Jameah Islameah School

Jameah Islameah School is an independent Islamic school in East Sussex. The school is located on a 54 acre site and has residential facilities to house male students aged 11 to 16. The school is independently owned and the proprietor functions as the principal. In December, 2005, Jameah Islameah was inspected by the Office for Standards in Education which noted that it "does not provide a satisfactory education for its pupils." [Office for Standards in Education, [http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/reports/134/s163_134436_20051205.pdf Jameah Islameah School inspection report] , 5 - 8 December 2005] At the time of the inspection, the school had nine students. [ [http://www.irishexaminer.com/breaking/story.asp?j=194162002&p=y94y6z7x8&n=194162762 "No arrests at UK Islamic school after police search"] , "Irish Examiner", 2 September, 2006]

According to BBC News the school purports to teach students to become Islamic leaders, training them to the level high enough to teach in local Masajeds and Madares. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5307818.stm "14 held in terror police swoop"] , "BBC News", 2 September 2006 ]

Terrorism arrests

There have been allegations that the school was used in the training and recruitment of terrorists. According to testimony from Al Qaeda suspects held at Guantanamo Bay, in 1997 and 1998, Abu Hamza and groups of around 30 of his followers held terrorist training camps at the school, including training with AK47 rifles and handguns, as well as a mock rocket launcher. [ [http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1863813,00.html "The Islamic school that played host to Hamza" "The Observer" 3 September 2006] ] In 2003 or 2004, the grounds of the school were used for an Islamic-themed camping trip, at which Omar Bakri Mohammed lectured. The trip, which was advertised by word-of-mouth, was attended by 50 Muslim men, most of whom were members of al-Muhajiroun. Bakri claimed the activities at the camp included lectures on Islam, football, and paintballing. [ [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/09/10/nterr110.xml "Exiled Islamic extremist lectured at school raided by terror police" "The Telegraph" 10 September 2006] ]

On 1 September 2006 the Jameah Islameah school was searched by up to a hundred police officers [cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/uklatest/story/0,,-6053954,00.html|date=2 September 2006|title=Police search Islamic school|publisher=The Guardian|author=Press Association] as part of their operations, although no arrests were made. [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/southern_counties/5310522.stm|date=3 September 2006|publisher=BBC News|title=School 'not involved in violence'|accessdate=2006-11-02] The local Sussex Police held a cordon around the site for 24 days in an operation that cost them over one million pounds. [cite news|url=http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0600uk/tm_headline=-pound-1m-bill-after-islamic-school-probe&method=full&objectid=17970440&siteid=50082-name_page.html| date=21 October 2006|accessdate=2006-11-02|title=£1m bill after Islamic school probe|author=Trinity Mirror|publisher=Western Mail & Echo Limited] Meanwhile the Metropolitan Police searched the buildings and grounds and the lake. [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/5309604.stm|date=3 September 2006|publisher=BBC News|accessdate=2006-11-02|title=Terror police continue searches]

On the evening of 2 September over 40 police officers entered a south London halal Chinese restaurant called The Bridge to China Town and, after talking to customers for over an hour, arrested twelve on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism. [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/5307818.stm|date=2 September 2006|publisher=BBC News|title=Terror police swoop on restaurant|accessdate=2006-11-02] Two further arrests were made elsewhere in London.

By 6 September two men had been released. [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/5318844.stm|date=6 September 2006|title=Two terror suspects are released|accessdate=2006-11-02|publisher=BBC News]

Closing

On February 9, 2007, the Department for Education and Skills closed down the school, because it "continues to fail to meet the standards which all independent schools must meet under the Education Act 2002." The school had not been operating at the time, due to lack of students. [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/6345865.stm|date=2007-02-09|publisher=BBC News|title= Terror alert school is shut down|accessdate=2007-02-09]

Notes

References

* [http://www.islamicjameah.org.uk Jameah Islameah official website]