Didsbury Mosque has responded to criticism it faced at the Manchester Arena bombing public inquiry, claiming 'misleading statements' were 'still an attempt to associate' it with extremism and radicalisation. In a lengthy statement published on its website, the mosque said it was 'disingenuous' to give an impression it has not condemned the atrocity - and 'bizarre' that the Charity Commission 'should be asked to revoke our charitable status on that basis'.
Referencing an arson attack last year the mosque said 'smearing and demonisation by some' at the inquiry has put it 'at risk from extremist elements' - and said it had alerted Greater Manchester Police to subsequent online threats.
Elders said in the statement that 'at no point' had police, counter-terror policing or MI5 'contacted us with concerns' about the Abedi family. It was obvious, they said, that suicide bomber Salman Abedi 'escaped the attention of all'.
Abedi, who murdered 22 innocents when he detonated an improvised device in his backpack after an Ariana Grande concert at the Arena on May 22, 2017, and his jailed brother, Hashem Abedi, attended the mosque on Burton Road in West Didsbury as youngsters and their father, Ramadan Abedi, performed the call to prayer.
Ismail Abedi, the elder brother, volunteered in the mosque's Arabic school - and their mother taught there briefly, it emerged at the inquiry. John Cooper QC, who represents the largest group of families, claimed in submissions now published the mosque was 'generally passive' to the issue of radicalisation and accused it of turning 'a blind eye' to extremism 'rather than choose to address it head on'.
The mosque, in its statement, criticised comments made by both Mr Cooper and Assistant Chief Constable Dominic Scally, of Counter-Terror Policing North West. "Whilst it is stated that Didsbury Mosque did not support violence or have anything to do with the attacks, their subsequent comments still attempt to associate Didsbury Mosque with extremism and radicalisation," read the statement.
"We believe this is a diversion from focusing on the very real failings of those agencies with a duty to protect the public and prevent such attacks."
Referencing the proposed 'Protect Duty', legislation that would require businesses and public venues to draw up specific security plans in the event of a terror attack, the mosque said it 'has been continuously demonised to make the case for Government measures that will securitize places of worship'. It said it would be 'seeking reassurances that the inquiry will remain independent of the Government in making recommendations as far as Didsbury Mosque (mosques) and Muslim charities are concerned'.
The mosque said it was 'made clear' by counsel representing other bereaved families that it 'had no role in the radicalisation of Salman Abedi nor ignored violent extremism'. Pete Weatherby QC said in published submissions: "There is no evidence that the Abedis were radicalised there, or that the mosque tolerated ideological divisions being brought into the institution. Members of the mosque spoke out against terrorism and communicated with the local police."
The mosque's statement went on: "We, therefore, wonder what the purpose of continuous speculation about Didsbury Mosque in the context of the failure to prevent an attack serves.
"Didsbury Mosque cannot be held responsible for the fallout of a decision of the British Government, working with some Libyan groups to remove the Gaddafi government, which encouraged some Manchester Libyans to go and fight in Libya, creating a radicalising environment and extremism among some in Manchester.
"Given that environment, the Didsbury Mosque believes we successfully kept Libyan politics out of the mosque. Mosques are places of worship and should not become places where intelligence gathering on people's lives and politics should take place."
The mosque said MI5 and MI6 'have not provided a full account of any relationship they may have had with Ramadan Abedi' - the father of the murderers. "We will ask the Inquiry to investigate this further and consider if that in any way could have contributed to the failure to adequately monitor Salman and Hashim Abedi," elders added in the statement.
"It is obvious that Abedi escaped the attention of all, and there must be better communication between all in the future. Didsbury Mosque will be writing to the chairman of the Inquiry with our own recommendations of how we think such attacks may be avoided in the future.
"It is disingenuous to try to give the impression Didsbury Mosque has not condemned the Manchester Arena attack, and bizarre that the Charity Commission should be asked to revoke our charitable status on that basis. We made it clear that this barbaric act had nothing to do with Didsbury Mosque, Islam or the Quran, immediately after the attack.
"This was in front of the world's media which had a greater reach than the few people who visit our website. The main Imam of the mosque at the time also condemned it on his social media."
They claimed permission 'was not granted' at the inquiry for the mosque's main Imam to read out a prepared statement of condolence and condemnation. "The mosque has cooperated with and provided several detailed statements (with evidence) to the Inquiry," added the statement.
They inquiry heard counter terror police tried to engage with mosques in south Manchester in 2016 to get imams to discourage young men from travelling to Syria to fight. But Dominic Scally, head of Counter Terrorism Policing North West, said Didsbury Mosque was 'less positive' than others. The mosque asked him in the statement to provide evidence of that 'not simply make assertions'.
"We have had a close working relationship with the police for a very long time and will now provide evidence of that relationship to the Inquiry. The truth is that according to our knowledge at no point has anyone from the police, counter-terror policing or MI5 ever contacted us with concerns about the Abedis."
The public inquiry has finished its evidence and two further reports from the chairman are expected later this year.
