Muslim law reaches Britain

SECRET courts imposing draconian Islamic justice are operating across Britain.Last night politicians and religious leaders expressed outrage that sharia law is gaining an increasing foothold in our society.
The hardline Islamic law allows people to be stoned to death, beheaded or have their limbs amputated.
Critics insisted Labour was allowing a chaotic two-tier legal system to flourish in the name of political correctness.And legal experts warned that it meant the authority of British justice was being undermined. Sharia law dates back to the 10th century.
In some countries women are stoned to death for adultery or giving birth out of wedlock and thieves can have both arms amputated.
In Saudi Arabia, murderers, rapists and drug traffickers are publicly beheaded with a sword. The Islamic law also deals in all aspects of daily life including marriage and divorce.
Yesterday experts insisted the Government had already allowed elements of sharia law to be introduced. The Treasury has brought in measures including interest-free loans and mortgages which comply with the Islamic law.But it was also alleged unofficial criminal courts are meting out their own justice.
The scandal was outlined on BBC Radio 4’s Law in Action programme which uncovered evidence that Muslims are using their own laws here.Youth worker Aydarus Yusuf, 29, told how he helped convene an unofficial court which uses Somalian law.He said a hearing was held in Woolwich, South-east London, after a group of youths were arrested on suspicion of attacking another Somali teenager.The victim’s family told police the matter would be settled out of court and the suspects were freed on bail.
The trial was conducted by community elders who ordered the attackers to pay compensation to the victim.Mr Yusuf said: "The accused men admitted their guilt and apologised. All their uncles and fathers were there.
They agreed compensation."He insisted he is more bound by the law of his country of birth than British justice, adding: "Somalis, wherever we live in the world, have our own law."The strength of sharia law was the strict punishments. Assailants were unlikely to re-offend as it would bring shame on their families, he said.A Scotland Yard source said it was common for the police not to proceed with assault cases if victims did not press charges.Dr Patrick Sookhdeo of the Institute for the Study of Islam and Christianity said: "Sharia courts now operate in most larger cities, with different sectarian and ethnic groups operating their own courts that cater to their specific needs according to their tradition."The Government has not been straight about this. It has it’s own sharia advisers and it has already introduced measures that are compliant with sharia law. "Muslim communities are creating their own infrastructure based on sharia law.
A Muslim community can now function within its own society on every level."The Tory spokesman for homeland security Patrick Mercer said: "This is complete nonsense.
If you want to live under sharia law you should go to a country where it holds sway."Muslim and Christian groups were also outraged.The Rev Keith Osmund-Smith, from the Heart of England Baptist Association, said: "It is almost like a stealthy change in the law and I’m very very much against it." Dr Mohammed Naseem, chairman of Birmingham Central Mosque, said: "Sharia law states that you respect the law of the land and therefore it cannot be enforced in this country."Faisal Aqtab Siddiqi, head of the Hijaz College Islamic University in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, said: "We no longer have the bobby on the beat who will give somebody a slap on the wrist."So I think there is a case to be made under which the elders sit together and reprimand people, trying to get them to change." Some academic lawyers welcome alternative legal systems. Dr Prakesh Shah, law lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, said: "Tribunals like the Somali court could be more effective than the formal legal system in maintaining social harmony."A spokeswoman for the Department for Communities and Local Government said: "Sharia law will not be introduced to the whole or any part of the UK.
We are absolutely clear that existing British law applies to everyone."