The Greater Manchester police apologized for an act that can be described as definite ‘Islamophobia’ and prejudiced outlook. During a mock drill at a shopping mall in Manchester, an officer shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’ before detonating a fake bomb.
In the footage available, the fake terrorist dressed in black is seen barging into the mall shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ before detonating an explosive and collapsing to the ground.
“On reflection, we acknowledge that it was unacceptable to use this religious phrase immediately before the mock suicide bombing, which so vocally linked this exercise with Islam,” a senior officer from the Greater Manchester Police was quoted by ABC News.
The police, who were trying to mimic a Daesh-like suicide attack, later said in a statement, “We recognise and apologise for the offence that this has caused.”
The phrase ‘Allahu Akbar’ is Arabic for ‘God is greater’. More than 800 volunteers participated in the mock drill held at Trafford Centre in Manchester. The drill was designed to match the attacks in Paris and Brussels. Some participants pretended to be wounded after the bomb went off and a few others frantically ran to secure spots from the scene of mayhem.
According The Guardian, police officials involved spent five months to plan the mock drill.
Meanwhile, the mayor of Greater Manchester Tony Lloyd too condemned the police department’s ignorance. “Ill-judged, unnecessary and unacceptable. It didn’t add anything to the event, but has the potential to undermine the great community relations we have in Greater Manchester,” Mayor Lloyd said.
The police said there was no specific threat in Manchester and that the exercise was devised in December—a month after the Paris attacks plotted by Islamic State’s jihadists which killed 130 people.
