Muslim Policeman Excused From Guarding Israeli Embassy on 'Moral Grounds' (Updated)

Fury at 'moral grounds' cop out

By MIKE SULLIVAN
Crime Editor
THE decision to excuse a Muslim cop from guarding the Israeli Embassy was last night branded “the beginning of the end for British policing”.

PC Alexander Omar Basha told chiefs he was unable to carry out duties at the London embassy — a top terror target — due to moral grounds after Israeli bombings in Lebanon.

Top brass granted his request last week, but Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair last night ordered an immediate inquiry after our story broke. He said: “Having learned of this issue I have asked for an urgent review of the situation and a full report.”

Critics slammed the decision. Ex-Met Flying Squad commander John O’Connor said: “This is the beginning of the end for British policing.

“If they can allow this, surely they’ll have to accept a Jewish officer not wanting to work at an Islamic national embassy? Will Catholic cops be let off working at Protestant churches? Where will it end?

“This decision is going to allow officers to act in a discriminating and racist way.”

Mr O’Connor added: “When you join the police, you do so to provide a service to the public. If you cannot perform those duties, you leave.

“The Metropolitan Police are setting a precedent they will come to bitterly regret. Top brass granted his wish as they were probably frightened of being accused of racism. But what they’ve done is an insult to the Jewish community.”

Another angry policeman said: “This decision beggars belief. It goes against everything the police should stand for — providing a service to the public no matter who they are.”

PC Basha, attached to the Met’s Diplomatic Protection Group, asked for special dispensation not to work at the embassy in Kensington Palace Gardens, Central London. The officer, in his late 20s, has taken part in recent anti-war protests.

The Israeli Embassy was attacked in 1994 by Palestinian fanatics with a 50lbs car bomb, injuring 19 and causing millions of pounds’ damage.

But one senior source said: “PC Basha objected to the posting on moral grounds — because of the Israeli bombing of Lebanon and the resulting civilian casualties of fellow Muslims.”

Superintendent Dal Babu, chairman of the Association of Muslim Police said he had spoken to the officer concerned.

He said: “What we need to do is just really put this entire issue in perspective. This is about the welfare of an individual and not about a moral issue.

"I think we are going down a very, very slippery road if we start having postings based on individual officers’ conscience.

“As police officers we have to deal with some very, very difficult situations and we need to be objective and make sure that we police all members of the community fairly. We can’t pick and choose.”

o Following today's revelations in the Sun newspaper, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair called for an urgent review of the decision.

He said: “Having learned of this issue I have asked for an urgent review of the situation and a full report into the circumstances.”

o The Israeli embassy said: “The Embassy of Israel expresses its full confidence in the ability of the Metropolitan Police Force to provide the Embassy with maximum security, as well as its ability to deal with this sort of grave problem."

o Another Muslim removed from the DPG after his security clearance was rejected is trying to sue the Met. Vetting revealed PC Amjad Farooq had a close acquaintance with alleged links to an extremist Islamic group.

Note: Compare this to the case of the Moslem FBI agent who allegedly refused to wear a wire to investigate another Moslem.

See here and compare with here, where the agent claims his comment was misunderstood and he was actually concerned with the danger to his family. He was reinstated.

Update:
From USS Neverdock, who has been following the story, now it seems this police officer has a connection to a radical Moslem leader who has claimed he would not warn police in advance if he knew of an impending suicide bomber attack

Technorati Tag: Israel and Moslems.