Sunday, July 17, 2005
GUARDIAN INFILTRATED
Following Scott Burgess’s Google investigation into Guardian trainee Dilpazier “Sassy” Aslam, the Independent—currently at war with its lefty rival—has picked up on his story:
The Guardian newspaper is refusing to sack one of its staff reporters despite confirming that he is a member of one of Britain’s most extreme Islamist groups.
Dilpazier Aslam, who has been allowed to report on the London bombings from Leeds and was also given space to write a column in last Wednesday’s edition of The Guardian, is a member of Hizb ut-Tahrir, a radical world organisation which seeks to form a global Islamic state regulated by sharia law.
It is understood that staff at The Guardian were unaware that Mr Aslam was a member of Hizb ut-Tahrir until allegations surfaced on “The Daily Ablution”, a blog run by Scott Burgess. Speculation is mounting that it may have been a sting by Hizb ut-Tahrir to infiltrate the mainstream media.
The Guardian knows less about its own people than do bloggers. They should hire Burgess to run a staff audit. Wonder if The Age will alert its readers to Aslam’s alarming connections ...
UPDATE. Angus Jung in comments offers the perfect Guardian headline:
British Muslims Fear Repercussions Over Tomorrow’s Train Bombing