The Spectator’s notes | 3 November 2007

Charles Moore’s thoughts on the week

This week, Policy Exchange, of which I am the chairman, produced a survey, ‘The Hijacking of British Islam’, of literature found on the premises of more than 100 mosques. In about a quarter of the mosques, often ‘mainstream’ ones, some blessed by a visit from the Prince of Wales, the researchers found what could fairly be described as ‘hate’ literature — books with titles like Women Who Will Go to Hell (for, among another things, cutting their hair short), invitations to kill anyone who abandoned the Islamic faith, attacks on Jews, etc. Much of this material, about half of it published in English, comes from Saudi Arabia, whose King Abdullah has been having a rather edgy state visit here this week. The Muslim Council of Britain, the official umbrella organisation, says that the Policy Exchange report is ‘futile’ and ‘plumbs the depths’. The publications criticised are not illegal, it says.