Another paranoid rant from Melanie Phillips, this one in response to Jack Straw’s speech at the Muslim News awards on Monday evening. She even finds sinister implications in the following uncontroversial statement by Straw:

“The release of the British hostage, Norman Kember, and two of his companions has been very prominent in the media over the past few days. I believe the calls by many Muslims in this country and fellow British citizens for the safe release of those kidnapped victims and showing their solidarity with their plight may have contributed to their survival.”

Mel comments: “The British Foreign Secretary has now said, in effect, that the lives of Norman Kember and the other two hostages were saved thanks to the Muslim Brotherhood. What price will the Brotherhood now exact from Britain in return?”

Melanie Phillips’s Diary, 28 March 2006

Update:  See also Yusuf Smith’s comments at Indigo Jo Blogs, 29 March 2006