The Muslim Council of Britain has elected a new general secretary, as the boycotter of Holocaust Remembrance Day, Sir Iqbal Sacranie, steps down: Muslim Council picks new leader. (Hat tip: sojourner.)

The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) has elected Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari as its new general secretary at its annual meeting in London.

He was chosen from a field of 37 candidates to succeed Sir Iqbal Sacranie, the post holder since 2002. Mr Bari, a 52-year-old Bangladeshi, is a specialist teacher in behaviour support for Tower Hamlets Council. …

Mr Bari told the BBC he faced many challenges in the role.

Uh oh. You know where this is headed.

“One of which is the deprivation, the social alienation of the whole community,” he said.

Of course, there’s that tiny minority of deluded misunderstanders of Islam:

“Also the elements of extremism and radicalism in a tiny section of the community.”

But the bigger problem, the much bigger problem, and one Mr. Bari is especially qualified to address as a specialist teacher in behavior support, is the relentless racism and Islamophobia of Britain’s “wider society.”

“And of course the wider society - islamophobia, racism, xenophobia.”

Here’s a section of the BBC show Panorama, from last year, featuring Dr. Muhammad Abdul Bari in a revealing interview, as he’s confronted with some inconvenient facts about hate-spewing Saudi preacher Sheikh Abdur-Rahman Al-Sudais:

The mosque’s Chairman Dr Bari remains to be convinced that his honoured guest Sheikh Sudais has repeatedly vilified other faiths.

John Ware: Do I take it that if you were satisfied he had said such things you would not have invited him over?

Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari, Chairman, East London Mosque, Deputy Secretary General, Muslim Council Of Britain: Well of course if it was proved that he exactly said this thing that you mentioned then why do you invited people who would be saying like this?

John Ware: I mean, let me say what else he’s reported to have said, he said: ‘There should be no peace with the rats of the world.’ Again he refers to Jews as the scum of the human race, offspring of apes and pigs, and he has also referred to Christians as worshippers of the cross.’ You don’t see Christians in those terms?

Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari: I don’t see Christians in those terms.

John Ware: You don’t see Christians in those terms?

Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari: No.

John Ware: No. And idol worship? you don’t see Hindus as idol worshippers, do you ? I’m sure you don’t, do you? Do you?

Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari: Well… why are you bringing all this?

John Ware: You, er, I mean you do not regard Hindus as idol worshippers?

Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari: Well Hindu… you mean the definition? When it’s idol worshipper, different people worship God in different manners.

John Ware: Mmm.

Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari: Once again you are entering into the theological debate and Muslims worship one monotheistic God and many other communities may have different versions of God.

John Ware: No, I understand that.

Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari: The Trinity may be one of them.

John Ware: I understand that.

Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari: And it all depends how you use the word and explain the word.

John Ware: Sure, but this is harsh.. you wouldn’t… I mean no, I accept all that, but this is different, isn’t it. This is very harsh language; this in effect denounces other faiths, Hindus, Christians and Jews.

Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari: Well denouncing any faith is not acceptable in Islam, that’s not the Prophetic teaching. We need to know the source of this and this is very dangerous thing, that character assassination of Muslim scholars and leaders are getting very widespread.

John Ware: I’m not trying to assassinate his character. I’m simply trying to deal with the facts. That’s all I’m trying to do.

Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari: No, I know, you are mentioning… you are saying facts but we have a question whether these are facts.

UPDATE at 6/4/06 6:12:54 pm:

LGF reader EE is right on target with this comment:

Let me make a prediction about the reaction of Dr. Muhammad Bari: no matter what evidence is presented, his main reaction is going to be that Muslims are being victimized.That is his main talking point, and that is what he will be sticking to.

When confronted with the statements in the hate-filled speeches of Sheikh Sudais, his reaction is that the Sheikh is being slandered. Incredible.

When asked whether Hindus are idol-worshippers, he refused to answer the question. That means that that is exactly how Dr. Muhammad Bari thinks of Hindus, along with the way Wahhabi Muslims and other mainstream Muslims think of Hindus — but he decided that it wasn’t politic to say it to a non-Muslim.