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Amber Rudd warns of jihadi threat to British Jews
Home Secretary warned of “significant threat” at the Community Security Trust’s annual dinner
March 1, 2017 21:03
Home Secretary warned of “significant threat” at the Community Security Trust’s annual dinner
March 1, 2017 21:03Daesh still poses a “significant threat” to the Jewish community, Home Secretary Amber Rudd has warned.
Speaking at the Community Security Trust’s annual dinner on Wednesday night, Ms Rudd highlighted a video from the terror group posted on social media this week which identified Jews as targets.
She reiterated a warning made by terror experts last weekend that Britain faces a threat not seen since the IRA bombing campaign of the 1970s.
Praising the work of the CST as a “valued and trusted partner” she pledged the government would “strive to build a Britain that Jews are proud to call home”.
Speaking to an audience of 1,000 diners in central London, Ms Rudd warned: “The most significant threat to the UK and our interests comes from Daesh.
“We’ve seen terrorists target Jews specifically in recent years including in Paris, Brussels, Toulouse and Copenhagen.
“Just last month a 16-year-old girl was charged with terrorism offences in Denmark after she was caught planning to blow up a Jewish school.
“And Daesh literature continues to identify the Jewish community as a ‘desirable and legitimate’ target.”
Ms Rudd also used her speech to recommit the government to £13.4 million of funding for CST through the Jewish Community Protective Grant for 2017-18.
The money will be used for security guards at schools, synagogues and community sites.
In a further pledge to the community she addressed the rise in antisemitic attacks during the past year, and revealed the government was working to tackle the growing problem of Jew-hate being circulated on social media.
She added: “It can’t be right that when you type Gena Turgel’s name into search engines, instead of her story of surviving the Holocaust, you can bring up Holocaust denial sites.”
Guests saw a two-minute pre-recorded film from Theresa May in which she pledged the government’s ongoing support for the community.
Cressida Dick, the newly-appointed Metropolitan Police Commissioner, was among the guests at the event, as were Tom Watson, Labour’s deputy leader; Tim Farron, Liberal Democrat leader; and Alison Saunders, Director of Public Prosecutions.
Gerald Ronson, CST chairman, warned that Brexit, the election of President Trump in America, and an increasingly fragile Europe showed the world was “shifting under our feet”.
Mr Ronson added: “None of this is going to be good news for Jews.”
He also said the fight against Jew-hatred “must never become a party political issue”, insisting CST still had “many friends in the Labour Party”.
"I don't doubt that the Labour leader opposes antisemitism when it comes from Nazis," Mr Ronson added. "But when it comes dressed up as anti-Zionism he is more likely to ask if he can join in. This is far more subversive than the danger posed by Nazis."
David Delew, CST chief executive, said: “CST thanks the Home Secretary and the government for their strong efforts to help combat terrorism and antisemitism, epitomised by the continued funding for security guards at Jewish schools, but also shown in a range of other measures, including the adoption and promotion of the IHRA definition of antisemitism.
“CST also deeply appreciates the presence of many senior police officers and numerous Labour, Liberal and SNP MPs at our dinner, because opposition to antisemitism must continue to be cross-party and across society.”
