Extremists order east London Muslims to boycott election – #StayMuslimDontVote stuck to car windscreens. Birmingham Muslims ordered to vote Labour

From The Telegraph

Voting in the General Election was embroiled in controversy with some Muslims told not to vote while others were allegedly ordered by spiritual leaders to back Labour. 

Muslims in east London were warned not to vote in what has been branded an “intimidating” and “covert” campaign. Flyers claiming that “Islam is the only real working solution for the UK” were stuck to the wind shields of residents’ cars in Tower Hamlets, a borough that has previously been riddled with election fraud. 

Police were informed about the professionally-produced flyers and it is understood some officers who had been stationed at local polling stations removed dozens from parked cars. 

The leaflets also warned that voting for “man-made law” was a sin, akin to idol worship, and that “democracy is a system whereby man violates the right of Allah”. It is understood those responsible distributed the leaflets overnight as they were first seen on cars as early as 6am on Thursday. 

Two different types of leaflets were distributed in Tower Hamlets. One with the words “Don’t vote” and “#StayMuslimDontVote”. It also said: “None have the right to legislate except Allah.”

The other flyer claimed: “Warning. Voting for man-made law is Shirk [idol worship] associating with Allah.” The hashtag “#StayMuslimDontVote” has also been used by radical preacher Anjem Choudary. Choudary, who runs a number of outlawed extremist groups that have been blamed for radicalising young Muslims, denied responsibility but said he nevertheless supported the leaflet campaign. He added: “I wouldn’t go to those polling booths and I wouldn’t stand outside – just in case the wrath of Allah came upon them when they were voting.” 

Meanwhile voters at one Tower Hamlets polling station were handed flyers bearing the logo of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isil) which called on them to ‘reject democracy’, ‘stay Muslim’ and ‘don’t vote’.

The lone protester was unhindered by officials despite standing by the entrance to the Bigland Green school polling station. A local resident who was handed the leaflet said: “There was one bearded guy who was handing them out, he had a stack of them and he sort of hid from the police there and they didn’t see him . . .£

In Birmingham, allegations surfaced yesterday suggesting spiritual leaders and religious courts had ordered ordinary Muslims to vote Labour.

(A Facebook posting)  showed a photograph of Khalid Mahmood, the Labour candidate for Birmingham Perry Barr with some local Labour councillors and at least one senior spiritual leader. The caption on the photograph read: “All Pir Sahiban and Darbars in Birmingham have ordered Mureeds to Vote Labour in elections”. A “mureed” is “a person wishing to dedicate himself to Islam” while a pir sahiban is a spiritual leader and a darbar is a court.

The Telegraph contacted the local Labour Party press office but received no response at the time of going to press.