Original Guest post by Jai Singh

As recently discussed on Loonwatch, the anti-Muslim propagandists Robert Spencer and Pamela Geller have now “wholeheartedly and unhesitatingly” re-endorsed their fellow “SION Presidents Council” member, English Defence League ex-leader Stephen Yaxley-Lennon (aka “Tommy Robinson”), and confirmed that they intend to continue working with him. During the summer, the British Government’s Home Secretary banned Spencer and Geller from entering the United Kingdom; they had intended to speak at a major EDL demonstration in London.

Stephen Yaxley-Lennon himself has of course recently resigned from the EDL, a move publicly facilitated by Maajid Nawaz & Quilliam and covered in a high-profile BBC documentary. (Nawaz is the man sitting next to Yaxley-Lennon in the photo at the top of this article). According to the Guardian, there is speculation that Quilliam’s current actions are an attempt to secure funding; if this is indeed the case, it means that Quilliam are simultaneously working closely with an individual heavily involved with foreign extremists whom the British Government itself has banned from the UK.

An earlier Guardian article from 2010 discussed the fact that Quilliam drew up a secret list of individuals and groups they claimed were “Islamist extremists”, including one of Scotland Yard’s own counter-terrorism units, and sent this report directly to the director-general of the British Government’s Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism (OSCT), a directorate of the Home Office. Quilliam’s report was rejected and condemned by a range of senior figures, including the co-founder of the aforementioned counter-terrorism unit along with the Chairman of the Parliament’s Home Affairs Select Committee.

Readers are strongly advised to familiarise themselves with the information in the previous Loonwatch article, especially the extensive details on Robert Spencer’s inner circle and Stephen Yaxley-Lennon’s own views, actions and affiliations.

The article also included the following points:

1. What is Maajid Nawaz & Quilliam’s response ? 2. Do Maajid Nawaz & Quilliam still plan to continue working with Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, considering (a) Yaxley-Lennon’s continuing alliance with foreign extremists banned from entering the UK, (b) the fact that Yaxley-Lennon has repeatedly declared that he has not changed any of his anti-Muslim views, (c) the fact that Yaxley-Lennon has no intention of working with Quilliam for the long-term, (d) the fact that Yaxley-Lennon is simply using Quilliam as a “stepping-stone” to a new anti-Muslim organisation, devoid of the stigma of the EDL and allied to the aforementioned banned foreign extremists ? 3. The BBC are currently involving Stephen Yaxley-Lennon in at least two more documentaries: One focusing on Quilliam, and one focusing specifically on Yaxley-Lennon (titled “What Tommy Does Next”). Considering the facts detailed above, will the BBC now terminate their involvement with Yaxley-Lennon, or do they intend to continue these projects with him ? If it is the latter, will the BBC disclose the aforementioned facts to the British viewing public, especially Yaxley-Lennon’s continuing alliance with foreign extremists banned from the UK ?

Huffington Post UK Political Director Mehdi Hasan’s team have subsequently published a detailed article discussing Yaxley-Lennon and Quilliam’s replies to some of the questions raised by these issues. The article also includes some further relevant information that will be of interest to readers.

During the past few weeks, Mehdi Hasan and Guardian / Liberal Conspiracy political journalist Sunny Hundal were also involved in a heated argument with Quilliam co-founder Maajid Nawaz on Twitter regarding this subject, particularly the issue of Stephen Yaxley-Lennon’s ongoing involvement with Robert Spencer and Pamela Geller (see: here, here, here, here, here and here).

STEPHEN YAXLEY-LENNON AND QUILLIAM: THE MASK FINALLY DROPS

There have been some very revealing further developments. The Far-Right “online magazine” Dispatch International have now published several articles detailing transcripts of their interview with Yaxley-Lennon.

One article in particular details the real reasons for Stephen Yaxley-Lennon’s involvement with Quilliam. The article is very incriminating indeed. In fact, Yaxley-Lennon’s statements are hugely damaging for both himself and Quilliam. The relevant extract is quoted below, with the key points highlighted in bold:

[Stephen Yaxley-Lennon/”Tommy Robinson]: “The fact is that I thought it would be a good idea to appear together with Quilliam in order to gain credibility. It is good to sit together with them and say: “We don’t hate Muslims but we have to solve our problems.” – When I met the people from Quilliam, I realized that they could help me with a lot of things. I’m just a working class bloke from Luton. I don’t know how to set up and run a think tank and get donations. I asked if they would teach me and they said yes. They said: “You may have whatever opinions you like but you will get more out of expressing them in a more political way.” [Dispatch International]: “Could one say that you are using them and they are using you?” Tommy doesn’t answer but nods and grins

Mehdi Hasan has publicly confronted BBC anchor Adil Ray with Yaxley-Lennon’s statements; Adil Ray’s response and his defence of Yaxley-Lennon are worth reading (see here, here, and here, from 7 November 2013).

In any case, it is very good that Yaxley-Lennon’s statements are now a matter of public record.

In the same interview, Yaxley-Lennon also said:

“Look at what has happened since I left the EDL. Look at my new platform.” […..] “What I’m saying now is the same as I’ve been saying for four and a half years.”

STEPHEN YAXLEY-LENNON REVEALS HIS LONG-TERM GAMEPLAN

According to another Dispatch International article, Yaxley-Lennon’s aim is to start a new, large-scale, so-called “working class” organisation allegedly intended to prevent what he ridiculously believes is an impending bloody civil war between Muslims and non-Muslims in the UK. Furthermore, Yaxley-Lennon also explicitly referred to “whites” and “Muslims”, demonstrating yet again that he is actually using the term “Muslim” as a codeword for “South Asian”. The same article includes the following claims by Yaxley-Lennon:

“There is a massive gap between what I can say and what the politicians can say. When I now sit with politicians in a TV studio, they may disagree with me but when the cameras are shut, they give me the thumbs up. So do many journalists who used to tear into me.”

Yaxley-Lennon also provided more details on the public launch of his new organisation, along with the financial motivations involved:

“We are thinking of a big launch where we will invite everybody and leaders of all kinds. This is what we are going to do and this is how we are going to do it. I think people are more willing to fund this than the EDL.”

Bear in mind that the BBC are currently involving Yaxley-Lennon in at least two more documentaries, one of which focuses specifically on Yaxley-Lennon’s activities to start his new organisation. The BBC are therefore providing Yaxley-Lennon with exactly the kind of high-profile platform that he was boasting about in the first Dispatch International article; Yaxley-Lennon has recently explicitly stated that his aim is to take his agenda mainstream. However, it is currently unclear if the BBC are aware of the full scale of Yaxley-Lennon’s views, actions and affiliations.

Yaxley-Lennon has also recently given a lengthy interview to Russia’s RT news channel. The discussion included the topic of Anders Breivik. It is worth noting that Yaxley-Lennon himself is already on record as giving an interview to the Norwegian media in which he publicly praised Anders Breivik, promoted Breivik’s manifesto, and claimed Breivik’s mass-murdering terrorist attack would have been “easier to justify” if the people killed had been Muslims. Full details here and here.

QUILLIAM’S MAAJID NAWAZ CONTINUES DEFENDING STEPHEN YAXLEY-LENNON

On 8 November 2013, Maajid Nawaz stated on Twitter: “As a Muslim I don’t consider [Stephen Yaxley-Lennon/”Tommy Robinson”] Islamophobic any longer.”

However, as mentioned previously, Yaxley-Lennon himself is now on record as making the following statement to Dispatch International:

“What I’m saying now is the same as I’ve been saying for four and a half years.”

Yaxley-Lennon is also on record as recently confirming this during the aforementioned interview with Russia’s RT news channel:

“Actually, my stance [towards Islam] hasn’t dampened or softened at all – if people listen to what I say.”

For Maajid Nawaz’s benefit and for the public record, examples of Yaxley-Lennon’s views are listed below:

1. Stephen Yaxley-Lennon/“Tommy Robinson”, posting on Twitter, 22 May 2013: “Islam is not a religion of peace, it never has been and it never will be. Mohammad was a murderer, a rapist and a paedophile.”

2. Stephen Yaxley-Lennon/“Tommy Robinson”, EDL demonstration, Peterborough, 11 December 2010: “Islam…..Islam rules this country with fear. Islam rules this country with fear. Look around you: do you see any scared fucking faces ? No I fucking don’t ! I see faces ready and waiting for whatever Islam wants to throw at us ! Militant Islam and Islam’s days in this nation are numbered…..”

3. Stephen Yaxley-Lennon/“Tommy Robinson”, EDL demonstration, Peterborough, 11 December 2010: “Islam is a disease…..it is a disease…..”

4. Stephen Yaxley-Lennon/“Tommy Robinson”, EDL demonstration, Peterborough, 11 December 2010: “Islam has never been a religion of peace ! It never will be a religion of peace ! It never fucking will !”

5. Stephen Yaxley-Lennon/“Tommy Robinson”, posting on Twitter, 18 June 2012: “Mohammad was a extremist. Islam is extreme”.

6. Stephen Yaxley-Lennon/“Tommy Robinson”, EDL demonstration, Luton, 5 May 2012: “The prophet Mohammad, the false prophet Mohammad…..”

7. Stephen Yaxley-Lennon/“Tommy Robinson”, posting on Twitter, 18 June 2012: “Guns don’t kill people Islam does. Backward cult breeding hostility towards us. Stick that in ya Islamophobia meeting”.

8. Stephen Yaxley-Lennon/“Tommy Robinson”, video speech, May 2011: “I’ve got a problem with Islam and militant Islam. That’s where my problem is…..Because my motives are one thing: saving this country from the cesspit that is Islam.”

9. Stephen Yaxley-Lennon/“Tommy Robinson”, EDL demonstration, London, 3 September 2011 (full speech here): “And we are here today to tell you quite loud and clear, to every single Muslim watching this on Youtube, on 7/7 you got away with killing and maiming British citizens. You got away with it. You had better understand that we have built a network from one end of this country to the other end, and we will not tolerate it, and the Islamic community will feel the full force of the English Defence League if we see any of our citizens killed, maimed or hurt on British soil ever again.”

10. Stephen Yaxley-Lennon/“Tommy Robinson”, speech at the Far-Right “British Freedom Party’s” South West Regional Meeting, 21 June 2012: “The British National Party, yeah. The majority of British National Party supporters: decent people, fed up people…[…]…After three years of being English Defence League, everyone knows what we stand for. We’re anti-Islam; that’s it.”

11. Stephen Yaxley-Lennon/“Tommy Robinson”, EDL demonstration, Leicester, 4 February 2012: “There is a two-tier system [in the United Kingdom] okay, where Muslims are treated more favourably than non-Muslims. Now, we cannot have a master race…..Every man and woman, you are brave people who are standing here…[…]…to defeat a two-tier system, to defeat a master race, to stand equal. We want British rights for British people.”

12. Stephen Yaxley-Lennon/“Tommy Robinson”, interview, 27 January 2010: “Within 30 or 40 years in this country we are complete minority to Muslims, because of the Muslim demographics…..Our culture and our race will disappear in this country.”

13. Stephen Yaxley-Lennon/“Tommy Robinson”, interview with BBC Radio West Midlands, 22 October 2011: “The black community and the white community in Birmingham are treated with iron fists. The Islamic community are treated with kid gloves and that’s just the way it is. And it’s not on. You can’t have a two-tier policing system. There can be no master race. And I’m sorry, but there is a master race in certain areas of this country and it’s Islam !”

14. Stephen Yaxley-Lennon/“Tommy Robinson”, posting on Twitter, 6 May 2013: “Other ethnic minorities are not exploding, it’s Muslim birth rate that’s exploding.”

15. Stephen Yaxley-Lennon/“Tommy Robinson”, posting on Twitter, 20 June 2012: “I just saw someone planting a time bomb, or as the Muslim woman involved called it ‘having a baby’”.

16. Stephen Yaxley-Lennon/“Tommy Robinson”, posting on Twitter, 24 May 2012: “Over half of all Muslims inbreed!”

17. Stephen Yaxley-Lennon/“Tommy Robinson”, referring to bacon being voted Britain’s favourite food, posting on Twitter, 26 May 2012: “The muzzers can stick that up their arse.”

18. Stephen Yaxley-Lennon/”“Tommy Robinson”, posting on Twitter, May 2012: “You’re a nice muslim #shitnobodysays”.

19. Stephen Yaxley-Lennon/”“Tommy Robinson”, directing the anti-Semitic “hooknose” racial slur at a South Asian Muslim, posting on Twitter, 20 August 2012: “What have i failed at? #hooknose”.

20. Stephen Yaxley-Lennon/”“Tommy Robinson”, directing the anti-Semitic “hooknose” racial slur at Muslims again, posting on Twitter, 10 June 2013: “I know I just wanted to prove how easy it is to bypass airport security! Imagine how many Muslims do it #hooknoses #beards ….. I’m just pointing out a lot of Muslim makes have hooknoses #fact due to inbreeding?”

21. Stephen Yaxley-Lennon/“Tommy Robinson”, posting on Twitter, 24 May 2012: “Muslims giving themselves English nicknames really frustrates me”.

22. English Defence League leadership, posting on their official Twitter account, 1 March 2012: “ “Paki Bashing“ trending in United Kingdom, wonder if it will catch on world wide #EDL #makebradfordbritish”.

23. English Defence League leadership, posting on their official Facebook page, November 2011 (screenshot and transcript via the British Government’s Home Affairs Select Committee): “In the last 66 years we as a nation, as a race have had our national identity stolen from us by politicians who have forced us to accept multiculturalism. They have and still are practicing cultural genocide on their own people, despite warnings that we will not accept it. They have forced us to accept the dilution of our heritage and history by the implementation of laws which will stop us from rising up, even if that’s just to voice an opinion.

Any action which has the aim or effect of depriving us of our integrity as distinct peoples, or of our cultural values or ethnic identities. Any form of population transfer which has the aim or effect of violating or undermining any of the rights of the native or indigenous people. Any form of assimilation or integration by other cultures or ways of life imposed on us by legislative, administrative or other measures is cultural genocide.

And unless we find our backbone and stand up to the ones who are committing crimes against the English people we shall continue to be subjected to slavery by a British elite aided by outside influences whose only intention is to destroy us from within and wipe us out as a race.”

For interested readers, Maajid Nawaz’s Twitter address is @MaajidNawaz, and BBC anchor Adil Ray’s Twitter address is @adilray.