Republican Presidential front-runner Donald Trump on Wednesday stoked a fresh controversy by alleging that Muslims in the United Kingdom are “absolutely not reporting” suspected terrorists, a claim that was rubbished by a top British counter-terrorism police official.
“I would say this to the Muslims and in the United States also, when they see trouble they have to report it. They’re not reporting it, they’re absolutely not reporting it and that’s a big problem,” Trump told ITV, a day after explosions rocked the Belgian capital, claiming over 30 lives and injuring more than 250.
Trump made the remarks when asked what he would say to British Muslims, given the inflammatory claims he has made about the religion during his presidential campaign as well as his controversial pledge to ban Muslims from he US.
“They’re protecting each other but they’re really doing very bad damage, they have to open up to society and report the bad ones,” he said.
Trump’s statement was promptly condemned by a senior British counter-terrorism police officer and also the Muslim Council of Britain.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu told BBC Radio that Trump’s comments were wrong and could spark hate crimes.
“If we demonise one section of the community, that is the worst thing we can do. We are absolutely playing into the terrorists’ hands of making people feel hate,” he said.
Basu, however, admitted that British police have to do more to encourage Muslims and other Britons to report suspicious activity to police.
Miqdaad Versi, the MCB’s assistant secretary-general, said Trump’s comments “fuel this idea of bigotry”. “They really fuel the thing that terrorists themselves want -- that Muslims are apart from the West and cannot be seen as equal citizens,” he said.
The tycoon-turned-politician provoked anger last year after he called for a “total and complete shutdown” of US borders to Muslims after the San Bernardino terrorist attack.
More than half a million people signed a petition calling for Trump to be banned from the UK after issuing the pledge. He also claimed that parts of London were “so radicalised” police were “afraid for their own lives”.
