Sheikh Yasser al-Habib / Ali313korosh, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
CV NEWS FEED // An extremist Muslim cleric is reportedly attempting to buy a remote British island to turn it into a new homeland for Shia Muslims to practice sharia law.
The Daily Mail reported that Sheikh Yasser al-Habib, a “firebrand” cleric whose extreme views and lectures have gained him thousands of Muslim followers across the world, hopes to buy the island of Torsa, where he and his community could build their own school, hospital, Shia seminary, and mosque.
According to the Daily Mail, al-Habib runs military-style training camps for Muslims and has been accused of promoting conflict between Shia and Sunni Muslims, both in Britain and in Muslim countries.
He reportedly spent almost three months in jail in his native country of Kuwait for insulting Sunnis and claimed asylum in Britain 20 years ago after fleeing the country. He now runs a satellite channel called Fadak TV, where he gives lectures that the Daily Mail said are “spreading hate and inciting violence towards those from the Sunni faith at home and abroad.”
Khalid Mahmood, a former member of Parliament, criticized al-Habib’s channel, calling for it to be shut down and pointing out that “if a far-Right group did this, there would be action against it.”
Al-Habib has also been using the channel to raise funds to buy Torsa, with a target goal of £3.5 million. According to the Daily Mail, he has raised over £3 million.
He has reportedly told viewers that he will negotiate with the government to grant visas to Shia Muslims immigrating to Torsa.
“If you want to live free under the banner of the imam [Shia leader], in a special homeland where you feel everything in it reminds you of the awaited mahdi [messiah], everything is the Shia homeland…support this project,” al-Habib said in one video, according to the Daily Mail.
Sarah Zaaimi, a deputy director for communications at the American think tank Atlantic Council who has researched al-Habib, told the Daily Mail that the cleric and his followers “will have their own army, their own justice system.” She pointed out that “people from around the world will be able to migrate from this homeland.”
“It does challenge the notion of sovereignty. It’s puzzling to me how the UK authorities are allowing such a discourse. You are fundraising for the creation of a sovereign country on the margins of another country,” she said.
Residents of islands close to Torsa expressed concern about al-Habib’s plans, with one man telling the Daily Mail: “I’ve spent much of my life working in Muslim countries so have no issues whatsoever with that community, but this group do seem alarming from what I’ve just seen now.”
Another resident added: “We’d welcome just about anyone, but this doesn’t seem appropriate.”
