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Bombing out

Today a prosecution commences at Manchester Crown Court. Setting aside the technicalities of the charges, in essence two men are charged with making or intending to make explosive devices or bombs. There are plenty of terrorist trials or charges in prospect at the moment so you might think that this case was no different from the others. It is however. The two accused are white and alleged to have far right sympathies. Therefore the prospective victims of any use of such explosives are alleged to be Asian/Muslim.

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Muslim scrutiny

As with any trial it is for the prosecution to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt and the mere fact that charges are brought does not mean that the defendants have done anything wrong. Whether they are guilty as charged will be determined by the jury having heard the evidence. What is clear is that whether convicted or acquitted (and of course as usual the case against each defendant has to be considered on its merits, so that it is also possible one could be convicted and the other acquitted just as both could be convicted or acquitted) the public reaction and in particular the press reaction to the trial will be closely scrutinised by Muslims.

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Little press interest

There has been relatively little press comment in the buildup to the trial. This is very different to the amount of interest in it that has been generated amongst the Muslim community. It is plain that some Muslims feel that this reflects a lack of interest in alleged potential terrorism where the potential victims are Muslim, in stark contrast to alleged potential terrorism where the alleged perpetrators are Muslim. Especially when it is being contended (as it was in connection with certain people arrested during the investigations regarding the alleged "beheading" plot recently) that Muslims are being arrested when there is no real basis for supposing that they are involved in terrorist activity at all.

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Difficult for the police

Of course the police are between the devil and the deep blue sea on this. If a terrorist attack goes ahead the papers are in uproar as to why it was not prevented. If the police proceed to make arrests and foil a plot, if on reflection they do not pursue particular individuals who were initially arrested they are accused of being heavy-handed. Expecting the police to foil plots and be exactly aware from the outset as to who the right people are to arrest would impose an impossible standard for them to attain.

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Al Qaeda

Similarly because of Al Qaeda Muslim terrorist plots are bound to be viewed differently than any others. There is a central source seeking to spread similar terrorist activity across the world. It sponsors and trains its cohorts or fellow travellers. Were there some far right rogue state or international terrorist organisation which was comparable, then far right terrorists might be viewed as providing a similar sort of threat. The fact that there is not is what makes the story potentially a little less newsworthy. Not any indifference to the potential victims.

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Moderate muslim opinion

Nonetheless the reporting of this trial and how it is perceived could have a bearing on moderate Muslim opinion. Not whether the individuals charged happen to be innocent or guilty, but whether the nature of the alleged offence is regarded as newsworthy and serious. It would ironically be a victory for Al Qaeda and extremists of all sorts, who encourage and thrive on division, if the position of moderate Muslims within their own community was undermined by feeling that the press and public only care about alleged terrorist plots where they involve Muslims as perpetrators, not victims.

Michael J. Booth QC