Thread by @habibi_uk

The Labour MP Afzal Khan has quite a soft spot for hate preachers. Here he heaps praise on Munawar Hasan, the former leader of the Pakistani Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami.

Recalling meetings with Hasan, Khan says he was "a very amazing individual". 1/12

Hasan was “charismatic”. “What really shined was his commitment and dedication.” He was “steadfast” and “promoted brotherhood”.

In sum, his passing was a “huge loss” of “an exemplary model for all of us”. May he attain the highest rank in heaven, Khan concludes. 2/12

Oh really? Here is Hasan bellowing for Osama bin Laden. For Hasan, bin Laden is a "martyr". But never fear, take courage - bin Laden "lives in people's hearts". 3/12

Indeed, when US forces killed bin Laden in 2011, Hasan was furious. Take Pakistan out of the war on terror! 4/12
reuters.com/article/us-bin…

And yet, amusingly, Hasan was also a 9/11 truther. The atrocities on that day were “were part of a ‘Jewish and American conspiracy’ to create a bad image for Muslims around the world”, you see. Hasan also blamed India for terror attacks in Pakistan. 5/12
zeenews.india.com/news/south-asi…

In this clip, Hasan delivers an ode to jihad. He also backs specific terrorist groups, including Hamas, Hezbollah, the Taliban, Egyptian jihadis, and Hizb ul-Mujahidin. 6/12

Bin Laden was not the only top “martyr” for Hasan. The terrorist leader Hakimullah Mehsud was another. When he was killed in a drone strike, Hasan added an insult to Pakistani soldiers to his praise for Mehsud, earning a rebuke from the army. 7/12
tribune.com.pk/story/630232/c…

Aafia Siddiqui, an antisemite closely connected to al-Qaeda, was another cause. After she was convicted in open court in New York of attempted murder of US and Afghan officers, Hasan showed his solidarity by meeting her family and calling for her release. 8/12

And what about the religious murder of politicians for “blasphemy”? Yes! The Pakistani liberal Salman Taseer had no one to blame but himself for his demise at the hands of a fanatic. 9/12
theguardian.com/world/2011/jan…

Here you will see Afzal Khan in friendly meetings with other hate preachers. Death for blasphemy and leaving Islam, jihad, hatred for Ahmadi Muslims, antisemitism - such a nice bunch. 10/12

https://twitter.com/habibi_uk/status/1255169260344705026

Afzal Khan is also fond of the Khomeinist revolution that has brought brutal oppression and untold misery to the Iranian people and, in recent years, carnage for Syria. 11/12

https://twitter.com/habibi_uk/status/1298599944274812928

If it emerged that a Tory MP had repeatedly met and praised hate preachers who backed far-right terrorists, Labour would be incandescent with rage.

When it comes to Afzal Khan, chair of the Labour Muslim Network as well as an MP, the party is completely indifferent. 12/12