An imam who ranted about punishing “the sins of the Jews” and another who recommended the writings of a vicious antisemite are just two examples from a dossier of extremist messages that have poured from mosque pulpits since October 7 handed to the JC.
The document, which details the public speeches of 17 preachers and activists from across the UK, shows that prayers for a Palestinian victory against Israel have become routine.
It also features one activist who gave out advice on how worshippers could express support for “our brothers in Gaza” without falling foul of the law and several attempts by imams to deny the Hamas atrocities on October 7.
The JC understands that police are “actively investigating” several sermons that have been reported to them by Jewish security group the CST.
One imam featured in the dossier is Mohammed Fahim, the chair of trustees at the South Woodford Islamic Centre, who said in a sermon on 24 November that Muslims should “terrorise” their enemies and Palestinians must fight Israel just as Europe fought the Nazis, because they are facing “a Holocaust”. On 13 October, less than a week after the atrocities, Fahim said in what appeared to be a reading from the Qu’ran that Jews would be punished twice by Allah, who had “issued a judgment for the sins of the Jews, their backsliding and their arrogance”.
Speaking in the Essex Jamme Masjid in Chelmsford on 24 November, Mahmadul Hasan urged congregants to educate themselves about the history of the Israel-Palestinian conflict from the “very good and authentic website” run by Alison Weir.
Weir, the director of anti-Israel activist group If Americans Knew, has been exposed as a vicious antisemite. She has falsely claimed that Israel harvests Palestinians’ organs without their consent and said that Zionists collaborated with the Nazis during the Holocaust.
Asked about Hasan’s sermon, a mosque spokesman told the JC it was “not aware of Weir’s background” and was “against violence and hatred against any communities”. He added: “We are sorry if this has caused any offence unintentionally.”
South Woodford Mosque was approached for comment.
