visited Britain in 2009 to attend the G-20 summit.

“UK is one of the fastest growing G-7 economies and is home to a strong financial services sector,” Modi stated. “I see immense scope for our economic and trade relations to improve and this will benefit both our economies,” he added.

On November 14, Modi will leave for Turkey to attend the annual G-20 summit.

(IANS)

Shaker Aamer: Last UK Guantanamo Bay detainee released after 14-year detention

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Shaker Aamer has never been charged with any offences and has maintained his innocence

Shaker Aamer has been kept in Guantanamo Bay for 14 years but has never been charged or tried.

Shaker Aamer has been kept in Guantanamo Bay for 14 years but has never been charged or tried.

by Rose Troup Buchanan, Independent

Shaker Aamer, the last British resident detained in Guantanamo, has been reportedly released and is flying back to his wife and four children in London.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond confirmed to Sky News Mr Aamer had been released. His plane is believed to be due to land in the UK at around midday today.

Co-director of the We Stand With Shaker campaign Andy Worthington also said he had confirmation from Mr Aamer’s lawyer he is due to return.

“We’re delighted to hear that his long and unacceptable ordeal has come to an end,” he told Press Association. 

“We hope he won’t be detained by the British authorities on his return and gets the psychological and medical care that he needs to be able to resume his life with his family in London.”

Cori Crider, Mr Aamer’s US lawyer and strategic director of Reprieve, said in a statement the release was “long, long past time.” “Shaker now needs to see a doctor, and then get to spend time alone with his family as soon as possible.” Amnesty International UK director Kate Allen cautioned: “After so many twists and turns in this appalling case, we won’t really believe that Shaker Aamer is actually being returned to the UK until his plane touches down on British soil.” “We should remember what a terrible travesty of justice this case has been, and that having been held in intolerable circumstances for nearly 14 years Mr Aamer will need time to readjust to his freedom,” Ms Allen said in a statement. The 46-year-old Saudi Arabian citizen has been held in the US dentention centre for 13 years without trial. His case was debated in the House of Commons in March, and MPs have lobbied Washington to urgently address his transfer – which was cleared in 2007. Prime Minister David Cameron has personally lobbied on behalf of Mr Aamer, urging Barack Obama to free the Guantanamo detainee in June of this year.  A Downing Street source claimed Mr Cameron told the US president: “We are very clear we need to find a resolution to the case of Shaker Aamer.” On Friday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn congratulated Mr Aamer’s team on the release, calling it “great news.”

Mr McDonnell told The Mirror he was “breathing a heavy sigh of relief” following Mr Aamer’s release. “Shaker was simply a man in the wrong place at the wrong time, a charity worker building wells in Afghanistan who was kidnapped, ransomed and falsely imprisoned.”

Mr Aamer, whose British wife and four children live in London, has British residency and permission to reside indefinitely in the UK. He has not seen his family in 14 years.

He was imprisoned in Afghanistan after being accused of working with al-Qaeda.

A Reprieve report, published earlier this year, detailed the horrific torture he claims US interrogators meted out in an attempt to make him sign a false confession. Mr Aamer later said he would have told interrogators “he was Bin Laden” to make the torture stop.

Dr Emily Keram, an American doctor who was able to visit him in Guantanamo, diagnosed Mr Aamer with acute post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), migraines, digestive problems, swelling, asthma and tinnitus. She recommended urgent treatment for the “serious medical concerns” in the UK.

Guantanamo Bay detention centre was established in 2002 by the US government. Following a successful Freedom of Information request, the centre admitted to holding 779 men and boys over the course of its use. Mr Obama had promised to close the facility – condemned globally by international human rights organisations – but as of June this year 116 individuals remain imprisoned in the centre. That number will now stand at 115.

Veteran leftist MP Corbyn voted leader of UK opposition

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Jeremy Corbyn, critic of austerity and military intervention, elected to lead Labour Party with 59.5 percent of ballot.

Corbyn has been an outspoke critic of the British government's austerity policies [Reuters]

Corbyn has been an outspoke critic of the British government’s austerity policies [Reuters]

by Al Jazeera

The UK’s opposition Labour Party has elected veteran left-wing MP Jeremy Corbyn to be its new leader, in one of the most controversial leadership votes in recent British political history.

The announcement of Corbyn’s success brings to close a bitterly fought contest, which could herald the start of renewed divisions within the party between those in support of his anti-austerity platform, and those advocating a further shift away from the left.

Corbyn won the vote in the first round, picking up 251,417 or 59.5 percent of votes cast.

In a speech delivered after the announcement of his victory, Corbyn said his first act as leader of the party would be to attend a protest demanding better treatment of refugees.

“They are the generational victims of war, who end up in desperation, end up in terrible places, end up trying to get a place of safety … they are human beings just like you, just like me,” Corbyn said.

“Let’s deal with the refugee crisis with humanity, with support, with help, with compassion … we cannot go on like this with grotesque levels of global inequality.”

Corbyn said he would take the ruling Conservative Party to task for its cuts to welfare payments and public services, which he blamed for rising poverty in the UK.

“The Tories (Conservatives) have used the economic crisis of 2008 to impose a terrible burden on the poorest people in this country … it’s not right, it’s not necessary and it’s got to change,” Corbyn said.

The MP for the London constituency of Islington North, also thanked a number of trade unions for their backing during his leadership campaign.

Corbyn’s support base derived largely from left-leaning members, and from new members who joined the party after its crushing election defeat in May.

Labour’s new leader also slammed coverage of his campaign by the British press, many sections of which have cast him as economically dangerous.

Andy Burnham, Corbyn’s nearest competitor, received 19 percent of the ballots cast. MP Tom Watson was elected Corbyn’s deputy.

Fragments of what could be world’s oldest Quran have been found in the U.K.

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The university's academics were "startled" when the radiocarbon dating tests showed it was so old

The university’s academics were “startled” when the radiocarbon dating tests showed it was so old.

by Sean Coughlan, BBC

What may be the world’s oldest fragments of the Koran have been found by the University of Birmingham.

Radiocarbon dating found the manuscript to be at least 1,370 years old, making it among the earliest in existence.

The pages of the Muslim holy text had remained unrecognised in the university library for almost a century.

The British Library’s expert on such manuscripts, Dr Muhammad Isa Waley, said this “exciting discovery” would make Muslims “rejoice”.

The manuscript had been kept with a collection of other Middle Eastern books and documents, without being identified as one of the oldest fragments of the Koran in the world.

Oldest texts

When a PhD researcher, Alba Fedeli, looked more closely at these pages it was decided to carry out a radiocarbon dating test and the results were “startling”.

The university’s director of special collections, Susan Worrall, said researchers had not expected “in our wildest dreams” that it would be so old.

“Finding out we had one of the oldest fragments of the Koran in the whole world has been fantastically exciting.”

The University of Birmingham’s manuscript was in a collection brought back from the Middle East

The tests, carried out by the Oxford University Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit, showed that the fragments, written on sheep or goat skin, were among the very oldest surviving texts of the Koran.

These tests provide a range of dates, showing that, with a probability of more than 95%, the parchment was from between 568 and 645.

“They could well take us back to within a few years of the actual founding of Islam,” said David Thomas, the university’s professor of Christianity and Islam.

“According to Muslim tradition, the Prophet Muhammad received the revelations that form the Koran, the scripture of Islam, between the years 610 and 632, the year of his death.”

Prof Thomas says the dating of the Birmingham folios would mean it was quite possible that the person who had written them would have been alive at the time of the Prophet Muhammad.

“The person who actually wrote it could well have known the Prophet Muhammad. He would have seen him probably, he would maybe have heard him preach. He may have known him personally – and that really is quite a thought to conjure with,” he says.

First-hand witness

Prof Thomas says that some of the passages of the Koran were written down on parchment, stone, palm leaves and the shoulder blades of camels – and a final version, collected in book form, was completed in about 650.

Prof Thomas says the writer of this manuscript could have heard the Prophet Muhammad preach

He says that “the parts of the Koran that are written on this parchment can, with a degree of confidence, be dated to less than two decades after Muhammad’s death”.

“These portions must have been in a form that is very close to the form of the Koran read today, supporting the view that the text has undergone little or no alteration and that it can be dated to a point very close to the time it was believed to be revealed.”

Susan Worrall says the university wants to put this internationally significant discovery on public display

The manuscript, written in “Hijazi script”, an early form of written Arabic, becomes one of the oldest known fragments of the Koran.

Because radiocarbon dating creates a range of possible ages, there is a handful of other manuscripts in public and private collections which overlap. So this makes it impossible to say that any is definitively the oldest.

But the latest possible date of the Birmingham discovery – 645 – would put it among the very oldest.

‘Precious survivor’

Dr Waley, curator for such manuscripts at the British Library, said “these two folios, in a beautiful and surprisingly legible Hijazi hand, almost certainly date from the time of the first three caliphs”.

The first three caliphs were leaders in the Muslim community between about 632 and 656.

Dr Waley says that under the third caliph, Uthman ibn Affan, copies of the “definitive edition” were distributed.

“The Muslim community was not wealthy enough to stockpile animal skins for decades, and to produce a complete Mushaf, or copy, of the Holy Koran required a great many of them.”

Dr Waley suggests that the manuscript found by Birmingham is a “precious survivor” of a copy from that era or could be even earlier.

“In any case, this – along with the sheer beauty of the content and the surprisingly clear Hijazi script – is news to rejoice Muslim hearts.”

Muhammad Afzal of Birmingham Central Mosque said he was very moved to see the manuscript

The manuscript is part of the Mingana Collection of more than 3,000 Middle Eastern documents gathered in the 1920s by Alphonse Mingana, a Chaldean priest born near Mosul in modern-day Iraq.

He was sponsored to take collecting trips to the Middle East by Edward Cadbury, who was part of the chocolate-making dynasty.

The local Muslim community has already expressed its delight at the discovery in their city and the university says the manuscript will be put on public display.

“When I saw these pages I was very moved. There were tears of joy and emotion in my eyes. And I’m sure people from all over the UK will come to Birmingham to have a glimpse of these pages,” said Muhammad Afzal, chairman of Birmingham Central Mosque.

The university says the Koran fragments will go on display in the Barber Institute in Birmingham in October.

Prof Thomas says it will show people in Birmingham that they have a “treasure that is second to none”.

4 UK schools ban Ramadan fast for Muslims

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A total of four primary schools in the UK have imposed a ban on Muslim students preventing them from fasting.

A total of four primary schools in the UK have imposed a ban on Muslim students preventing them from fasting.

by World Bulletin

A total of four primary schools in the U.K. have imposed a ban on fasting for Muslim students during the month of Ramadan, according to British media.

Barclay Primary School in east London — one of the four schools that operate under a common foundation called Lion Academy Trust — informed the parents of the students of the decision in a letter sent last week.

Written by the school’s acting head, Aaron Wright, the letter asserted that children were not required to fast during Ramadan under Islamic Law, but were only required to do so “when they become adults”.

“Previously, we have had a number of children who became ill and children who fainted or who have been unable to fully access the school curriculum in their attempt to fast,” the head also said.

In the letter, the duration of fasting — 18 hours last year as it is mentioned in the letter — was described as quite long for a child without sustenance and water.

The Muslim Association of Britain (MAB) condemned the fasting ban.

“We believe that there are sufficient and stringent rules within Islam which allow those who are unable to fast, to break fast,” the Mail Online quoted a spokesman of the association as saying.

The Muslim Association of Britain also stressed that this was a decision that should be left up to the parents of the students.

The other three schools that will implement the ban are Sybourn, Thomas Gamuel and Brook House Primary Schools.

There are about 3 million Muslims in the U.K.

The holy month of Ramadan, the ninth of the Islamic lunar calendar,begins Wednesday.

New online magazine launched to “combat extremism”

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Haqiqah

by 5Pillars

A new online magazine has been launched with the aim of “reclaiming the internet” from extremists, the BBC reports.

Haqiqah has been created by British Muslim scholars who say they want to do more to educate young people about the reality of extremist movements.

They say it is a direct response to the threat of radicalisation from groups such as Islamic State. ISIS supporters have widely used social media to spread their message.

More than 100 imams gathered in London for the launch of the magazine, which has been started by the website Imams Online.

As yet it is unclear if the initiative is government-funded or not.

“Someone has to reclaim that territory from ISIS, and that can only be imams: religious leaders who guide and nourish their community,” according to Qari Asim, senior editor at imamsonline.com.

“But now that we live in a digital mobile world, some young people are not coming to the mosque so we must reach out to them – and this is the Muslims’ contribution to combat radicalisation on the net,” he said.

“We’re turning the tide,” says Shaukat Warraich, the chief editor of Imamsonline.com.

“Though we still have a way to go, we know that by taking efforts to support and mobilise the huge online Muslim population, we will eventually drown out the violent voices.”

He said that the speed and volume of communications by IS has taken everyone by surprise, with more than 100,000 pieces of information, tweets and Facebook posts coming out of Syria and Iraq every day.

Warraich said that imams had to move from the real world to have a greater presence online, where young Muslims go for much of their information.

The summit was attended by imams, including Sheikh Abdallah Bin Bayyah, president of the Forum for Promoting Peace, and Hamza Yusuf, a leading US imam and co-founder of California-based Zaytuna College.

The organisers say it brought together every group within Islam, from Deobandi, Sufi, Sunni, Shia and cultural groups, and included Somalis, Arabs, Pakistanis and converts to Islam from many nations.

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