London – The Metropolitan Police force is conducting a policy review after a Muslim officer refused guard duty at the Israeli Embassy on moral grounds.
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Constable Alexander Omar Basha of the force’s Diplomatic Protection Group objected to being posted to protect Israel’s embassy in central London because he disagreed with the country’s bombing of Lebanon. Commissioner Ian Blair asked for “an urgent review of the situation and a full report.”
Basha’s refusal of the detail met with scorn from John O’Connor, a former commander of the force’s elite Flying Squad. “This is the beginning of the end for British policing,” O’Connor said. “If they can allow this, surely they’ll have to accept a Jewish officer not wanting to work at an Islamic national embassy? Will Catholic cops be let off working at Protestant churches. Where will it end?”