Blood on the carpet and blood on the streets

Journalists were having another field day in Downing Street yesterday when they realised that our new Prime Minister, Theresa May, was doing things her way. It was a repeat of the 'Night of the Long Knives' said Norman Smith, the BBC's Assistant Political Editor harking back to Macmillan's 1962 sacking of a third of his Cabinet.

'A brutal reshuffle' he bellowed at Mrs May as she entered No 10. As the sackings increased so did the rhetoric. The knives became meat cleavers but thankfully the only blood on the carpet was metaphorical.

Not so on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice as the day was drawing to a close. A heavy lorry had been driven deliberately into crowds of people who had gathered to celebrate Bastille Day. French prosecutors said they had launched a 'terrorism' investigation after the incident. Barack Obama, the US president, condemned "in the strongest terms" what he said "appears to be a horrific 'terrorist' attack", as did presidential hopeful, Hillary Clinton.

Prime Minister Theresa May said Britain stands "shoulder to shoulder" with France after the "horrifying" 'terror' attack on the French Riviera that left at least 84 people dead.

This home grown 'terrorist', Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, may have had a hand gun, he may have had grenades, but whatever else he possessed, what he used so slay the innocent was a heavy lorry. No military training necessary. Just a HGV licence, the money to hire the vehicle and a belief in a religious ideology that regards all non-Muslims and Muslims of the 'wrong' sect as fair game. Taking his authority from the Quran he will have been taught to believe that only his namesake held the truth.

'Just Ask Islam' presents a confusing picture: In answer to the question, "Does Islam Say: Kill The Infidels?", the answer given is: "We know the Quran orders believers to fight in combat against those who are the oppressors, aggressors and terrorists and those who are assaulting and killing the innocent men, women and children. But it gives out clear orders - NOT TO Fight against those who are not fighting against you..." To believe that we have to ignore 1400 years of conflict. A classic case of abrogation.

Theresa May and Michael Gove fell out over the Birmingham schools 'Trojan Horse' row. As Home Secretary she banned two bloggers from entering the United Kingdom branding them as extremists because they have explained the threat posed to Western civilization:

A blinkered Keith Vaz, Chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, who had called for the bloggers to be banned from the UK said: "I welcome the home secretary's ban on Robert Spencer and Pamela Geller from entering the country. This is the right decision. The UK should never become a stage for inflammatory speakers who promote hate". See examples of the reality here and here where Islamic hate preachers were allowed free rein with devastating results.

It is difficult to escape the conclusion that in the eyes of politicians Islam is blameless and anyone who questions the ideology is regarded as an extremist. How many more home grown sleepers will wreak havoc before politicians realise that this dangerous religious ideology must be confronted. How many more atrocities before the myth of a religion of peace is questioned given the weight of evidence to the contrary?

Postscript [15.07.2016]

Please stop saying the Nice attacks have nothing to do with Islam - Maajid Nawaz, founder of the Quilliam Foundation, a counter-extremism think tank.

After yet another claim on BBC News this evening that "this has nothing to do with religion" from a survivor who appeared to know absolutely nothing about Islam other than what he has been told to believe, may I suggest that he and people holding similar views at least consider why the same thread runs through these attacks and ask themselves why Islam is the common denominator if it is supposed to be the religion of peace?