No, I have no intention of strapping myself to a bomb. And, no, I am not an extremist and during my time at University haven’t come across anyone that is. “But you’re a Muslim Student! Not just any Muslim Student but one who studies in London!” Yes, I am. But I shouldn’t be defined by the actions of a disturbed man.
Over the past few weeks, we have been pelted with chunks of information about the Detroit terror attacker, Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab. What family was he from? Where was he studying? What countries did he visit? Tons of news about him has hit us from all directions. This has made it a little hard for the public to put things into perspective, but the media has had no problem at all. As soon as news of Umar Farouk’s connection to UCL and its Islamic societies broke, leading newspapers have made it look like British Universities are breeding grounds for terrorists. Meanwhile, the majority of Muslim students clutch their hearts and try to convince themselves that all is well.
But the truth is all isn’t well. It’s been days since the attempted attack but my friends and I are still scared to talk about it, or discuss surrounding issues openly. The UCL’s Islamic society have disabled their website and gone completely under the radar, while dozens of UCL’s Muslim students refuse to comment on this story. Muslim students across Britain realise that they must bear with the consequences of Umar Farouk’s actions, when they still haven’t recovered from the scrutinising aftermath of 9/11 and the 7/7 bombings. Read more »
