Islam4UK says it will try to win people round to idea of parade on same route used to return troops' bodies from Afghanistan
Steven Morris
The leader of an Islamist group has vowed to try to persuade Wootton Bassett people to back an anti-war parade along the main street – the same route used to bring home the bodies of troops from Afghanistan.
Anjem Choudary of Islam4UK, a branch of the radical al-Muhajiroun movement, has caused anger by calling for members to parade through the Wiltshire town carrying up to 500 coffins symbolising the Muslim dead from Afghanistan's invasion and occupation.
Local politicians have called on Choudary to think again and a Facebook site dedicated to preventing the march quickly attracted more than 120,000 members. The police said they were aware of "significant community concern" about the proposal.
Choudary admitted Wootton Bassett had been chosen because it would attract huge publicity and that he had not yet spoken to the police – who would have to approve the parade. He also had no date in mind, leaving him open to the accusation that the idea is a publicity stunt.
Choudary said he would try to win the support of local people by engaging with them over the coming weeks. He insisted he did not want to upset residents or families of dead service personnel.
In an open letter on Islam4UK's website, Choudary denies the march is "merely an act of incitement or provocation".
The letter is addressed "to the families of British soldiers who have fallen", and Choudary writes: "It is worth reminding those who are still not blinded by the media propaganda that Afghanistan is not a British town near Wootton Bassett but rather Muslim land which no one has the right to occupy, with a Muslim population who do not deserve their innocent men, women and children to be killed for political mileage and for the greedy interests of the oppressive US and UK regimes.
"The procession in Wootton Bassett is therefore an attempt to engage the British public's minds on the real reasons why their soldiers are returning home in body bags and the real cost of the war".
Hundreds or thousands of people line the market town's High Street regularly to watch coffins carrying the bodies of service personnel being driven to a hospital in Oxford after landing at nearby RAF Lyneham.
The ex-mayor and councillor Chris Wannell said of the idea: "We don't do what we do at Wootton Bassett for any political reason at all, but to pay our respects to those who have given their lives for our freedom.
"We are a Christian country and a traditional old English market town who honour very much our Queen and country. We obey the law and pay respects to our servicemen who protect our freedom.
"If this man has any decency about him he will not hold a march through Wootton Bassett."
The town is finding it increasingly difficult to keep politics at bay. The BNP leader, Nick Griffin, turned up for one recent parade and the BBC filmed Question Time there last month.
The North Wiltshire MP James Gray said local people would not be drawn into political conflict with the group. "They will say these are foolish people making a silly point – we'll get on with our ordinary lives thank you.
"This also misunderstands the nature of what the people of Wootton Bassett do. They are not blood-thirstily in favour of the war. Most people would say they were not qualified to comment on the rightness or wrongness.
"The people of Wootton Bassett are decent, quiet, pragmatic people and they'll stay at home instead [of reacting to the march]."
The secretary of the Wootton Bassett British Legion, Anne Bevis, urged the group to think "long and hard" before marching.
The Facebook group that opposes the march states: "This group can march anywhere it wishes in the country but have chosen to cause outrage and offence."
Some postings suggest blocking the roads or writing to local councillors, while others take a more strident line. One contributor says simply: "I want my England back."
A spokesman for rightwing group the English Defence League said if the march took place it would "descend" on the home address of Anjem Choudary and demonstrate outside two mosques that he frequented.
Tom Robinson said the group had discussed organising a counter-march in Wootton Bassett but felt the best way to register its objections would be to protest outside addresses connected to Choudary. He said the group had Choudary's home address and knew which mosques he frequented.
Robinson said he did not believe the march would actually take place in Wootton Bassett.
The EDL has organised demonstrations in a number of cities in England and its Welsh arm, the Welsh Defence League, has done the same in Wales. The EDL marches have caused community tension and some of the demonstrations have led to clashes with anti-fascist activists.
The Guardian
