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| Afzal Amin, Tory accused of EDL plot, says he was victim of sting operation | Afzal Amin, Tory accused of EDL plot, says he was victim of sting operation |
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| A Conservative parliamentary candidate facing the sack after he was recorded allegedly plotting with the English Defence League has pledged to mount a robust defence of his actions, claiming he was the victim of a year-long “sting operation”. | |
| Afzal Amin, who was suspended over the weekend as the Tory candidate in Dudley North after the Mail on Sunday published a transcript of his discussions with the EDL, will be asked to explain himself to Conservative officials on Tuesday. | Afzal Amin, who was suspended over the weekend as the Tory candidate in Dudley North after the Mail on Sunday published a transcript of his discussions with the EDL, will be asked to explain himself to Conservative officials on Tuesday. |
| Tory sources have indicated that he will be removed as the party’s candidate within days. But Amin said his discussions with the EDL were aimed at improving community relations in Dudley after a long-running dispute over the building of a new mosque. | Tory sources have indicated that he will be removed as the party’s candidate within days. But Amin said his discussions with the EDL were aimed at improving community relations in Dudley after a long-running dispute over the building of a new mosque. |
| Amin, who is in Dubai, told the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 on Monday: “I have got to make my case on Tuesday to the Conservative party. I want to make a robust defence of my actions and I want to assure the party that I am a loyal party member and a party supporter. I look forward to seeing a Conservative victory in May.” | Amin, who is in Dubai, told the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 on Monday: “I have got to make my case on Tuesday to the Conservative party. I want to make a robust defence of my actions and I want to assure the party that I am a loyal party member and a party supporter. I look forward to seeing a Conservative victory in May.” |
| The former army captain, who served as chairman of the Armed Forces Muslim Association, said he had been the victim of a sting operation by the EDL after recordings of a series of meetings with the group’s former leader Tommy Robinson and its chairman Steve Eddowes were published. In a video published by the Mail on Sunday, Amin is recorded as saying that he would take the credit for persuading the EDL to call off a march on the eve of the general election against the building of the mosque. He also pledged to act as the EDL’s “unshakable ally” in parliament if it was able to help him. | The former army captain, who served as chairman of the Armed Forces Muslim Association, said he had been the victim of a sting operation by the EDL after recordings of a series of meetings with the group’s former leader Tommy Robinson and its chairman Steve Eddowes were published. In a video published by the Mail on Sunday, Amin is recorded as saying that he would take the credit for persuading the EDL to call off a march on the eve of the general election against the building of the mosque. He also pledged to act as the EDL’s “unshakable ally” in parliament if it was able to help him. |
| Amin told the Today programme: “There is no way I would have the confidence to propose such a manoeuvre to the EDL leadership. He [Tommy Robinson] is the one that proposed absolutely that we would do this march and then we would negotiate our way out of it. When he first came to me he presented himself in tears. I didn’t realise this was the start of a year-long sting operation. That is really what I have been subject to here.” | Amin told the Today programme: “There is no way I would have the confidence to propose such a manoeuvre to the EDL leadership. He [Tommy Robinson] is the one that proposed absolutely that we would do this march and then we would negotiate our way out of it. When he first came to me he presented himself in tears. I didn’t realise this was the start of a year-long sting operation. That is really what I have been subject to here.” |
| But Amin, who said over the weekend that he had drawn on his work in Afghanistan negotiating between pro-Taliban militias and the US military, insisted that he had been trying to build confidence between the EDL and Muslim communities in Dudley. | But Amin, who said over the weekend that he had drawn on his work in Afghanistan negotiating between pro-Taliban militias and the US military, insisted that he had been trying to build confidence between the EDL and Muslim communities in Dudley. |
| He told Today that he had been trying to create “very normal conflict resolution, confidence building measures”. He added: “If people do announce that we are going to do an action and other people disagree with it, then they sit together and they resolve their differences and the action is then stopped. Then this helps the communities to feel that, yes, on the other side there is a working partner we can work with. That is what we were trying to stage-manage.” | He told Today that he had been trying to create “very normal conflict resolution, confidence building measures”. He added: “If people do announce that we are going to do an action and other people disagree with it, then they sit together and they resolve their differences and the action is then stopped. Then this helps the communities to feel that, yes, on the other side there is a working partner we can work with. That is what we were trying to stage-manage.” |
| But Amin faced a blow when a senior police officer in Dudley took issue with his claim that he had sought to involve him “from the start” of his dialogue with the EDL. Ch Supt Chris Johnson issued a statement in which he confirmed that they had spoken of Amin’s attempts to promote dialogue between the mosque and the EDL but denied that he knew of the plan. Johnson said: “At no point have we ever discussed an EDL demonstration on the dates in question and I have no knowledge of his alleged plans.” | But Amin faced a blow when a senior police officer in Dudley took issue with his claim that he had sought to involve him “from the start” of his dialogue with the EDL. Ch Supt Chris Johnson issued a statement in which he confirmed that they had spoken of Amin’s attempts to promote dialogue between the mosque and the EDL but denied that he knew of the plan. Johnson said: “At no point have we ever discussed an EDL demonstration on the dates in question and I have no knowledge of his alleged plans.” |
| Robinson challenged Amin’s account. The former EDL leader told the BBC: “It is clear to see. Anyone can watch the video, the video footage is there. He has tried to deceive us, he has tried to deceive the electorate, he has tried to deceive the police.” | Robinson challenged Amin’s account. The former EDL leader told the BBC: “It is clear to see. Anyone can watch the video, the video footage is there. He has tried to deceive us, he has tried to deceive the electorate, he has tried to deceive the police.” |
| Anna Soubry, the Tory defence minister, said on Sunday that Amin should resign from the party and stand down as Tory candidate in Dudley North if the allegations were true. Soubry told the Andrew Marr Show on BBC1: “He is at the moment denying this. He has been suspended. What I would say is I would appeal if there is any truth in this – to him – then go now, hold your head up. Obviously if this is right this is dreadful. The EDL is the most appalling organisation. It doesn’t matter which party you are. Anybody who engages in that sort of shenanigans doesn’t do anybody any credit … If there is any truth in this he should fess up and go now.” | Anna Soubry, the Tory defence minister, said on Sunday that Amin should resign from the party and stand down as Tory candidate in Dudley North if the allegations were true. Soubry told the Andrew Marr Show on BBC1: “He is at the moment denying this. He has been suspended. What I would say is I would appeal if there is any truth in this – to him – then go now, hold your head up. Obviously if this is right this is dreadful. The EDL is the most appalling organisation. It doesn’t matter which party you are. Anybody who engages in that sort of shenanigans doesn’t do anybody any credit … If there is any truth in this he should fess up and go now.” |