East London church leaders to discuss 'mega-mosque' plans

Church leaders of all denominations in East London are being invited to discuss the controversial mega-mosque planned by Islamic group Tablighi Jamaat for West Ham, close to the site of the 2010 London Olympics.

Following calls by senior Conservative security experts in Parliament for an investigation into Tablighi Jamaat and their proposed mosque, clergy will be able to review the project and the Islamic group with the help of Bradford-based Christian-Muslim expert Philip Lewis.

Mr Lewis, who is the Bishop of Bradford's adviser on inter-faith relations and the author of two books about Islam in Britain, has been invited by the Rt Rev David Hawkins, Bishop of Barking, to speak at a meeting for clergy organised by Cllr Alan Craig, leader of the Christian Peoples Alliance group on Newham Council.

Tablighi Jamaat has again featured in the news recently, as a number of the men accused and convicted in the airline terror plot case at Woolwich Crown Court were followers of the organisation.

"Phil Lewis is just the person to help us understand the nature of Tablighi Jamaat and the possible impact on the local community of their proposed huge mosque," said Cllr Craig. "He is in the thick of Christian-Muslim relations in Bradford and is a recognised authority in this area.

"He will also be able to help us understand why many Muslim leaders themselves are very critical of Tablighi Jamaat and are speaking out against the mega-mosque project."

The Oxford-based Muslim Educational Centre sent a letter to The Times newspaper recently in which it warned that Tablighi Jamaat followers "support a virulent intolerant version of Islam" and that the mega-mosque will be a "magnet for religious fundamentalists and cultural supremacists".

"Phil Lewis can explain why and help clergy as local community leaders to decide their response," added Cllr Craig.