The Whole Truth

It turned out to be a very busy day for Zahid Maqbool, Sub Editor of 'The Revival Magazine'. Zahid gave many interviews to UK News media outlets including BBC (Radio 5 Live, Radio 4, News24), Sky News, 5 News, Channel 4, the Guardian amongst others.

He shared his views which are shared by many young Muslims and expressed his fears about the government strategy against terrorism.

The Whole Truth

The media were receptive to his views, and for once were given the whole truth instead of politically correct waffle. Zahid Raised issues such as the targetted stop and search of Muslims, and challenged the government position that the invasion of Iraq did not breed contempt in young muslims.

He bravely challenged the labelling of Muslims, dividing the community into separate camps, and suggested MP Hazel Blears was just paying 'lip service', and brushing over the real issues.

Zahid also raised the issue of Hazel Blears targetting Oldham as the first location on her roundtrip to her Muslim sentiment as being politically motivated, and dangerous.

What The Media Said

The Guardian reported:

For Ms Blears though, the visit was about listening - and reading. Zahid Maqbool arrived clutching copies of The Revival, the magazine for young Muslims he helps edit. He gave one to the minister.

The magazine's leader comment made no secret of what Mr Maqbool and his team thought about those who bomb or attempt to bomb in the name of Islam.

"The London terror attacks were a nasty piece of work by sick, pathetic, blood-sucking idiots," said the Revival, which is produced in Oldham and has a circulation of about 10,000. "These attacks were a massive crime against humanity. This was ... carried out by crackpots who have no value for human life.

"They wanted to kill anyone and everyone - black, white, brown, pink, Muslim, Jew, Christian, Sikh, atheist. These kind of people, and those behind them, need to be caught and punished big time!"

After his session with the minister, Mr Maqbool told how he had firmly dissociated himself and many thousands of Muslims from the acts of terror.

"Muslims are not accepting the bombings," he said. "They were not done in our name. Why do we continue to give them the mantle of Islam? They are deranged extremists."

He added: "Their families have chucked them out. Then people come up to them in the street and say, 'God has sent me to you. This is your way to freedom.' This is how they are recruited."

BBC News reported on the story:

...But Zahid Maqbool, [sub]editor of Revival, a magazine for Asian youths which is published in Oldham, said: "You get an understanding that she's just paying lip service."

On "simple questions" like stop and search and racial profiling "she couldn't give us a straight answer", said Mr Maqbool...

It also reported separately (here):

"You get an understanding that she's just paying lip service," said Zahid Maqbool, [sub]editor of Revival, a magazine for Asian youths which is published in Oldham.

"She was jotting notes down for the first few minutes and after that she wasn't," he said.

"The concerns that we have with regards to policies such as stop-and-search, the non-acknowledgement of international foreign policy and the new labelling of Muslims as moderate and extreme, she did not really answer those questions in a way that I consider to be an appropriate fashion," he said.

The Telegraph Reported:

...But Zahid Maqbool, [sub]editor of Revival, a magazine for Asian youths, criticised Ms Blears for failing to address key questions.

"The concerns that we have with regards to policies such as stop-and-search, the non-acknowledgement of international foreign policy and the new labelling of Muslims as moderate and extreme, she did not really answer those questions in a way that I consider to be an appropriate fashion." he said...

It further mentioned:

But shortly after the meetings Mr Maqbool said that Ms Blears had "skipped over" some of the key issues.

"The minister did not want to talk about Iraq," he told BBC Radio 4's World at One.

"She simply said 'I have already made my position clear'.

"Well, quite clearly there are a lot of people, particularly younger Muslims, who feel the war on terror is actually a war on Islam."

Ms Blears rejected the criticism as "a little unfair".

The Daily Mail Reported:

But Zahid Maqbool, editor of Revival, a magazine for Asian youths which is published in the town, accused the minister of failing to address the issues which had been raised.

"The concerns that we have with regards to policies such as stop-and-search, the non-acknowledgement of international foreign policy and the new labelling of Muslims as moderate and extreme, she did not really answer those questions in a way that I consider to be an appropriate fashion," he said. "She skips over things at best."

This Is London Reported:

But Zahid Maqbool, editor of Revival, a magazine for Asian youths which is published in the town, accused the minister of failing to address the issues which had been raised.

"The concerns that we have with regards to policies such as stop-and-search, the non-acknowledgement of international foreign policy and the new labelling of Muslims as moderate and extreme, she did not really answer those questions in a way that I consider to be an appropriate fashion. She skips over things at best," he said.

You may also have heard Zahid Speak on various TV channels Including BBC News24, Channel Four News, 5 News, ITV News, Sky News, BBC Radio 5 live and Radio4.

You can still hear Zahid as part of a report on Radio 4 here (RealMedia).

Have Your Say!

Did you see any of the broadcasts? what do you think of Brother Zahid's views? Have Your Say On The Revival Forums.

The Revival - The whole truth. No waffles allowed.

[Any changes are in square brackets]

This article is from The Revival's first website, where its publication date was not recorded. The date shown above is approximate.