• A coalition of Muslim organisations lodged a formal complaint against Constable Serena Kennedy.
• They argue that omitting information regarding the book Axel Rudakubana was carrying, allowed far-right groups to exploit the situation, stoking racial tensions.
On November 8th, a coalition of Muslim organisations, including Legal Action for Peace, the Muslim Public Affairs Committee, CAGE, and the Islamic Human Rights Commission, lodged a formal complaint against Chief Constable Serena Kennedy of Merseyside Police. The complaint centres on statements made during an October 30th press conference regarding Axel Rudakubana, accused of the horrific killing of three young girls.
At the press conference, Chief Constable Kennedy announced that Rudakubana had been charged under Section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000 for possessing information “likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.” She specifically referred to a book titled Military Studies in the Jihad Against the Tyrants: The Al-Qaeda Training Manual. However, the coalition claims that crucial context about the book’s origins and accessibility was omitted.
The organisations noted that the book, authored by American psychiatrist and former CIA analyst Jerrold Post, is a legally available publication sold by major retailers such as Waterstones, Blackwells, and eBay, and accessible at various American universities. They argue that the omission of these details misrepresented the book have caused much harm to the Muslim community.
Coalition’s Statement
In a statement released by Legal Action for Peace on behalf of the coalition, the organisations criticised Chief Constable Kennedy’s lack of transparency, asserting that it has led to increased hostility toward Muslims.
“We are deeply troubled by the Chief Constable’s omission in failing to disclose facts about Jerrold Post’s book as being widely available at the time of her press conference. Her reference to the widely available book, without proper context, has fuelled hatred against Muslims and increases the risk of harm to members of the Muslim Community,” the statement read.
The coalition also pointed to the role of far-right figures and tabloids in exploiting the Chief Constable’s omission to stoke racial tensions.
“We note that certain far-right personalities and tabloids have been touting this so-called ‘AQ Manual’ by using the Chief Constable’s omission to stoke up racial tensions by alleging that this is an example of police protection afforded to the Muslim Community. We strongly urge people to fact-check information including mainstream media, as we have seen how damaging media propaganda can be, as in the case of the recent violent attacks by Israeli fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv.”
Calls for Accountability
The coalition has called for Chief Constable Kennedy to issue a public statement clarifying the full context surrounding the book and rectifying the omission. They are also seeking assurances that measures will be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.
In a response dated November 12th, the Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner confirmed that the complaint is under review. The coalition emphasised the importance of accurate and responsible communication from law enforcement, particularly given the rise in far-right activity and the risks to community safety.
“We urge our police forces to exercise greater caution and responsibility in their public statements to avoid harming the Muslim Community, exacerbating tensions, and fostering discrimination,” the coalition concluded.
