British police apologise for Allahu Akbar slur in counter-terror exercise
Manchester police were forced to apologise after a mock suicide bomber shouted Allahu Akbar, Arabic for God is the Greatest, during a counter terrorism training exercise.
As part of the drill, an actor reportedly detonated an "explosive device" in a packed food court at the Trafford Centre, sending more than 800 volunteers running for cover.
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Dr Erinma Bell, a community activist who was made an MBE for her anti-gun campaign in Manchester, criticised the use of the sentence on Twitter: "We need to move away from stereotypes if we want to achieve Real learning. A terrorist can be any one."
Anti-Islamophobia group Community Safety forum said the use of Allahu Akbar "panders to stereotypes".
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In response, Greater Manchester police's assistant chief constable Gary Shewan said it was "unacceptable" and issued an apology:
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In it, he said: "The scenario for this exercise is based on a suicide attack by an extremist Daesh style organisation and the scenario writers have centred the circumstances around previous similar attacks of this nature, mirroring details of past events to make the situation as real life as possible for all those involved."
“However, 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.
“We recognise and apologise for the offence that this has caused.”
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