The alleged Islamic extremism seen in the Birmingham schools affair is the same as that practised by Boko Haram, the Nigerian terrorist network, Tony Blair has said.
The Trojan Horse ‘plot’ to bring hardline practices into Birmingham classrooms is part of a global extremist movement stretching from Britain to Africa to the Far East, the former Prime Minister claimed. Mr Blair said the alleged plot was part of a movement that included extremists in Pakistan and Boko Haram, the Nigerian terrorist group. The group is responsible for the kidnapping of hundreds of schools girls in Nigeria two months ago and dozens of deadly attacks on churches and predominantly Christian villages.
Speaking from Abu Dhabi in the Middle East, the former Prime Minister said: “There is a very fundamental problem that we face, that may have originated in this region but has now spread across the world. That problem is extremism based on a warped and abusive view of the religion. It is a problem here in the region. It is a problem in countries like Pakistan, it’s a problem in the Far East. We can see from Nigeria and Boko Haram it’s a problem in African countries and it’s a problem in our own society as we can see from Birmingham schools.”