There seems to be a constant murmuring going on among more extreme Muslim elements that there is still no proof the London bombings were the work of Islamic extremists and that they are being victimized. For example, here is Mohammad Naseem, the chairman of Birmingham’s Central Mosque, speaking last Thursday (via Harry):

Muslim bashing seems to be more earnest than the need for national unity and harmony. Terrorists can be anybody – we will have to see [whether the bombers are Muslims]. The process is not open; the process is not transparent; the process is not independent. I do not have faith in the system as it stands.

And here is the latest statement, released last week by our friend Aslam’s Hizb ut-tahrir group:

A few hours after the bombings on Thursday 7/7/2005; before any investigation and before revealing even the reality of the bombings as to whether they were planted or human bombs, the hateful crusader comments began to be made: Blair immediately pointed to ‘extremist’ values while hinting at Islam. Others declared that Islam is, “an evil and brutal religion.” In this manner their crusader hatred of Islam and the Muslims has appeared. They know that many explosions have been carried out by extremists from their own countrymen though they did not describe them in this way nor did they describe their religion, values or culture in an inappropriate way but confined their discussion to the individuals involved (sic).

Yet at the same time, in the eyes of groups like Hizb uh-tahrir, there is every good reason for the bombers to attack us, as their same statement helpfully continues:

O Muslims:

You can see these states, especially the colonialist states and those which have ambitions over our countries, may disagree on everything but they are united against you and against your Deen. Here they all move in one direction; they want to keep the issue of the Muslims in a state of crisis, separated and disconnected; they want the Muslims to be under their sphere of influence and under Jewish influence, so that, as they themselves admit, they can prevent the Muslims from returning as one Ummah in one state; the Khilafah Rashidah which will put the world in its right place and give back the rights to its people, and spread goodness to all corners of the world.[...]

Hizb ut-tahrir is steady in following this path, it will not undertake material actions nor does it view that as a correct solution. It does not accept the killing of civilians or the harming of those who have security. But despite this, it takes the view that because the powerful nations spill the blood of Muslims, violate their honour and desecrate their sanctities, that these are the real reasons which produce these material reactions. If the big nations wanted to put a stop to these actions they would have thought and reflected on the questions that we mention above – but we know that the arrogance of these states will stop them from thinking in a sound manner and following the correct path.

So there’s no proof that extremist Muslims did it. But it’s obvious why they did it.

PS To the Guardian NUJ members, is this the kind of minority representation your newspaper needs?