The Community Security Trust has reacted furiously to the BBC’s statement about the Chanukah bus row, accusing the corporation of misrepresenting its position, the JC can reveal. In the complaint resolution posted on its website, the BBC claimed that the CST had verified that an anti-Muslim slur could be heard in the recording. 

The CST strongly rejects this allegation. In a statement, the CST said: "CST completely rejects the claim in today's BBC report that CST confirmed to the BBC on 2nd December that an anti-Muslim phrase had been spoken on the Chabad bus that was attacked on Oxford Street."

"The BBC's claim is a completely misleading representation of the exchanges between the BBC and CST on that day. CST informed the BBC of this before today's report was published but they have gone ahead anyway. Their behaviour is appalling and deeply damaging."

CST completely rejects the claim in today's BBC report that CST confirmed to the BBC on 2nd December that an anti-Muslim phrase had been spoken on the Chabad bus that was attacked on Oxford Street.

— CST (@CST_UK) January 26, 2022

The BBC statement said: "The claim was put by the reporter in the television item to the representative of the CST with whom he had been dealing, who replied (in a WhatsApp exchange which the ECU has seen) in terms which the BBC took as confirmation that the phrase in question had been spoken.” 

According to sources close to the matter, the CST strongly denies that its staff gave the BBC this validation and is poised to make a statement publicly to this effect.

It comes amid an evening of high drama following the release of the findings of the BBC’s complaint unit today.