Balls to Gilligan
Sir: As Andrew Gilligan well knows, I abhor the anti-semitic and anti-democratic views ascribed to Hizb ut Tahrir and I take any accusations of extremist views being taught in schools very seriously (‘Minister for Hizb ut Tahrir’, 5 December).
That is why when allegations about links between Hizb ut Tahrir and the Islamic Shakhsiyah Foundation were first raised in 2007, I asked Ofsted to investigate both the independent schools run by the foundation. No evidence of anti-semitic or anti-Western values being taught was found — either then or in subsequent investigations.
The pamphlet which Mr Gilligan quoted from was written by one of the head teachers six years ago. I disagree with the views expressed, as would the vast majority of British Muslims. But this is not evidence of extremist views being actually taught in the classroom — and none has been found or presented.
Mr Gilligan raises an interesting analogy with the BNP.
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