|
|
| By: Associated Press |
| Published: October 5, 2006 |
| |
The chief of the Metropolitan Police on Thursday ordered an urgent review of a decision to excuse a Muslim police officer from guarding the Israeli embassy.
The order by Commissioner Ian Blair followed a report in The Sun newspaper saying that Constable Alexander Omar Basha, who worked in the Diplomatic Protection Group, had sought during the summer to be excused because of moral objections to Israeli bombing of Lebanon.
But Superintendent Dal Babu, chairman of the Association of Muslim Police, said he understood that was not the issue. "This is about the welfare of an individual, and not about a moral issue," Babu said in an interview with British Broadcasting Corp. radio.
"This particular officer had brought an issue forward -- his wife is Lebanese, his father is from Syria -- and he brought up this issue at the start of August this year, and had expressed a desire to be posted elsewhere while the war was going on," Babu said.
"He is now working normal DPG (Diplomatic Protection Group) duties, and clearly if an issue happens at the Israeli embassy he will deal with it."
Babu said he had spoken to the officer, and "my understanding of it is that he felt uncomfortable and unsafe."
The Metropolitan Police Authority, which oversees the force's work and is also looking into the decision, said officers must often undertake duties that may conflict with their personal beliefs, the BBC reported. |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Click on the blue headline to read a Talkback comment and respond to it. Click on the  icon to send a private email to the talkback writer. The icon appears only if the writer has decided to be contacted. If no popup window appears, please make sure your popup blocker allows israelinsider.com.
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
