UK: "Profiling may be price we have to pay", says Muslim MP

UK: "Profiling may be price we have to pay", says Muslim MP


A Muslim MP has opened up divisions within the Islamic community by saying it is reasonable for Muslims to be singled out for extra airport security measures following the Detroit bomb attempt.


Khalid Mahmood, the Labour MP for Birmingham Perry Barr, said it had become necessary to 'profile' passengers from certain racial and religious groups in order to weed out possible terror suspects.


He said: "I think most people would rather be profiled than blown up. It wouldn't be victimisation of an entire community.


"I think people will understand that it is only through something like profiling that there will be some kind of safety.


"If people want to fly safely we have to take measures to stop things like the Christmas Day plot. Profiling may have to be the price we have to pay.


"The fact is the majority of people who have carried out or planned these terror attacks have been Muslims."


Muslim opinion on the subject was split yesterday, with some groups objecting to any such move for fear of alienating large sections of the community.


Massoud Shadjareh, the chairman of the Islamic Human Rights Commission, said: "It's not true that all terrorists are Muslims.


"Any such measure would not only alienate people, it would also be ineffective in terms of stopping terrorists. What's to stop them dressing up as orthodox Jews in order to evade profiling-based searches?"


However, many British Muslims now agree with Mr Mahmood.


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Source: Daily Telegraph