International

U.K. media rapped for anti-Islam bias

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON MAY 25. The British media has been accused of fanning anti-Islamic sentiment by giving "disproportionate" coverage to extremist groups and perpetuating negative Muslim stereotypes in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks on America.

In a hard-hitting report, the European Union's authoritative race watchdog, the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia, has named leading British newspapers and journals which, it said, contributed to the rise of Islamophobia by sensationalising cases of Muslim extremism. Even the BBC is not spared, and is criticised for describing Osama bin Laden as an "Islamic fundamentalist" and an "Islamic terrorist".

Also in the dock is the former Tory Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, for saying that she had not heard "enough condemnation (of September 11 attacks) from Muslim priests".

While the Centre praises the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, for his swift and strong reaction to Muslim-bashing, it says that by and large, politicians in Britain and mainland Europe have failed to "adequately address" the issues underlying racism and xenophobia.

The prominent British publications which the Centre has particularly blamed for its treatment of Islam and Muslims include The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Times and The Spectator.

A Sunday Times columnist has been pulled up for calling British Muslims a "fifth column in our midst", The Spectator gets the rap for a derogatory reference to the Koran and The Daily Telegraph is attacked for seeking to equate Islam with terrorism.

The Centre's report lists a series of attacks on Muslims in Britain and other European countries following the September 11 atrocity, and warns the media and politicians against pandering to latent prejudices on the streets.

"By demonising refugees and asylum seekers you legitimise racism and xenophobia," the Centre's chairman, Bob Purkiss, said.

In recent weeks, British political leaders have been accused of borrowing the rhetoric of the far right on race and asylum in a desperate bid to arrest its rise.

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