31/03/2016 Scotland 2016

Police investigate alleged links between leading figures

at two of Scotland's largest mosques and a banned

A BBC investigation links leading Muslims to a banned terror group.

Do Scotland's mosques have a problem with extremism?

And safety concerns as the Prime Minister announces

plans to transport nuclear waste from Dounreay to the United States.

Police Scotland is investigating claims by the BBC that a leading

member of Glasgow Central Mosque has had links with a banned

It follows allegations last week that the mosque's lead imam

had sent messages in support of terrorism in Pakistan.

In a moment, we'll discuss whether Scotland has

But first, here's our Home Affairs correspondent Reevel Alderson.

These are official documents of a Pakistani extremist group,

Sipah-e-Sahaba. Dating back more than ten years, the BBC has seen it

reveals how they have links to senior Mosque figures in Edinburgh

and Glasgow. This deadly attack in Pakistan three years ago killed more

than 100 people. It was carried out by the armed wing of Sipah-e-Sahaba,

also known as SSP. It's links to Scotland have alarmed extremist

campaigners. The reports proved to be true that

they have had links in Scotland, this is a terrorism related offence,

as they are known to work with Al-Qaeda. This would be a clear

relationship between themselves and terrorism.

It is these documents that reveal how Sabir Ali, a leading member of

Glasgow Central Mosque, is Scottish president of Sipah-e-Sahaba. After

it was banned in Pakistan and the UK, he hosted it more more real

service for the group's assassinated leader.

service for the group's assassinated those kind of thanks to a group like

that. The documents the BBC has seen also

sure Hafiz Abdul Hamid of the Polwarth Mosque in Edinburgh was a

leader of the group after it was banned. There is evidence that he

has financially supported the group. Counterterrorism officers are

investigating. community as open and transparent.

In Edinburgh, the leader of the Polwarth Mosque has yet to respond

to the BBC. Just before we came on air,

I spoke to Allan Burnett, the former police Counter Terrorism

Co-ordinator for the whole of Scotland and now

a director at Securi Group. How concerned should we be about

these allegations? I think we should be concerned but

not alarmed about them at all. Certainly, the police will be taking

it seriously and will be doing a thorough investigation. There is not

any clear or present danger emanating from it but, at the end of

the day, the allegation is that there is membership of a proscribed

organisation will stop although it has been carrying out its atrocities

abroad, you cannot sit in Scotland and think you are safe from being

prosecuted if you have supported in terms of funding or anything else.

There is also the danger, and ensure the police will be looking into it,

that the activities of SSP members could have caused radicalisation. I

don't think anybody should be too worried about this but there will be

an investigation. On the subject of radicalisation,

there must be some concern. These are senior figures in Scottish

mosques. If they are preaching support and discussing support of

these radical terrorist organisations, mustn't that be a

concern? The truth of that will all come out

and I would say that radicalisation of the young people in Scotland is

of the number one concern. We are certainly not immune from it. We

have seen young people travel over and fight in Iraq and Syria. There

will be no complacency. But with regard to these particular

allegations, I'm sure the truth will out.

These allegations come hot on the heels of allegations last week about

a leading imam at Glasgow Central Mosque. About him also sending

messages of support to terrorism in Pakistan. How well do you think the

police know what is going on inside mosques in this country?

I think the police in Scotland have some excellent relationships both in

mosques and in the way a T. They put an absolutely huge effort into it

and they have a fantastic rapport with all of the Mosque amenities and

the congregations. But at the other side of that there is a harder

element to it and threw the good use of intelligence, the fight against

terrorism also goes on. Glasgow Central Mosque clearly seems

shaken today by these allegations, saying things will change. I

concerned has been some complacency about the risk of extremism?

No, I think everybody understands the risk from extremism is large.

There will be no complacency from the police or from the security

services. The people of Scotland expect them to do their duty. I am

absolutely convinced that they do it very thoroughly.

Thanks for joining us. With me here in the studio

is the Islamic scholar How concerned are you about these

allegations? I would agree with what Allen said.

We shouldn't be alarmed because it is something that goes back a

decade. I believe that this is an ongoing investigation, according to

the press conference held at Hampden Park and the various Muslim groups

and other faith the nominations, and once it is thoroughly investigated,

I'm sure appropriate action will be taken, if they are found guilty. Or

they may be cleared. But that is something that the police will

inform us in June course. But you can understand that there

would be concerned. This comes hot on the heels of other allegations

last week about Central Mosque imam. Do you think there is a problem

there? They seem to think there is a problem to sort out.

I don't want to comment on internal matters of the Glasgow Central

Mosque. But in terms of a risk factor, I do not think there is one.

Even though the imam himself has clarified his position last Friday

and in this press conference in Hampden Park. What I would say is

that we have to be careful and these things should be investigated. If

anyone, regardless of... I'm not commenting on the specific

individuals but anyone who supports or sympathisers or choose any

inclination towards those elements, that should be charged.

This has all thrown light onto the part of that movement that has

followers including the Taliban. Is there much support for them amongst

the Muslim Trinity in Scotland? I will first talk about the SSP.

They have a puritanical and distorted interpretation of Islam

which they think is the right version and anybody who disagrees

with them, they would go out and kill them. Have seen these

atrocities carried out against the Shia community and minority

communities. But overall I do not think they have any support. Over

the years, the mist and community has unequivocally condemned

terrorism. Seed of think there is -- you do not

think there support for the movement for the terrorism?

For the movement, according to my knowledge.

Would you condemn leading figures in Scotland who do support that

movement because young people might look to them for influence and maybe

the risk of radicalisation. The police are investigating this

matter and only once we see the outcome can be comment. Generally,

speaking of young Muslims in Scotland, we have only had one case

of an individual travelling to Syria. Most radicalisation happens

online and that is a challenge we have faced. Through various

organisations with the support of all these Scotland, we held events

in mosques challenging extremism and Internet safety. Asking how we can

protect our young generation from being radicalised. Even the

government is having a challenge countering online spaces.

Shortly before we came on air, I spoke by video link to David Flear

of the Dounreay Stakeholder Group, who lives in Hallkirk,

I began by asking him if radioactive material like this shouldn't be

dealt with as close as possible to where it is produced.

The decision was made long time ago that the fuel should not be

reprocessed at Dounreay. The government decision was that we

would decommission our ability to do that and the fuels would be

transferred initially to Sellafield. I believe that material has been

moved before to the United States by air?

We have had concerns about how it will be transported. God he's not

concern is that local people share? One of the things we try to do is

scrutinise safety and the second aspect is security. We are aware of

regulation and the various bodies working together to make sure that

any movement of material is as safe as it can possibly be.

This is obviously part of the deal that fuel can't be returned to

France for the treatment of cancer. Is there a benefit to the local

community of it being done in this way?

I think there is benefits to the populace. If this material can be

used in the fight against cancer then that does not just benefit

Caithness but the whole of Europe as well.

Friends are calling it the arrest date stunt.

You are talking about large amount of material. 27 stone. To

medium-sized people. There is a considerable amount of fuel at

Dounreay to be moved over the years. Many tonnes. When they see this as a

significant amount, you have to put it in perspective. When somebody is

telling me it has to move by air, what is the safest transport in the

world? It is a travel. But people are

concerned about the attraction to terrorists of the movement of the

rescue material. Absolutely. From a local

perspective, we are concerned about security and we see security

associated with the site and with the movement of day so there is a

reasonable ruling that these things are being managed and looked after

well. Thank you very much.

Apologies, we had a few technical gremlins is eerie. I should've

explained before that it the context of the story.

The Prime Minister has announced plans for nuclear fuel to be

transported from Dounreay in Caithness to the United States.

It would be the biggest ever shipment of highly-enriched uranium

In return, America will transport some of its nuclear material

to the European Atomic Agency, where it'll be converted to medical

The deal has been described as "a risky stunt" by

Well, listening to that in our Edinburgh studio

is the environmental journalist Rob Edwards.

Good evening to you. What is behind the steel? I think what we have two

or member is that, this is part of the toxic legacy of Dounreay, which

was a frail nuclear experiment which wasted billions of pounds over

decades. We know, as the previous speaker was

saying, that has left a big legacy of at least 100 tonnes of

radioactive fuels that have to be disposed of at Dounreay and about

one tonne of that, 1000 kg, is it enriched uranium. 700 kilograms of

that is what I presume is part of this new deal that Cameron is

announcing that will go to the US. I kind of understand why people in

Dounreay are pleased that part of their toxic legacy is being taken

away from them, as the man said it was going to go to Sellafield but

now it's going to the US. The trouble is, with this kind of

material, no one wants it. I had a press release this evening from

South Carolina in the US where I think this material is liable to end

up and they are saying they don't want to be Scotland's nuclear

dumping ground, so you have a problem wherever this material is

going to end up. What if it has to be disposed of,

from Scotland's point of view, is that not a useful way of getting rid

of this, which has to go somewhere? It does have to go somewhere. The

argument that takes place is whether it is safer to leave it where it is,

which is an argument that a lot of inventor mentor rips will make,

because the day of transporting terrorism are too great. --

environmental groups. Any place that makes nuclear waste has to take

response ability to look after it. The previous solution was that it

was going to go to Sellafield, but some people would argue it should

stay at Dounreay and should be guarded there and looked after there

because that's where it was created. These are very difficult dilemmas

and I'm not really quite sure how you solve them.

How real are the safety concerns? You heard David their supporting,

there has been 20 years experience of moving nuclear material like

this. There has. There have been certainly

incidents and accidents with it, but nothing that has been very serious.

We are living in a very dangerous world right now and some of this

material could be made into a dirty bomb, some of it could possibly be

weapons grade. We are not quite sure. When they

make these kind of shipments and have made them in the past, they

have to be very heavily guarded, sometimes they have an extra boat

with them with armed people on it to try and prevent attacks. It's a

dangerous business, shipping the stuff around. Some people would

argue that common sense says it is better to keep it where it is for

you can look after it. Thank you for joining us.

It's nearly the end of week one in the campaign

Today political leaders wanted to talk about mental health,

broadband, and support for rural communities,

But the week has been dominated by two big themes -

Tax has been the big story this week.

I'm going to put forward fair and reasonable tax proposals which

actually raise more revenue. More tax for our education and health

system. Labour were accused of dropping plans for the rebate for

the lowest paid. Everyday earning under ?20,000 a

year will not pay more than a penny in tax.

The green unveiled their own tax plans earlier, they want a new 60p

rate for highest earners in a new property tax.

The majority of households would be paying less, the majority would pay

less. The council tax is based on valuations are quarter of a century

old. The Lib Dems want to put income tax

up by 1p, they are commenting investment in education and mental

health services. If we invest in the future by

investing in the skills of our young people, then we can create that

circle of wealth and opportunity through growing business.

The Conservatives say Scots should pay the same tax or people in the

rest of the UK. I think it's not in the national

interest to have a higher rate of tax year than the rest of the UK.

The Tory leader also came under fire this week on changes to disability

benefits. I spoke up before the changes

happened and I'm happy they happen. But it's not scaremonger, there will

not be any cuts to the money coming in for disability.

The SNP say they will mount a fresh push for independence in the summer,

so will there be another referendum? If so, when? If people wanted to be

once in a generation, once in ten generations, that's exactly what it

will be. But equally, if people don't want back the opportunity to

make that decision again, then that is up to the people of Scotland.

There was talks of splits and Ukip with claims that the leader had

undemocratically stitched up places on the party's lists of candidates.

As a party that right itself on localism, on choosing local

candidates in local champions, it is essentially spat on the idea, ripped

it up and thrown in the bin. Ukip denied the allegations. So a

week of campaigning down. We go to the polls five weeks today.

Here in the studio to discuss that and the day's other news

are the journalists Katie Grant and Paul McNamee.

Welcome to both of you. It is the end of week one.

One of the highlights and for you? There haven't been any highlights,

it's been very... They are all in a sort of state of over excitement at

the moment because it is week one. They'll calm down a bit by week

three him we might get sense. Some of the interesting things has Ruth

Davidson has come out very clearly for tuition fees and she's got some

sort of grip on how things actually work. The really interesting thing

at the moment is the SNP dilemma. They're probably going to walk the

election, what is it matter really? What they've always set themselves

as a kind of Robin Hood, the Robin Hood party. Down with a rich and

let's tax the rich and give it all to the poor. But now they are the

party of Government, they can no longer do that. For the first time,

they are actually having to behave in a collection like a party of

Government. Perhaps that's been the highlight of the week, seeing them

try and sell this to their more enthusiastic supporters.

There's been a lot of talks about taxing the rich they speak, the 60p

top rate from the Greens, 50p top rate from Labour, do you think that

matters to the voters or is it just symbolic to be saying we might do

something radical with tax powers? Of course it matters. Everybody pays

tax, nobody wants to pay too much tax. There is a sense that Scotland

will claim to be more social democratic, therefore would be

welcome, some people would welcome paying a little but more if it helps

protect Social Services. But at the end of the day, no one wants to

spend more money then they have to so, yes, it is important to people.

But that debate about the top rate, you could put the SNP Government in

a position of saying, we would like to have it as 50 people, but we are

worried the rich wouldn't pay it. Quite an interesting discussion to

be had, whereas the other parties are sort of trying to be radical. I

think the point that you made there, when the SNP now is the party of

Government, they have the power to do these things that are remaining

still, they are not to anything. That seems to be the tail of the be,

because they had... There was a very harsh editorial about the SNP not

acting when they said they would, there was a report on how to fix

social justice, help the poor not be as poor as it would be. Nicola

Sturgeon promised to act on it but hadn't. That doesn't seem to have

had, apart from the editorial, doesn't seem to have had any

damaging effect on the SNP and chances are it won't. No matter what

they say or do, they're going to end up one or two seats up, around 70

odd seats, they are sitting comfortably. It doesn't seem to be

in their interest to rock the boat on anything. Therefore, it means

this could be a really long, dull campaign. What we wanted some and

some Ukip to... Let's hope it's not going to be dull, we need something

to talk about the next five weeks. In two televised debates, D think

anybody came out on top in any of those?

No, not really. The politicians all sound the same. They're not all

saying the same thing, I am not suggesting that they are, but they

all sound the same. Perhaps it is because it is week

one, but they are all over empathizing, they are all over

excitable and I think people just switch off. A sound like trained

puppies, that's almost worse. So you're not getting anything very

radical or very interesting. We know what they're going to say before

they say it. There is so much guff sprouted, it

doesn't mean anything. That is true, but I think Willie

Rennie of all the party leaders is the one who has shown some kind of

thinking and intellectual depth, perhaps you had him before, because

when you had the face-to-face and each was asking the other questions

standing in the middle in that weird manner that they had, it worked to a

degree, good today, but he was the one who seemed to have the most

substance to the questions and responses, and it wasn't necessarily

just responses, and it wasn't necessarily

better get the line out there. responses, and it wasn't necessarily

postal seemed to shift, although as we know from the last election, the

general election, the pollsters can get it very badly wrong. Research

for the British polling Council said today that the polls for the last

year's generation with the least accurate since surveying began over

70 years ago. Do you think the public book more skeptically on.

Because of last year? I think they do. I think the public know what the

polls are about. We give them the wrong answers, we are bored of being

manipulated and asked for things. We are asked for everything, it has a

kind of feedback thing now, we are asked all the time. You buy a pair

of shoes and you've got to send aid back to somebody. We are getting

wise to that. Often back to somebody. We are getting

with the status quote, it may We'll leave you tonight

with Ronnie Corbett, Do you play golf? Yes, I do. I'm not

very good, I played nine holes. Played five, fell down for.

It's good night for me... And it's good night from him.

Good night. Scotland's identity, culture

and voice were fast disappearing. The 20th century

was not distinctively Scottish. But a small army of writers

were fighting to revive it. He wants to stir things up, and

he wants people to read more widely. He changed Scottish

literary history. concludes with

The Cultural Revolution. Continuing on BBC Two, it's...

Wow! That looks complicated.