Muslim leader calls for introduction of hate crime laws

There is an urgent need for for hate-crime legislation in Ireland, a Muslim leader has said.

Dr Ali Selim, of the Clonskeagh mosque in Dublin, said Ireland was "almost unique" among EU countries in not having such laws which "would enable gardaí pursue hate-criminals with the fullest rigour and bring them to justice".

He was speaking after a recent attack on Muslims in Dublin.

Brothers Naqeeb Ahmadzai (18) and Fazalrahman Ahmadzai (20), along with their nephew Abdul (13), were punched, kicked and beaten unconscious by four men as they were cycling home from Marlay Park in Rathfarnham last week.

It is understood gardaí have detained two men in connection with the incident.

Dr Selim said a Muslim man had recently been attacked in Dublin’s Thomas Street while a group of men had “brutally beaten” another Muslim man who was making a delivery in a Dublin suburb.

He was aware that the great majority of the Irish people were totally opposed to such attacks and praised gardaí for the speed with which they had dealt with the Rathfarnham incident.

Fear and hatred

Speaking at a meeting of The Three Faiths Forum (which represents Jews, Christians, and Muslims) in Dublin’s Mansion House on Tuesday, he said there were some who stoked up fear and hatred towards Muslims in Ireland.

Referring in particular to those who acused Muslims “of not integrating and forming their own ghettos”, he said they were “stigmatising Irish people.”

He pointed out that “more than two thirds of the Muslim population in Ireland” were Irish “by birth or naturalistion”.

Extremism was “not the exclusive practice of a certain group. Stereotyping is a form of oppression,” he said, and that “to stigmatise every Muslim for a crime perpetrated by a Muslim is just like stigmatising every Christian for a crime perpetrated by a Christian. It is not fair and it is absurd.”

He emphasised that “the resurgence of intolerance and discrimination against Muslims after September 11th (2001 attacks in New York)...had no serious impact on Muslims living in Ireland.”

Irish people had “expressed their solidarity with Muslims in Ireland. Some visited the Islamic centre and handed over letters of solidarity.”

All “passed one message: ‘This is not you. We are with you.’ It is said a friend in need is a friend indeed. From our side, we were the first people in Ireland to condemn 9/11,” he said.