Dramatising Terrorism.

Various Muslim groups are complaining about an upcoming Channel 4 drama about a female suicide bomber. I can understand why most Muslims do not enjoy dramatic depictions of Islamist terrorism but the idea that it is the dramatic portrayals of Islamist terrorism that cause people to associate Islam and violence rather than actual Muslims killing people and proclaiming that it is in the name of Islam is bizarre. The complaint about stereotyping Muslims is foolish and misplaced, anti abortion activists and fathers rights campaigners have been portrayed as terrorists recently on TV yet no one seriously thinks that they are a significant danger.

However Khurshid Ahmed, chairman of the British Muslim Forum makes a very good criticism of the drama when he says that "A film which attempts to glamorise or rationalise the actions of suicide bombers has no place on our screens". The writer of the 'Britz' is you see a root causer whose previous work makes the same sort of arguments that most Islamist felow travellors would adore:

" Britz has been made by Peter Kosminsky, the director of the 2002 political drama The Project. It suggests that Britain’s foreign policy and draconian antiterror laws, particularly control orders which keep some suspects in effect under house arrest, have alienated Muslims."

So it is good that at least some Muslim groups are wary of these kinds of arguments too.