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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Inquiry into embassy police row | Inquiry into embassy police row |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| An inquiry has been ordered by Met Police chief Sir Ian Blair after a Muslim constable was excused from guarding the Israeli embassy in London. | An inquiry has been ordered by Met Police chief Sir Ian Blair after a Muslim constable was excused from guarding the Israeli embassy in London. |
| Sir Ian says he wants an "urgent review of the situation and a full report". | Sir Ian says he wants an "urgent review of the situation and a full report". |
| The Sun newspaper said the officer was reassigned on "moral grounds" as he objected to Israeli actions in Lebanon. | The Sun newspaper said the officer was reassigned on "moral grounds" as he objected to Israeli actions in Lebanon. |
| But the Association of Muslim Police Officers said it was a "welfare issue" - the officer had Middle Eastern relatives and felt unsafe in that role. | But the Association of Muslim Police Officers said it was a "welfare issue" - the officer had Middle Eastern relatives and felt unsafe in that role. |
| The officer, who has been named as Pc Alexander Omar Basha, is attached to the Scotland Yard's Diplomatic Protection Group. | The officer, who has been named as Pc Alexander Omar Basha, is attached to the Scotland Yard's Diplomatic Protection Group. |
| The particular officer has brought an issue forward. His wife is Lebanese and his father is from Syria Association of Muslim Police Officers | The particular officer has brought an issue forward. His wife is Lebanese and his father is from Syria Association of Muslim Police Officers |
| He has a Syrian father and a Lebanese wife. | He has a Syrian father and a Lebanese wife. |
| During the summer, when Israel was involved in a month-long conflict with Lebanese militants, Pc Basha asked to be moved from the Israeli embassy because he felt uncomfortable and unsafe. | During the summer, when Israel was involved in a month-long conflict with Lebanese militants, Pc Basha asked to be moved from the Israeli embassy because he felt uncomfortable and unsafe. |
| Now the conflict is over, the Association of Muslim Police Officers - which is speaking on his behalf - said Pc Basha had asked to be excused from his duties because he felt "uncomfortable and unsafe". | Now the conflict is over, the Association of Muslim Police Officers - which is speaking on his behalf - said Pc Basha had asked to be excused from his duties because he felt "uncomfortable and unsafe". |
| Superintendent Dal Babu, from the association, told BBC News the officer's reassignment had nothing to do with politics but was an "issue around the welfare of a particular officer". | Superintendent Dal Babu, from the association, told BBC News the officer's reassignment had nothing to do with politics but was an "issue around the welfare of a particular officer". |
| "The particular officer has brought an issue forward. His wife is Lebanese and his father is from Syria. | "The particular officer has brought an issue forward. His wife is Lebanese and his father is from Syria. |
| "He brought this issue up at the start of August and has expressed a desire to be posted elsewhere whilst the war was going on." | "He brought this issue up at the start of August and has expressed a desire to be posted elsewhere whilst the war was going on." |
| Oath of allegiance | Oath of allegiance |
| Supt Babu said Pc Basha was now back on diplomatic protection group duties and that "if an incident happens at the Israeli embassy he will deal with it". | Supt Babu said Pc Basha was now back on diplomatic protection group duties and that "if an incident happens at the Israeli embassy he will deal with it". |
| Supt Babu accepted that excusing officers from assignments because of moral beliefs would be unacceptable. | Supt Babu accepted that excusing officers from assignments because of moral beliefs would be unacceptable. |
| "I think that we're going down a very, very slippery slope if we then start having postings based on individual officers' conscience," he said. | "I think that we're going down a very, very slippery slope if we then start having postings based on individual officers' conscience," he said. |
| "As police officers we have to deal with some very difficult situations and we need to be objective and make sure that we police all members of the community fairly. | "As police officers we have to deal with some very difficult situations and we need to be objective and make sure that we police all members of the community fairly. |
| "We can't pick and choose." | "We can't pick and choose." |
| If officers have political, religious, ideological or moral views about things then they've got to put their duties above that because their service is to the public Lord Mackenzie | |
| Lord Mackenzie, former president of the Superintendents' Association of England and Wales, said the move sounded like "a step too far". | |
| "There are cases where clearly you can grant compassionate leave in certain circumstances," he said. | |
| "But if officers have political, religious, ideological or moral views about things then they've got to put their duties above that because their service is to the public. | |
| "What we don't want is a situation where one particular section of the community is given special reasons for not performing duties because that will simply alienate the rest." | |
| A Scotland Yard spokesman said it would sometimes consider a special request to be moved on moral grounds - but added it reserved the right to post an officer anywhere. | |
| The Metropolitan Police Authority, which oversees the force's work, pointed out that police officers took an oath of allegiance. | The Metropolitan Police Authority, which oversees the force's work, pointed out that police officers took an oath of allegiance. |
| The authority, which has also asked for a report, said officers often had to undertake duties where the subject conflicted with their personal beliefs. | The authority, which has also asked for a report, said officers often had to undertake duties where the subject conflicted with their personal beliefs. |