Tags: London

London, May 21 : The British security service waged a campaign of blackmail and harassment of Muslims in an attempt to recruit them as informants, a revelation that has sparked an outrage and concern over racism and Islamophobia.

Muslim community workers have accused MI5 of blackmailing and harassing them to work for the security service or face detention in the UK and overseas.

MI5 (Military Intelligence, Section 5), is UK's counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of the intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS or MI6), Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) and the Defence Intelligence Staff (DIS).

Now five Muslim workers have made official complaints to the police, to the body which supervises the work of the security service and to their local Member of Parliament Frank Dobson, The Independent said today.

The allegation raises concern about the coercion of young Muslim men by the security service and smack of racism, Islamophobia.

"The only thing these young people have in common is that they studied Arabic abroad and are of Somali origin. They are not involved in any terrorist activity whatsoever, nor have they ever been, and the security services are well aware of this," said Sharhabeel Lone, the chairman of Kentish Town Community Organisation (KTCO).

He said "these incidents smack of racism, Islamophobia and all that undermines social cohesion". (MORE)

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