Two Labour Councillors Reported to Police Over Alleged Extremism Links and Hate Crime

Two senior Walsall Labour councillors accused of committing hate crimes against a minority Muslim population have been reported to the police and Labour Party.

Cllr Aftab Nawaz, the head of the local Labour Party, and Cllr Khizar Hussain, his deputy, have denied distributing literature connected to an extremist Islamist organisation that targets the Ahmadis and chanting anti-Ahmadi slurs.

The accusations were made in response to an incident that occurred last month in Park Street in the heart of the city, where two stalls were set up close to one another, one operated by a group of Muslims, including the two council members, and the other by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association Walsall.

Following the gathering of representatives from each group, the council members and other participants engaged in chanting that supported Ahmadi Muslims belief in the potential for additional prophets.

But this resulted in them being accused of showing support for the hard line, Pakistan-based anti-Ahmadi organisation Khatme Nabuwwat because of the chants and leaflets being distributed. Ahmadiyya Muslim Association UK said the incident left members present distressed and it was reported to the police as a hate crime.

They added they have also lodged a formal complaint to the Labour Party and are awaiting the outcome of their investigations. A spokesperson for West Midlands Police said "We've carried out enquiries and no offences have been disclosed."

Nawaz said both he and Councillor Hussain do not condone violence or hatred against any person or groups, adding they had no links to any extreme organisations. He said one of the chants, 'Tajdaar Khatam e Nabuwaat Zindabaad' translates as 'Long live the wearer of the crown of the finality of the Prophethood (namely the prophet Muhammad saw)' while another, 'Labaik Ya Rasoolallah' means 'We are present oh prophet of Allah'.

Nawaz said "Khizar Hussain and I were helping at this stall in a private capacity and not as councillors. The members of the Ahmadiyya Khadiyanni movement arrived and set up a stall within a few metres of the stall we were standing at."

"This was seen as provocative, as the whole town centre was available for anyone to set up a stall. A member of the public visited our stall and then went to the other stall where he was being questioned. This led to some on our stall walking across in order to help him."

"At this point, some chanting took place. In addition to this fact some members of the Ahmadiya/Khadiyanni group spoke to one of the gentlemen with us. This was a polite conversation. None of these statements (chanted) have anything to do with any group and are statements referring to the Islamic belief that the Prophet Muhammad (saw) was the final Prophet."

"Neither Khizar Hussain or I support any group, nor do we condone violence, discrimination or hatred against any person, persons or groups. There is absolutely no link whatsoever with any organisation or group that uses violence against others or promotes violence and hatred."

"It is a total mischaracterisation and factually inaccurate to suggest that the chants were in anyway whatsoever promoting any group/movement, violence or hatred."

Basharat Nazir, press secretary for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association UK, said a report published in 2020 by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community highlighted 'the ongoing persecution'. He said "Ahmadi Muslims face violence and hatred from organisations like Khamte Nabuwwat and TLP, hence our serious concerns about this."

In 2021 Nawaz, along with his partner in crime, Khizar Hussain, forwarded a motion that would have enshrined in law that any critism of islam should be treated the same as racism, despite the fact that islam is a religion, not a race.

The motion did encounter some opposition with Walsall Council leader Mike Bird quoting MP Eddie Hughes in saying it was premature and the definition was wrong and not fully supported by Muslims. Councillor Bird said the authority should wait for the Government to come up with a more acceptable definition.

The definition given states 'Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness'.