Attorney General Under Fire for Praising Mosque Amid Extremism Allegations

 

Attorney General Sir Richard Hermer is facing mounting scrutiny after praising a mosque where a preacher once urged Muslims to "spit on Israel" and suggested violent resistance in the wake of the October 7 Hamas attacks. The comments, made by Islamic scholar Haroon Hanif during a sermon at the Abdullah Quilliam Society, triggered widespread condemnation and raised concerns about extremism.

 

Haroon Hanif scolds Muslims for being “weak” about jihad.

Numerous, Muslims can simply “march” together against Israel and “spit” at it. Then “it’s all over.”

The Friday sermon on Palestine at the Abdullah Quilliam Society in Liverpool, a registered charity, on 20 October.

Haroon Hanif scolds Muslims for being “weak” about jihad.

Numerous, Muslims can simply “march” together against Israel and “spit” at it. Then “it’s all over.” 1/3 pic.twitter.com/GI7AlOYQeM

— habibi (@habibi_uk) October 28, 2023

 

In a sermon delivered just two weeks after the Hamas-led massacre in Israel, Hanif told congregants to “continue waging your war for Allah and his messenger, don’t back down.” He went on to declare, “We’re large in numbers right now, two billion. If the two billion just marched on Israel it’s all over, if you spat in the direction of Israel, two billion, it’s all over.” He also warned Muslims not to believe that Palestinians were terrorists and said, “no British Army can overpower you.” The video of the sermon was livestreamed on social media and quickly drew alarm from campaigners and politicians alike.

 

Haroon Hanif is a regular preacher at his Abdullah Quilliam Society. 

Homosexuality is the topic. "The most evil of all agendas that are being spread across humanity."

Set aside Kelwick's widely praised actions during the riots last summer aside for a moment and see.

Haroon Hanif is a regular preacher at his Abdullah Quilliam Society.

Homosexuality is the topic. "The most evil of all agendas that are being spread across humanity." 2/9 pic.twitter.com/Vv1EguGHkT

— habibi (@habibi_uk) May 20, 2025

 

Though Hanif’s official connection to the mosque remains unclear, the Abdullah Quilliam Society was one of eight Islamic charities referred to the Charity Commission by advocacy groups concerned that they were spreading "hateful rhetoric." The open letter to the commission, signed by prominent figures such as Campaign Against Antisemitism’s Gideon Falter, ex-Muslims campaigner Maryam Namazie, free speech advocate Lord Young, and evolutionary biologist Prof Richard Dawkins, accused the charities of violating guidelines that warn against promoting extremist ideology.

 

Megan Manson of the National Secular Society, another signatory of the letter, commented at the time: “The Israel-Hamas war has caused serious tension between different communities around the world, including in the UK. The hateful rhetoric churned out by these charities is fanning the flames of division when we most need to promote cohesion and tolerance.”

 

The Charity Commission’s head of compliance visits and inspections, Stephen Roake, acknowledged the concerns and confirmed an ongoing assessment to determine what, if any, regulatory action should be taken.

 

Despite this controversy, Hermer visited the Abdullah Quilliam Society in August 2024 following community unrest after the Southport killings. During his visit, the Attorney General expressed admiration for the mosque’s work in helping the local Muslim community. In a video shared on the mosque’s Instagram page, Hermer stated, “It’s been inspiring learning about the work of this mosque... It has been a huge, huge pleasure.” He also praised the mosque’s response to the recent protests, calling it “truly wonderful” and said he had left with “many ideas.”

 

The mosque also shared photos of Hermer’s visit, thanking him for his time and support. The society, which has previously received approximately £8,000 in government grants, states that its mission is “to promote correct knowledge and understanding of Islam and its true spirit faith for the benefit of all.”

 

Critics, however, argue that the Attorney General’s visit and remarks represent a serious lapse in judgment. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp condemned Hermer’s actions in strong terms, saying, “This is a complete collapse of standards at the very top of our justice system. How on earth are the British people supposed to trust Labour to protect them when their top law officer is applauding mosques allegedly linked to extremism? If Starmer had a spine, Hermer would be out by now. But instead of upholding justice, he’s upholding his old mate.”

 

With the Charity Commission's review ongoing and political pressure intensifying, questions continue to swirl around the appropriateness of Hermer’s praise and what it signals about the government’s handling of extremism within charitable organizations.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Telegraph  2025-06-12

 

 

 

 

9 hours ago, Social Media said:

“continue waging your war for Allah and his messenger, don’t back down.”

 

Why don't they understand that if this is Allah's war, he could wipe out all Jews from the face of the earth with one swipe of his hand. He would not need mere humans to do his work for him. They should realise that the reason that the Israelis keep winning is because that is Allah's will, that is the only thing that can make sense.
Please note that I, personally, do not believe in the existence of any god. I am just trying to look at it from the perspective of those who believe in Allah.

Hermer is but one of many senior people in, amongst others, the judiciary, the police and the civil service, who are supporting a Muslim takeover of the UK under Sharia law. What he doesn't realize is that he will be one of the first to be done away with if and when it comes about.