Mosque raid: Were the right tactics used?

Seven men have been arrested after 150 police took part in an anti-terrorism raid on Finsbury Park mosque in north London.

Scotland Yard said all of the men were arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000 and include six north Africans and one eastern European between the ages of 22 and 48.

The mosque has frequently been in the news because of its connections to the radical Muslim cleric Sheikh Abu Hamza.

Mr Abu Hamza insisted no link with terrorism would be found.

However, the Metropolitan Police stressed that "the operation was not against the mosque itself or the many people who go there on a regular basis to pray".

They said they had not entered parts of the building used for prayer and had targeted offices and living rooms instead.

What tactics should be used by the police when dealing with sacred places?

This debate is now closed. Read a selection of your comments below.

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Your reaction

One of the lynchpins of the unwritten constitution of this country is the sanctity of the Church. Yet in the past churches have been raided by the police to stop illegal activity. No institution in this country is above the Law. So, why does Islam, an imported religion with no historic ties to this country, think that it is a special case?? The arrogance of some Muslims beggars belief!!
Nigel MacDonald, UK

Throughout the World now the majority of problems with violence and strife are associated with religions and in the light of that it is likely that Police in every country will be looking very hard at religions and places of worship. I believe Police should have complete access to every building whether it is religious or not. I emphasise that this should be to search and detain and seize goods or suspects but never to purposefully desecrate religious buildings.
K Budden, England

What we now need more than anything is a sense of balance.

Stephen Speed, UK

What we now need more than anything is a sense of balance. Muslims are not terrorists and those of us who think a Muslim is any more likely than a Christian, Hindu, Buddhist or Jew to commit a crime should be encouraged not to believe such propaganda. On the flip side, I would urge Muslims to recognise that in every religion, society or group there will inevitably always be a few 'bad apples', and if it is necessary for the police (on good evidence) to raid a mosque, church, temple, monastery or synagogue then we should not condemn them.
Stephen Speed, UK

The police have done what we Muslims should have done a long time ago - root out violent hijackers from our mosques. These people and not the UK police are the gravest threat to a peaceful existence for Muslims in the UK. We Muslims must think logically and clearly about our long-term existence in this society.
Omar, UK

The action that the police took i.e. forced entry into a place of worship and then arrests of several people from the premises would normally indicate that the police were overwhelmingly convinced that the mosque was being used by terrorists. They had better be right otherwise their image will suffer very severe damage like it did in the case of Stephen Lawrence's murder investigation.
M S Sheikh, UK

I am stunned by the British government's propaganda and misinformation

Sohil, Algeria/UK

I am an Algerian Christian who lives in both Algeria and the UK. I am stunned by the British government's propaganda and misinformation and the naivety of its people. I have two questions to ask, One. The Algerian Newspaper Le Matin stated that in early 1990 the Algerian Government has given a list of wanted Algerian men to British Government. The paper asks why wait ten years later to forward these names to the police? My second question is why are they labelled terrorist, did they commit any terrorism activities during 10 years of living in UK? None whatsoever
Sohil, Algeria/UK

Given recent events I think the government should outlaw the practice of the Muslim faith in the UK and close every mosque. Those Muslims who want to stay in this country should take an oath of allegiance. Those who refuse should be deported. That will help sort the problem!
Peter Brown, UK

There is a disturbing aspect to the nature of the police raid. A job well done? or just the notion of something must be being seen to be done?
Barry B, UK

Given the results of this raid, the Muslim faith does itself no favours in objecting to police tactics. It behoves the religion to take firm action against its own hardliners, making it known that misuse of mosques will not be tolerated. Any softer approach could have disastrous consequences for community relations - and trust.
Tom, The Netherlands

The rule of law must prevail in a way that does not jeopardise long-term relations

Abdul Ahmed, England

There are surely more appropriate ways of apprehending suspects and monitoring unlawful activities than barging into a sanctified place. The rule of law must prevail in a way that does not jeopardise long-term relations and gives cue to racists and bigots waiting to unleash their own actions. This action of the police seems to indicate a knee-jerk reaction analogous to what is happening to Muslims in the USA.
Abdul Ahmed, England

The police raid is an act of sheer outrage perpetrated under an incoherent strategy on dealing with national security. A simple request by the police would have proven sufficient to investigate the mosque premises. I cannot for a minute suspect the police would ever contemplate storming a church or a synagogue. Muslims it seems are fair game.
M Shakeel, UK

The police conducted a correct and legal action (although not under the most fair of laws) that was called for against certain individuals. The question is not of this place as a site of worship but of this site as a public building and the centre of a community not comprised wholly of these suspected criminals. As such the police should have demonstrated a bit more tact and consideration towards the vast majority of peaceful members of this community.
Ben, UK

Given that the British authorities have known for months that terrorists have used the mosque I am surprised it has taken them so long to act. The State's primary duty is to protect its citizens which this Government has reneged on time and time again, hamstrung by political correctness and their own left wing. Why does it take the near miss of the release of biological weapons on the British mainland for the government to recognise their primary responsibility?
Richard, Sweden

The police activity is against the suspected criminal, not the law-abiding majority who happen to congregate there

John B, UK

I fail to see how raiding a mosque because of suspected terrorist activities is a raid against Islam, any more than I see investigating a priest accused of child abuse is a raid against the Christian church, or the arrest of a shoplifter is an affront to others who use the same shopping mall. The police activity is against the suspected criminal, not the law-abiding majority who happen to congregate in the same place.
John B, UK

For months now news stories have indicated that certain individuals have been using this mosque as a possible recruitment base, and it is frustrating to feel that nothing was being done.
Andy C, UK

Yes it was right. The only thing wrong was the timing. It should have been done months ago!
Richard, England

Having visited the Regent's Park Mosque on several occasions, finding nothing but kindness and good will from almost everyone, my surprise stems from the door broken down by police. Was anyone even asked to open up?
Abdulfez, Japan

If that place is being abused to shield suspected criminals then there is no other option

N Khan, UK

Of course the police used the right tactics. No one wants to "violate" a holy place but if that place is being abused to shield suspected criminals then there is no other option.
N Khan, UK

The law must be above everything and everyone. Mosques are not immune from that. Mosques should be a place for worship, not for activity linked to terror planning. The police have taken this action to protect the people of this country and they must be applauded for it. This is a clear message that religion is a personal matter while humanity is everyone's business.
Salar Bapir, UK

At last some positive action, but this should have happened over a year ago.
Mike Allan, England

It is because Britain is such a free country that police are having to hunt down terrorists. I find it very frightening that UK's do-gooders put the fear of upsetting a religion over the safety of millions. Of course the police had to do this, nobody can hide behind religion.
Victoria, UK

All Muslims will definitely not support the use of a mosque as a front for other activity, but equally will not tolerate the invasion of a house of worship on mere suspicion.
Momo F Turay, Sierra Leone

To the UK police, I salute you! Of course the actions of the police were justified! Criminals DO hide behind moral and safe facades like the church (take another example, the molesting priests who have preyed on young boys). Which brings me to say, isn't the church a culprit for a lot of the world's problems - terrorism, war etc?
Lisa Ainsworth, UK

Even after 9/11 the West still knows nothing of Islam

James Clarke, UK

Interesting PR stunt by the police, "Look - we're actually doing something." But totally in bad taste. I mean using battering rams when the door is open or would be opened if they just knocked. Just goes to prove even after 9/11 the West still knows nothing of Islam.
James Clarke, UK

When a religious building starts to become involved in non-religious affairs (eg political speeches linking with terrorism) it has become desecrated by its users, and ceases to be entitled to be treated with the same degree of reverence as before.
Andy, UK

As a Muslim, I am deeply troubled by such news - that certain Muslims should reach new heights of depravity by using a place of worship in this way. However, I would like the outcome of this investigation to be known rather than disappear into the ether like the 11 September inquiries.
AT, UK

Any complaining about this should be ignored

Andrew Cover, UK

If the sacred location was being used as a base for planning murder, then I would imagine that any tactics used to prevent this from happening would be approved of by all decent followers of the associated religion. Any complaining about this should be ignored.
Andrew Cover, UK

The police and the anti-terrorism squadron have done an excellent job. I hate it when people try to gain support by stirring up religious hatred with those from a different faith. Hate it even more when these people are fighting for themselves and claim to be fighting for God or Allah.
S Law, United Kingdom

We are more scared of ourselves than any external threat and being branded racist seems the most terrifying danger in Britain today¿ not murder.
Mr Campbell, UK

The police have hurt the feelings of all true Muslims

Basit, UK

I am appalled at the action taken by the police. In a civilised free country like the UK, this should not have happened in a holy place of worship. The police have hurt the feelings of all true Muslims with this act of reckless behaviour. It will be hard to trust them again.
Basit, UK

Prevention of terrorism is not about the rights and feelings of the individual, it's about the safety of the population.
Dan, England

No establishment should be regarded as off limits if it is a threat to British security.
Tim, England

If there is intelligence that points to a mosque then so be it. I don't want to be killed by political correctness.
John, UK