Universities' fear of Islam

This letter was published in the Evening Standard on Wednesday 27 January 2010
If UCL Provost Malcolm Grant believes “colleges must let extremists speak”, his inquiry into the Christmas Day bomber’s time at his institution will be a waste of time and his appointment as chairman of a national review is highly questionable.
As a former senior chaplain of the United Reformed Church to London’s universities and colleges, it became clear to me a long time ago that many universities live in fear of Islam and do not know how to handle issues of extremism.
At one gathering of a university Islamic Society which I was invited to attend, the speaker praised the two planes hitting the Twin Towers on 9/11 as heroic acts. I felt terrified. When I asked the university how it could allow such a speech to be given, I was told nothing could be done because of the laws of freedom of speech.
To build a safer society with greater integration, we need to stop looking the other way and start addressing the issue of fanaticism boldly, without exaggerated political correctness. Educational institutions should be at the top of our priority list.
The Rev Nadim Nassar, director, Awareness Foundation.