I was a BNP activist ... and converted to Islam

[Menydh]

I was a BNP activist ... and converted to Islam

The Guardian
September 24, 2005

I hated all foreigners but feared Muslims the most. I grew up in the 1960s in Gateshead, in a predominantly white area; I can't remember seeing an Asian face there. As a family we were not religious. We only went to weddings, funerals and christenings. I was not interested in school, either. You didn't need to stay on because you were more or less guaranteed a job in the mines, steelworks or shipyards.

John Ord aka Muhammad Islam

When I was 16, all my friends were British National Party activists. It was a cool thing to do, and I joined in, too. I wanted to shock, to rebel. We would get together, drink, listen to music, chase girls and go out Paki-bashing. That wasn't a phrase we considered bad or wrong.

I remember my first time; it was a Saturday night and we had been drinking. We went into an Asian area and came across a lad of about 17. We started chanting - the usual thing, "Go back to your own country" - and then went after him. There were about 10 of us, and we kicked and punched him. When we ran away, I remember, we were laughing. I don't know what happened to him, and at the time I wouldn't have cared: I was in a group and we had camaraderie.

By the time I was 19 I was growing out of the BNP. I moved to London for work and stopped going to meetings. But I still hated all foreigners, especially Muslims. Over the next few years I became involved with people who went to Muslim meetings in Hyde Park, mainly to cause trouble.

Then, one day in 1989, I was walking past a secondhand book stall by the Royal Festival Hall when a cover caught my eye: it was the most beautiful picture, in the most gorgeous colours, of a building. I didn't know what the book was, but it was only 20p so I bought it. I thought I'd buy a cheap frame and have a nice picture for my wall. I had no idea until I got home that I had bought the Qur'an.

I was horrified when I found out. My initial reaction was to throw it away. But then I got curious. I started reading it, thinking I would find things to use against Muslims; I thought it would be filled with contradictions. When I was young, my mum always made her views known and from her I acquired a love of debating. Now, I would regularly go and debate with Muslims at Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park. As I did so, I started to get a very different picture of Islam. Seeing people pray in unison was such a powerful image.

A few years later, I returned to the north-east - I'd got a job as a chef. When I saw a group of Muslims at an Islamic book stall in Newcastle, I thought, "Here's another group I can wind up; I probably know more about Islam than they do." But I was shocked when I approached them; they were very knowledgeable. I kept going back because I enjoyed debating with them, and after four weeks they challenged me.

They wanted me to try to disprove the Qur'an and convince them my way of life was better. They said if I succeeded they would become Christians, but if I failed I should become a Muslim. I accepted the challenge. But after months of returning to the stall and debating, I realised I was losing and panicked. I stopped going to the stall.

Three years had passed when I bumped into one of the guys from the stall. As I thought about what I wanted to do, I felt as if a big rock were crushing me, but when I told him I wanted to convert, I had a total sense of peace. I made my final decision on Wednesday November 17 1996 and converted the following day. I have been close to the Hizb ut-Tahrir group ever since: I became a Muslim because of them; they were the guys at the stall.

When I told my family, my sister stopped talking to me. My father was horrified but didn't want to discuss it. My mother thought it was a phase I was going through and was more worried about what the neighbours would think. She now lets me pray in the house, but refuses to call me Muhammad (I was born John Ord).

I met my wife, who is Pakistani, after converting. We live in Birmingham, where she works as a primary school teacher. I have just started a degree in social work. When I look back, I can't believe the things I did; it feels like a different person and a different life. Ironically, because of the backlash from the London bombings, I now fear attack, and have started going out in my English clothes. In them I look like a bearded, middle-aged white guy.


[source]

[Menydh]

Apparently it is a trend. I reported on a more recent case in Britain:

What the neo-Nazi fanatic did next: switched to Islam

[svin]

That's just sick individuals.

But I know much worse example. I've read in one blog of one Orthodox priest who converted to Islam.

[Llywarch Hen]

What a load of rubbish. These oddballs have been set up to do this. If they ever really were Nationalists of any persuasion then they were there as infiltrators [common enough].

Or maybe they really have lost their marbles... Who knows, even Nationalists can go insane!

The fact that the man's sister stopped speaking to him, and that he has spat on his parents and all his ancestors by changing his name hardly speaks in favour of his righteousness.

The Guardian have most likely set this up, though. An interesting tactic to undermine our struggle. We shouldn't give it the 'Oxygen of publicity', talking about it here.

[Menydh]

Originally Posted by Llywarch Hen

What a load of rubbish. These oddballs have been set up to do this. If they ever really were Nationalists of any persuasion then they were there as infiltrators [common enough].

The art of infiltration assumes a well pre-planned target agenda. I sincerely doubt that converting BNP members to Islam is a well planned target by any stretch of imagination.

If you really want to start getting an idea as to the causes for such happenings, I would suggest that you have a good look at Skadi and at the pro-Islamic stance of its neo-nazi and new age nazi members. While you are at it, make sure that you don't miss the stated sympathies for Islamism of its owner and his not so long ago publicised intention of moving the server to Iran.

Next you might wonder how all of this affects the BNP. To answer this question yourself you should consider the political sympathies of theses and other BNP members.

Strange bed fellows indeed..

Or maybe they really have lost their marbles... Who knows, even Nationalists can go insane!

Especially when they were insane before their insanity being of the public domain.

The Guardian have most likely set this up, though. An interesting tactic to undermine our struggle. We shouldn't give it the 'Oxygen of publicity', talking about it here.

Much on the contrary. These are not isolated cases and we don't lack of examples in history.

Rather, one should analyze the causes as to why such things happen and consider the possible future outcomes.

[Kernunnos]

Originally Posted by Mynydd

The art of infiltration assumes a well pre-planned target agenda. I sincerely doubt that converting BNP members to Islam is a well planned target by any stretch of imagination.

If you really want to start getting an idea as to the causes for such happenings, I would suggest that you have a good look at Skadi and at the pro-Islamic stance of its neo-nazi and new age nazi members. While you are at it, make sure that you don't miss the stated sympathies for Islamism of its owner and his not so long ago publicised intention of moving the server to Iran.

Next you might wonder how all of this affects the BNP. To answer this question yourself you should consider the political sympathies of theses and other BNP members.

Strange bed fellows indeed..

Especially when they were insane before their insanity being of the public domain.

Much on the contrary. These are not isolated cases and we don't lack of examples in history.

Rather, one should analyze the causes as to why such things happen and consider the possible future outcomes.

Actually there was a real political alliance bwetween historical nazism and islam, let's remember only the few known examples, like the praise of Himmler of the islamic religion, the pro-palestinian stance, the moslem albos in the waffen ss (the worstest possible fighters according to their desperate german instructors) etc.

This is also true of communism, though.

But for these guys there is only an explanation: they find a winning army to fight in instead than a smalll and losing one.

It doesn't matter how honorable and right it is to really fight for one's race and country.

They realize that hey can join a bigger organization that will give them some real power.


It is hard to fight a desperate and uncertain battle, from which only poverty and persecution are to be expected.

They feel they have found a bigger abd more powerful army now.

It doesn'rt matetr if history is full of moral giants who lost all their goods because they kept on fighting for their beliefs up to the last.

Causes?

They were weak and uncertain of themselves, deep in their hearts.

[Alatis]

Thats just sick

[kanz]

Very sad to see. The whole thing about him converting is bad but I could deal with that as I don't really care what religion you are as I think there all myth's so to say. But the part about his new wife is just nasty. He was never a true nationalist as most true nationalists know its not about hate its about love of the white race or European race what ever way you wan't to look at it. By marrying his wife he has completly forsacen his country and his blood to the death of bedroom genocide. That is something that once learned you can never forget, I mean even if he decided to give up with it all you still wouldn't do something like that cause you know the damage that it does.

[Carnyx]

Loser!

[Strengthandhonour]

This guys are not very bright. So let's say they turn muslim and they do win(which at this point seems likely..) and then what? do they think the muslims are just going to say well done! and install a puppet government?