Islamic Media Unit

The Islamic Media Unit was setup in October 2001 in the aftermath of the attacks of 11 September 2001 to alleviate any future similar crisis and to address Islamic opinion throughout the world with a special emphasis on the Arab media. The key areas it covers is Foreign Policy in (Afghanistan, MEPP, India-Pakistan, Iraq) but, on the domestic front it also covers inter-faith relations and the role of the British Muslim community. Its aim was to strengthen support among Muslims for the objectives of the "War on Terror". The Unit claims to draw on in-house expertise in Islamic affairs, culture and media. Its main strategy, according to the FCO's 2002 Report, was to convey the British Government's message more effectively to an Islamic audience through developing

"links with key Islamic media services operating in the UK and overseas, providing them with FCO spokesmen able to conduct
interviews in the relevant languages, and briefing third parties at one remove from government for additional media appearances. The
Unit also liaised with the print media over publication of interviews with and articles by Ministers and prominent Muslim figures in
the UK in support of the coalition’s aims. It published and distributed leaflets in English, Arabic, Farsi, Hindi, Bengali, Urdu and
Turkish to explain the campaign objectives to a Muslim audience both overseas and within the UK. The Unit worked closely both with
British missions overseas to add value to their public diplomacy efforts, and with the Home Office on outreach to the Muslim
community in the UK. We shared our experience with other coalition governments, to strengthen support for the campaign against
terrorism more widely".  

Gerard Russell, a former Spokesman for Islamic Media Unit "participated in around 200 interviews and debates in Arabic with print and broadcast media across the Middle East on a range of foreign policy issues" concerning the Middle East.

The Islamic Media Unit was set-up in conjunction with the Coalition Information Center (CIC) which co-ordinated the coalition’s public communications about the military, diplomatic and humanitarian aspects of the campaign against terrorism. The CIC - to which the FCO claims to have made major contibutions and has offices in London, Washington and Islambad - is otherwise known as the "propaganda wing of Operation Enduring Freedom" , and was "known among journalists who tried to cover the war in Afghanistan as a veritable disinformation center." . The London CIC was housed within and partially staffed by the Foreign Office..

The unit allegedly retains access to "experts" at handling the media. and a database of regional experts which can be brought in at short notice in the event of a similar crisis. In the recent "crisis" the 'Islamic Media Unit' has provided news press releases in fluent Arabic; the aim according to the Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO) is to improve public perception of Britain and its allies across the Arab and Muslim world and also within Muslim communities at home. .

Islamic Media Unit (July 2004)

Head of Unit: Gerry McCrudden

UK Government Spokesman for Arab Affairs: Dean McLoughlin (Formerly (2003) Gerard Russell)

Deputy Head of Department and South and East Asia Desk Officer: Christopher Hilton

Arab Media Advisor: Dr Ashraf Eissa

Urdu/Asia Media Adviser: Dr Simon Qadri

Islamic Media Bids and Support: Tanweer Hussain

Islamic Media Unit (August 2005)

Head of Unit and UK Government Spokesman for Arab Affairs: Randa William

Deputy Head of Department and South and South East Asia Desk Officer: Christopher Hilton

Arab Media Adviser: Randa William

Urdu/Asia Media Adviser: Dr Simon Qadri

Islamic Media Media Bids ands Support: Chris V Williams