MPACUK spokesman hits out at 'power of the Zio lobby' on UK campuses

A representative of a controversial UK Muslim group has described an initiative led by Jewish society heads at campuses across the UK as indicative of the “Zio lobby”.

In a Facebook status posted on Saturday, Raza Nadim, spokesman for the London-based Muslim Public Affairs Council, which purports to “focus on non-violent jihad”, hit out against the “power of the Zio lobby”.

Mr Nadim’s rant on social media came after heads of every active Jewish society (JSoc) across the country called on Malia Bouattia, who is campaigning to be the next NUS president, to clarify previous comments she made about Israel. Signatories also questioned why she appeared to take issue with large JSocs, referring to a 2011 article she co-wrote which described Birmingham University as a “Zionist outpost in British higher education,” adding: “It also has the largest JSoc in the country, whose leadership is dominated by Zionist activists.”

The open letter to NUS Black Students’ Officer Ms Bouattia, which was published on Wednesday, also asked whether she welcomed an endorsement for her presidential candidacy by Mr Nadim, given that MPACUK has been banned from university campuses by the NUS.

In response to the open letter, Mr Nadim wrote: “This is the power of the Zio lobby (even at [university] level)."

He said: "I am angry at the [Islamic societies] because they aren't half as organised and dedicated as the Union of Jewish Students.

"Isocs should be organising mass sit-ins, escalating the fight against Prevent, making the case for Palestine and so much more but they aren't really.”

He went on to warn “Zios” who reported his endorsement of Ms Bouattia: “You really should’t poke a tiger, you terrorist-sympathising p*****.”

In response to Mr Nadim's comments a Union of Jewish Students spokesperson said: "This proves why MPAC deserve their place on the NUS no platform list and should remain there.”

Ms Bouattia is standing against current NUS president Megan Dunn and De Montfort student Adil Waraich. The next president will be announced at the NUS conference in Brighton next week.

In response to the Jewish students' letter, Ms Bouattia said: “It seems I have been misrepresented. I am extremely uncomfortable with insinuations of antisemitism.

"To take issue with Zionist politics is not taking issue with being Jewish”.