A former participant has revealed how a recently cancelled Islamic summer camp employed sports activities to draw in young attendees before gradually introducing religious elements and ideological teachings.
Niyak Ghorbani, an Iranian dissident who attended similar camps as a child, explained during a GB News appearance how organisers initially engaged children through recreational activities like football and volleyball.
"When you are a child at this school, they took you to these camps and they start with games like football and volleyball," Mr Ghorbani stated.
The four-day residential programme, which targeted children between nine and 14 years old, was shut down following widespread concerns about potential extremist influences.
Mr Ghorbani expressed satisfaction with the closure, stating: "I'm really pleased they cancelled this in the UK."
Camp Wilayah was organised by the Ahlulbayt Islamic Mission (AIM) charity, which operates from Cricklewood in north-west London. The residential programme required female participants to wear hijabs and loose-fitting attire throughout their stay.
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Boys and girls were to remain separated during most activities, coming together only for daily prayers, talks and group photographs. The charity promoted the event as a chance for youngsters to develop their Islamic values whilst enjoying outdoor pursuits.
The organisation has faced criticism for its social media activity, including posts praising Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and describing his writings as a "great read". Following the October 7 attacks, the charity posted that "Zionists brought this disaster upon themselves" and has not condemned Hamas.
Hertfordshire County Council received numerous appeals to prevent the event from proceeding, with Liberal Democrat chair Laurence Brass confirming they were "swamped with petitions" demanding its cancellation.
Representatives from eleven Reform UK branches throughout Hertfordshire contacted the venue management at Phasels Wood scout centre, urging them to withdraw hosting permission. The facility's owners ultimately made the decision to cancel, which Mr Brass welcomed as appropriate.
"I was very upset that it was going ahead and I am very pleased with this result. I think it is the right decision," Mr Brass commented.
The camp had been scheduled for the August bank holiday weekend, running from 22nd to 25th August. Legal advocacy organisation UK Lawyers for Israel had previously written to both Brentwood and Hertfordshire councils requesting the event be prohibited.
Mr Ghorbani described how religious instruction was integrated into the daily routine, with children being woken for early morning prayers. "Then in the early morning, they wake you up and say 'time to pray'," he recounted.
As someone who identifies as an ex-Muslim, Mr Ghorbani reflected on the mandatory nature of religious observance at these camps. "As an ex-Muslim, I was born as a Muslim, which I did not choose. But we went to this campus and we had to pray. We had to pray before lunch and after dinner."
He characterised the approach as a gradual process of ideological influence. "They start washing your brain really softly. They say Islam is a really friendly religion and you have to believe it. They then take you to a dangerous way."
The Ahlulbayt Islamic Mission defended its programme on Tuesday, attributing the cancellation to what it termed "serious threats levelled at the safety of children at the camp". The charity accused "foreign political lobby groups, media outlets and far right thugs" of making baseless allegations that endangered participants.
In their statement, the organisation highlighted Camp Wilayah's decade-long history, describing it as a valued space where children could experience outdoor activities, strengthen their values and develop lasting friendships.
They noted that many former attendees had become doctors, teachers, engineers and public servants contributing to British society.
The charity maintained that no evidence of misconduct had ever been discovered at their camps, claiming the children were being penalised solely due to their faith.
They characterised the opposition as "Islamophobia in plain sight".
from GB News https://ift.tt/OAWRUGx
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