THEM VS. US

Martin Bright, home affairs editor at The Observer, makes much of a 2004 letter from Michael Jay, the Foreign Office's permanent under-secretary, to the cabinet secretary, Sir Andrew Turnbull. According to Bright:

The Foreign Office's top official warned Downing Street that the Iraq war was fuelling Muslim extremism in Britain a year before the 7 July bombings, The Observer can reveal.

The letter, dated 18 May 2004, says British foreign policy was a 'recurring theme' in the Muslim community, 'especially in the context of the Middle East peace process and Iraq'.

'Colleagues have flagged up some of the potential underlying causes of extremism that can affect the Muslim community, such as discrimination, disadvantage and exclusion,' the letter says. 'But another recurring theme is the issue of British foreign policy, especially in the context of the Middle East peace process and Iraq.

'Experience of both ministers and officials ... suggests that ... British foreign policy and the perception of its negative effect on Muslims globally plays a significant role in creating a feeling of anger and impotence among especially the younger generation of British Muslims.'

The abbreviated paragraph above reads in full:

Experience of both Ministers and officials working in this area suggests that the issue of British foreign policy and the perception of its negative effect on Muslims globally plays a significant role in creating a feeling of anger and impotence amongst especially the younger generation of British Muslims. The concept of the "Ummah", i.e. that the Believers are one "nation", has led to HMG's policies towards the Muslim world having a very personal resonance for young British Muslims, many of whom are taking on the burden both of the perceived injustices and of the responsibility of putting them right, but without the legitimate tools to do so.

In other words, to wrong one Muslim is to wrong them all. And, rather than using the legitimate tools available to all who live in a Democracy – protest, voting, action campaigning, etc. – some idealistic young Muslims adopt violence in order to wield influence not warranted by their small numbers - listen to us or risk death.

Such people will never willingly participate in Democratic processes beyond their control. Ongoing attempts to accommodate these people in order to entice them to partcipate in the Democratic process will prove both futile and dangerous.

Why did Bright omit the Ummah reference?