Britain to import "moderate" imams from Pakistan to counter misunderstanders of Islam

The hope is that the largely Pakistani Muslim population in Britain would be more receptive to messages of moderation from Pakistani clerics.

But this is ultimately rather useless as long as "moderation" is such an ill-defined term. What specific ideas and practices do these "moderate" imams reject? Or will authorities settle for a sense of moderation as simply not being as bad as the next guy? And, lacking a definition of moderation, how will they screen the people they do bring into the country for this project?

April 16, 2008
Britain to import "moderate" imams from Pakistan to counter misunderstanders of Islam
The hope is that the largely Pakistani Muslim population in Britain would be more receptive to messages of moderation from Pakistani clerics.

But this is ultimately rather useless as long as "moderation" is such an ill-defined term. What specific ideas and practices do these "moderate" imams reject? Or will authorities settle for a sense of moderation as simply not being as bad as the next guy? And, lacking a definition of moderation, how will they screen the people they do bring into the country for this project?

"Imported moderate imams 'will counter fundamentalists'," by Philip Johnston for the Telegraph:

Moderate Muslim clerics are to be brought in from Pakistan in an effort to combat extremism in British mosques, the Home Secretary will announce today.
Jacqui Smith struck a deal on a recent visit to Pakistan under which respected imams could be invited to help British Muslims counter the fundamentalists.
The move is part of Government efforts to step up its so-called prevent agenda, which is aimed at tackling jihadi propaganda in Muslim communities.
In a newspaper interview at the weekend, Miss Smith said: "The vast majority of British Muslims have a Pakistani heritage. If we work with the Government there we can win the arguments.
"We need to do more to tackle those places where radicalisation is developing - in prisons, schools, higher education - so that people are getting the right messages about what it means to be a British Muslim.
"We will also work to ensure we identify vulnerable people being groomed for terror - in the same way we protect young people from being dragged into crime and abuse."
During her talks in Pakistan, the two governments pledged to work closely with communities in Britain to tackle the underlying causes of radicalisation. Ministers believe that preventing young Muslims being radicalised is a central part of their counter-terrorism strategy.
However, the Home Office has been criticised for allowing fundamentalist clerics into the country to preach and attend rallies.