Scare raised over “terrorist training camps”

Posted on 14th August, 2006 by

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The Guardian today printed a story raising the urban legend of the “jihad training camp”, which in this case was supposedly based in British national parks. As you might expect when a scare story about terrorism appears on the front page of a national newspaper in the middle of a real terrorist emergency, these camps are not believed to be connected to the “liquid explosive” story:

The revelation of the camps is likely to raise anxiety about the number of potential terrorists in the UK, though laws introduced in April allow prosecutors to seek a life sentence for anyone convicted of the offence. Surveillance teams watching the groups in the Lake District are thought to have gathered evidence to pass on to crown prosecutors. The Guardian knows the precise location of the camps where the group has been monitored in the Lake District, but cannot disclose it. The group, unaware it has been under surveillance, was not undergoing weapons or explosives training. However, police believe they have clear evidence the men were preparing a mission of some sort, not enjoying a camping holiday. The surveillance is thought to have been by detectives from Scotland Yard’s antiterrorism branch; security sources in London confirmed they were aware of it.

Since the paper cannot tell us where the camp was located or even the name of the group involved, I can’t come out and tell the world that this is not a terrorist training camp at all, but what I can say is that Muslim camping trips to national parks have been a fixture for years. I’ve seen advertisements for them on mosque noticeboards, on websites and on mailing lists which are not connected to any group known to be linked to terrorism or to the ideologies on which it is based. The purpose of most Muslim camps is fun, bonding and education, and it would be a tragedy to see them stopped just because of suspicion about them being used to train terrorists.

(By the way: the Guardian on Saturday printed a story which employed the “irrelevant scare fact” tactic: this story about some of the men arrested in the “liquid explosive” enquiry, which has this idiotic paragraph:

His friend Mohammed, who declined to give his full name, revealed that Waheed and he would travel to Islamic camps run by Tablighi Jamaat, an Islamic missionary group whose UK base is in Dewsbury, west Yorkshire, the home of one of the July 7 bombers, Mohammed Siddique Khan.

As is well-known, there are thousands of Muslims in Dewsbury and the Tablighi Jama’at movement referred to is overwhelmingly involved in religious preaching, not politicking. Not all the Muslims there are TJ, by the way. Yet they choose to cast suspicion over a whole town’s Muslim population just because one of them, under outside influence, became a terrorist.)

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  • http://yorkshire-ranter.blogspot.com Alex

    Reading this on my morning train, I got as far as “did not involve weapons or explosives training” before farting with mirth. So just what were they doing - pointing a stick and shouting bang?

  • thabet

    I suppose I’d better cancel my Bank Holiday weekend trip to the Lake District!

  • Thersites

    Rather more important than learning how to use actual weapons is the psychological bonding. It doesn’t take much skill with arms to detionate a bomb

  • http://www.saracen.nu Saracen

    Well, so it seems; another pastime Muslims have to give up for fear of being touched by the Terrorism label.

    Probably a bunch of friends having fun with a rugged lifestyle for a few days. Must have been training for something dodgy.

    I’ve been to countless camps; the most fun ones are the more difficult no-toilets, wet and cold February ones. Make for a real experience. Where’s the terrorism in that?

  • Issy

    I think the whole national scouts movement needs to watch out.

  • http://www.bravefish.wordpress.com Salim

    Salaam bro.

    I’ve read your blog with interest. I’ve (re) started mine as I wanted to write my thoughts on current affairs.

    My only concern is that I may say something naive or silly that will do harm to the muslims.

    I would appreciate it if you would take some time now and again to have a look and let me know whether I’m doing more harm than good.

    I’ll understand if you’re too busy.

    Thanks and wasalaam

    Salim

  • http://arrihlah.blogspot.com dawud

    Thank you, Thersites: we should stop all social groupings that allow for ‘psychological bonding’ as a defensive measure? I don’t know about your psychiatrist or therapy group, but muslims camping or praying in a mosque, when they say “Allahumma antas Salaam, wa minkas Salaam, tabarakta ya dhal-Jalali wal-Ikram” (“Oh God, you are Peace, and from you is Peace, blessings from you of Possessor of Majesty and Beneficence”) as a group - they evidently are endangering the balance of the Anglican-Presbyterian social order - a delicate one, to be sure.

    Muslims should be divorcing their wives (Henry the VIIIth and modern politicians) and splitting up their families, screwing their secretaries and making their workplaces hellish (see recent articles from British Justice dep’ts on social order in Britain) - that would be in line with Britain, as opposed to social activity meant to preserve health and emotional well-being?

  • Rick

    What is wrong with this country ? One minute the government threatens to withhold funds for National Parks unless they attract more ethnic minority visitors and claims they are “too White”………………….when the ethnic minorities visit the National Parks they are accused of weapons training and put under surveillance !

    This is one very screwed up country