Muslim's view is dismissed as 'crap'



By Deborah Linton
A YOUNG Muslim woman was left speechless when a straight-talking politician dismissed her views as "crap".

Komal Adris, who heads the Northern team for the Muslim Public Affairs Committee, got into a heated debate with Communities Minister Phil Woolas at a government consultation with community and religious leaders in Bolton.

Mr Woolas, who is the Labour MP for Oldham East & Saddleworth, met Miss Adris, along with around 80 other community representatives at the Reebok Stadium.

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The consultation was part of the Government's Preventing Extremism Together (PET) initiative, set up in the aftermath of the 7/7 terror attacks to establish the causes of extremism.

But when Miss Adris took her turn to voice grievances over the government's foreign policy, she found herself at loggerheads with the MP.

Miss Adris said: "I told Mr Woolas that Muslims and non-Muslims across the country have demonstrated they disagree with Labour's unethical foreign policy, but he had the audacity to tell us that it wasn't a legitimate grievance.

"As we discussed it further, he asked if I was saying the 7/7 bombers did what they did because of grievances with foreign policy or because of their perverted interpretation of religion."

The two continued to disagree over matters of extremism and government policy for almost 10 minutes, during which time colleagues attempted to usher Mr Woolas away from Miss Adris' table.

She said: "I think his frustration built up when I suggested he was labelling me an extremist.

"I told him that foreign policy was a real concern of mine and how dare he patronise me by telling me that my concerns are not legitimate. He responded with: I'm sorry but that's a load of crap'."

The meeting was held last Tuesday.

A spokesman for the Department for Communities and Local Government said: "To a certain extent ministers can't win.

"They are often criticised for not being straight talking and there are those who frequently say far worse about government and politicians.

"This was a full and frank exchange and this is what genuine dialogue is about."

Mr Woolas is the second Labour MP to have used the mild expletive in the past fortnight. Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott was last week reported to have described America's Bush administration as "crap" on the Middle East road map for peace.

Mr Prescott denied the reports, saying a private conversation had been reported inaccurately.



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