Failing Islamic school says closure is unfair

The founder of an Islamic school shut down yesterday by the government has claimed he is a victim of demonisation of the Muslim community in the media.

Bilal Patel told the Guardian that unsubstantiated claims that Jameah Islameah had links with notorious extremists such as Abu Hamza so debilitated the institution that it struggled to attract staff and pupils. The school was also the subject of a high-profile raid last September.

Guardian, 10 February 2007