Press Release: Detroit Bomber

While President of UCL Islamic Society he had a history of inviting radical and divisive speakers to society events and Jewish students and UJS have been amongst those raising concerns over invitations of hate preaching speakers to university campuses.

Too often university authorities have taken no action, preferring to hide behind the banner of free speech and ignoring the fact that a speaker may be propagating hate or division on their campus. A welcome exception was the recent decision by UCL to cancel an appearance by Abu Usama, a preacher who promotes the execution of homosexuals and describes Jews and Christians as 'the enemy' and 'filthy'.

UJS believes it's time to re-focus on what the whole higher education sector can be doing to prevent students turning to violent extremism and put an end to the increasingly repeated occurences of hate speakers such as Masuku, Abu Usama or Asim Qureshi being invited onto campus. Universities must drop the mantra of being only responsible for what happens in the lecture hall. The university experience is far wider and it is time that the entire Higher Education sector takes responsibility for it.

The Higher Education sector should produce formal guidelines for Universities on the issue of inviting dangerous speakers to our campuses. UJS also urges other student providers such as the Federation of Student Islamic Societies to take responsibility for, and take action against those societies that they deem themselves representative of, who are consistently inviting radical hate speakers onto campus.

The Union of Jewish Students recognises that this is a difficult time for Muslim students in the UK and will work with the vast majority of Muslim students who oppose terrorism and violence in all its forms and it is vital that they are not held responsible for - or characterised by - Umar Farouks abhorrent act.