UK cop excused from guarding London's Israeli Embassy on 'moral grounds'

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Sir Ian Blair has ordered an 'urgent inquiry' after a Muslim police officer was excused from guarding London's Israeli Embassy after he objected to the duty on 'moral grounds'.

Sir Ian said: "Having learned of this issue I have asked for an urgent review of the situation and a full report into the circumstances."

PC Alexander Omar Basha - a member of the Metropolitan Police's Diplomatic Protection Group - refused to be posted there because he objected to Israeli bombings in Lebanon and the resulting civilian casualties of fellow Muslims.

[...]

The officer, who carries a gun, is now thought to be guarding another embassy.

Critics accused Met chiefs of bowing to political correctness, saying the decision set a dangerous precedent.

A senior source in the Metropolitan Police Federation said: 'We are expected to serve people without fear or favour. You treat them according to their needs whether you agree with their political or religious views or not.

"Officers should not be allowed to pick and choose where they work in this way."

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article...assy/article.do

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Should serve and protect without bias.

The other choice could easily be used in US by cops who are pro-neo-Nazi to avoid investigating crimes in predominantly nonwhite areas.

[homesick_american 1]

No. Protecting and serving means sometimes protecting and serving those with whom you disagree.

[Mirorgate 0]

Do the job you signed up to do. I am sure there was no where in contract that stated

"to protect except where I don't like the other guy"

course.. this'll break down to religion sooner or later.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Do the job you signed up to do.

I agree. And if you feel your personal biases don't allow you to do it, then resign.

[Lansbury 19]

The guy should have been reported for discipline for failing to obey a lawful order. However it would be a very brave supervisor who did that to an officer from a minority background. If he had been white his feet wouldn't have touched

[mawilson 2,133]

Asking a Muslim to defend the Embassy of Israel from terrorists is like appointing

9/11 hijackers to be in charge of the FAA's airport security division.

I'd feel safer with a non-Muslim guarding the Embassy, thanks very much. LOL.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Asking a Muslim to defend the Embassy of Israel from terrorists is like appointing

9/11 hijackers to be in charge of the FAA's airport security division.

I'd feel safer with a non-Muslim guarding the Embassy, thanks very much. LOL.

The Israeli Embassies in Egypt, Ethiopia, Jordan, Turkey ... are probably guarded by a number of Muslim cops. Probably true for the Israeli embassy in India, too.

Edited October 5, 2006 by Gupt

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Muslims leaders ... expressed their concerns at the decision with The Muslim Council of Britain emphasizing it was the officer's duty to uphold the law.

Council spokesman Inayat Bunglawala said: "Any person joining the police force, no matter what their religious background, has a duty to help in upholding the law and should be carrying out their duty as any other police officer.

"In this case, and despite objections to Israel's bombing of Lebanon and concerns over his family's safety, it is important that the law is upheld.

"There is a danger in picking and choosing which embassies to guard - police officers have a responsibility to discharge their duties.

"Being asked to guard an embassy does not mean endorsing or accepting the activities of any particular Government and I would have though that fact would have been clear to this officer."

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/arti...in_page_id=1770

[Mags 112]

I watched an interview on TV today about this matter. The ex-commander of the Flying Squad (of which the diplomatic protection squad are part of) was being interviewed. Apparently an officer applies to be part of the Flying Squad, knowing FULL WELL what the job entails and knowing WHO he might have to protect.

What was basically said in the interview is that this fellow should have been transferred out of the squad when he could no longer carry out his duties. He would then return to normal Met Police duties instead.

The Flying Squad is a highly sought after job, this fellow HAD A CHOICE when he asked to become part of it. If he wasn't happy at certain aspects then he shouldn't have applied.

[homesick_american 1]

I watched an interview on TV today about this matter. The ex-commander of the Flying Squad (of which the diplomatic protection squad are part of) was being interviewed. Apparently an officer applies to be part of the Flying Squad, knowing FULL WELL what the job entails and knowing WHO he might have to protect.

What was basically said in the interview is that this fellow should have been transferred out of the squad when he could no longer carry out his duties. He would then return to normal Met Police duties instead.

The Flying Squad is a highly sought after job, this fellow HAD A CHOICE when he asked to become part of it. If he wasn't happy at certain aspects then he shouldn't have applied.

I agree completely. I don't buy his excuses for one second. He chose to become a police officer and he chose to become part of the diplomatic protection squad. He must have known there was a chance he would be asked to guard the embassy of a country whose foreign policies he didn't like. Maybe he should just be a traffic warden.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Maybe he should just be a traffic warden.

What if a Jewish man were to be involved in an accident? I am sure he would be morally opposed to helping him. Helping him, bombing Lebanon.. same thing y'know.

[homesick_american 1]

Maybe he should just be a traffic warden.

What if a Jewish man were to be involved in an accident? I am sure he would be morally opposed to helping him. Helping him, bombing Lebanon.. same thing y'know.

Nah, all traffic wardens are good for is writing parking tickets. Police HELPING people? I'll believe it when I see it. I remember when our house was burgled, the cops basically stood there and admitted they wouldn't do anything to catch the person who broke into our house or recover our property. B*stards. I found a bunch of used needles in a women's toilet in York, told a nearby cop, who said "What do you want me to do, clean them up?"

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

LOL. Someone remind me, why do we need cops again?

[homesick_american 1]

LOL. Someone remind me, why do we need cops again?

I dunno. A friend of ours was beaten last week...so badly he spent a week in the hospital and needs surgery to fix his broken cheekbone...and the cops basically told him they didn't expect to find the guy and weren't going to look too hard.

He got beaten up for making eye contact with a chav. The chav got in his face and asked him what he was looking at. He said 'nothing'. The chav said 'WHO ARE YOU CALLING NUFFINK' and started beating him, stomping on his head after he'd fallen down. The guy working at the pizza place (where the beating took place) called 999 straight off but apparently it took the cops a while to get there.

Does make you wonder what we're paying our taxes for. Our friend will be scarred for life and the cops don't seem to care.