Startling Statisics

As discussed in yesterday's post, the Canadian government is growing increasingly weary over the growing role of Islamic radicalization in the penal system.

During the course of my year long (plus) research into Islam in the penal system, I collected some startling statistics about our brethren democracies across the pond....




In the UNITED KINGDOM, less then 3% of the general population is Muslim but more then 20% of the prison population practices Islam (and in some BRITISH prisons, it is estimated as high as 25%). This is more the quadruple the Muslim prison population in 1993. Authorities claim there was a noticeable increase of practicing Muslims in prison following the July 2005 bombings in London.


In FRANCE, less then 10% of the general population is Muslim but anywhere between 60% and 80% of the prison population practices Islam.


In SPAIN, less then 1% of the general population is Muslim but approximately 1% of the prison population practices Islam.


In AUSTRALIA, approximately 2% of the general population is Muslim but approximately 7% of the prison population practices Islam.


In BELGIUM, approximately 2% of the general population is Muslim but more then 15% of the prison population practices Islam.


In DENMARK, less then 5% of the general population is Muslim but 70% of the prison population practices Islam.


In GERMANY, less then 2% of the general population is Muslim but 34% of the prison population practices Islam.


In ITALY, less then 1% of the general population is Muslim but 29% of the prison population practices Islam.


In SWITZERLAND, less then 30% of the general population is Muslim but more then 60% of the prison population practices Islam.


In SCOTLAND, less then 1% of the general population is Muslim but 1.3% of the prison population practices Islam.


In the NETHERLANDS, less then 1% of the general population is Muslim but more then 20% of the prison population, in both juvenile and in adult prisons, practices Islam.

Those are some startling statistics, huh?

Radical Rock Stars

Terrorism suspects have been known to be treated like 'radical rock stars' in prisons across the world where they become pseudo-celebrities and makeshift Imam's for the prison's Muslim community (although there are certainly examples of the opposite being true).

We've seen this with the 1993 World Trade Center terrorists (imprisoned here in America) and in Australia's Supermax; we've seen this with many of England's Class A terrorism suspects/prisoners, as well as with members of the Dutch Hofstad network and the Spanish National Court plot.

Put in the right place, at that the right time and close to the right kind of prisoner former Guantanamo detainee Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani - pictured above in his younger document forging days - who is being tried here in my hometown New York, could be equally lauded.

In New York prisons, as much as 20% of the population is Muslim and the vast majority are African American (estimates place the number of African American Muslims in U.S. prisons as high as 95%).

Yet, across the entire American prison system Muslims are estimated to represent less then 10% of all inmates.

So this Tanzanian born al-Qaeda terror suspect might just be able to continue his "resistance behind the wire," if Lady Circumstance smiles down upon him from his cell.

This is what Barack Obama fails to understand in his haste to close Camp X-Ray. He places us all in much greater peril with the detainees on the American mainland then if he just let them stay in Cuba (or, in the case of the beleaguered Uighurs, Bermuda).

I will keep you updated on Ghailani as his trial as it unfolds.

Update... June 26, 2009
This, from a former NYPD official (God Bless the NYPD!) Richard Falkenrath.