EDL in Stockholm for 'counter-jihad' meet
The English Defence League (EDL) and a collection of far-right and anti-Islam groups are planning to come to Stockholm to hold an international meeting on Saturday.
The EDL have been invited by a sister group calling themselves the Swedish Defence League (SDL) and Stockholm has been chosen for the rally as it was the scene of a failed suicide bombing in December 2011.
“Stockholm was chosen for the Global Counter Jihad rally because of the actions of an Iraqi-born Swedish citizen, Taimour Abdulwahab al-Abdaly, who travelled to central Stockholm on December 11, 2010 in order to commit mass murder,” a group associated to the meeting explained in a statement.
According to Jonathan Möller at Swedish anti-racism newspaper Expo the various groups are united in their belief that there is an ongoing war between the West and Islam and that this will lead to the introduction of Sharia law in Europe and the US.
“They are going to have a large demonstration... to broaden and deepen, as they put it, the counter-jihad network,” Möller told TV4 on Monday.
According to the group’s own estimates some 200-300 people are to be expected to attend the meeting.
English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson is listed among the speakers as well as US anti-Muslim bloggers Robert Spencer and Pamela Geller.
Pamela Geller has made her name within the US Tea Party movement and was a frontline figure in the campaign to prevent the founding of a Islamic centre near to the Ground Zero site on Manhattan.
She is furthermore attached to the so-called “birther” movement which seek to cast doubt on Barack Obama’s nationality and thus credentials as US President.
News of the demonstration has led to the mobilization of anti-racist opposition groups who plan to hold a counter-demonstration under the slogan “Stop EDL - Breivik’s footsoldiers” in reference to Anders Behring Breivik who killed 77 people in twin terror attacks in Norway last year.
Breivik wrote of having strong links to the English Defence League, had 600 EDL members as Facebook friends, and claimed that he was guided by an English mentor after having been recruited to a secret society in London.
The Local has made attempts to contact the English Defence League but our calls have not been returned.
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The EDL have been invited by a sister group calling themselves the Swedish Defence League (SDL) and Stockholm has been chosen for the rally as it was the scene of a failed suicide bombing in December 2011.
“Stockholm was chosen for the Global Counter Jihad rally because of the actions of an Iraqi-born Swedish citizen, Taimour Abdulwahab al-Abdaly, who travelled to central Stockholm on December 11, 2010 in order to commit mass murder,” a group associated to the meeting explained in a statement.
According to Jonathan Möller at Swedish anti-racism newspaper Expo the various groups are united in their belief that there is an ongoing war between the West and Islam and that this will lead to the introduction of Sharia law in Europe and the US.
“They are going to have a large demonstration... to broaden and deepen, as they put it, the counter-jihad network,” Möller told TV4 on Monday.
According to the group’s own estimates some 200-300 people are to be expected to attend the meeting.
English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson is listed among the speakers as well as US anti-Muslim bloggers Robert Spencer and Pamela Geller.
Pamela Geller has made her name within the US Tea Party movement and was a frontline figure in the campaign to prevent the founding of a Islamic centre near to the Ground Zero site on Manhattan.
She is furthermore attached to the so-called “birther” movement which seek to cast doubt on Barack Obama’s nationality and thus credentials as US President.
News of the demonstration has led to the mobilization of anti-racist opposition groups who plan to hold a counter-demonstration under the slogan “Stop EDL - Breivik’s footsoldiers” in reference to Anders Behring Breivik who killed 77 people in twin terror attacks in Norway last year.
Breivik wrote of having strong links to the English Defence League, had 600 EDL members as Facebook friends, and claimed that he was guided by an English mentor after having been recruited to a secret society in London.
The Local has made attempts to contact the English Defence League but our calls have not been returned.
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