Recently announced government funding for an Islamic charity in Birmingham has been pulled after concerns were raised over videos appearing to express “misogynistic, homophobic and antisemitic views”.
Last month, the government announced £2.2m of funding for Green Lane Masjid and Community Centre from its Youth Investment Fund.
Yesterday, the National Secular Society (NSS) wrote to culture secretary Lucy Frazer questioning the grant award due to several videos posted by the charity online, including one which appears to show a preacher describing how to stone a woman to death.
In another video from the charity, preacher Shaykh Abu Usamah At-Thahab says: “Homosexuality is not permissible.”
Another clip of Shaykh Abu Usamah At-Thahab, in a video not produced by the charity, shows him saying the football World Cup is a “Protocol of the Zionists” which explains why “those people make all that money”.
The charity has already been paid £60,000 from the fund, distributed by Social Investment Business (SIB), but the rest has now been put on hold.
DCMS: Due diligence checks conducted
A spokesperson for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport said: “Prior to any decision to award beneficiaries funding due diligence checks were conducted.
“This includes information publicly available via the Charity Commission, Companies House and reviews of the youth components of project bids by the National Youth Agency.
“The Green Lane Masjid and Community Centre has received a limited pre-construction grant from the Youth Investment Fund. It has yet to receive funding for the construction of its youth facility.
A spokesperson for SIB said: “SIB has paused the distribution of the grant to the Green Lane Masjid and Community Centre in Birmingham and is investigating the recent allegations.
“Green Lane MCC received a smaller pre-construction grant from the Youth Investment Fund, worth just over £60,000. However, to date none of the main £2.2m approved funding has been distributed to the organisation via the Youth Investment Fund.
“Green Lane MCC works with a range of local and regional bodies that have been supportive of their project, including the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner.”
NSS chief executive Stephen Evans said: “The awarding of public money to an organisation that espouses misogynistic, homophobic and antisemitic views and uses such divisive and derogatory language beggars belief.
“Efforts to improve youth facilities and services in deprived areas of the country are welcome, but a grant to this organisation clearly risks fuelling division and intolerance.”
Green Lane Masjid: ‘Highly misleading clip’
In response, the charity said in a statement that it had received “hostile social media attacks” and that the clip describing stoning was “highly misleading” and taken from an imam’s lecture two years ago.
“The mosque rejects violent extremism and hate crime and actively encourages respect and tolerance between communities in its extensive work with many different organisations and faith groups in the West Midlands and beyond,” it said.
“The leadership of the mosque has begun an investigation of issues raised by recent media and social media coverage, pledging to address any legitimate concerns while also standing firm against misrepresentation, intolerance, and Islamophobia.”
It said the charity has contacted the Youth Investment Fund to provide “context that is missing from recent media reports and social media posts” and to discuss its plans to build the Youth Futures Centre will the funding it was awarded.
“Once funding is secured, the centre will become a hub for the flourishing of creative arts, nurturing young people towards success, and providing mental health support,” it said.
“This new addition will align with and enhance GLMCC’s already extensive community initiatives, which encompass a food bank, homeless shelter, domestic violence support, mental health counselling, free community clinics, financial aid for those facing hardship, sports activities for women and young people, job fairs, and much more.”
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