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The council at the centre of the Baby P scandal sent a foster child to live with the ringleader of the airline bomb plotters, the Standard can reveal.
Abdulla Ahmed Ali lived in the same house as relatives who were approved as official foster carers by the council and given a child by Haringey social workers even as Ali plotted mass murder.
The child was with Ali's family in Walthamstow at the time of his arrest in August 2006 and was only removed afterwards.
Police found extremist literature, including a book by Abdullah Azzam, a key mentor of Osama bin Laden, hidden in a baby's cot at the house.
Ali, 28, and two of his henchmen were this week convicted of planning to blow up as many as seven civilian aircraft in a crime which police said would have caused carnage on an "unprecedented scale".
Haringey may have even unwittingly supplied Ali with an element of camouflage for the plot - and risked the child being murdered with his other would-be victims.
According to evidence at the trial, Ali and his co-conspirators discussed taking children on board the flights to allay the suspicions of security staff.
It is not clear whether the Haringey foster child was among the children he proposed to use.
Ali's wife has also been charged under anti-terror laws for allegedly failing to inform authorities of the plot. However, she strongly asserts her innocence.
Other members of Ali's extended family have also been investigated or had their assets frozen in connection with the bomb plot. One source said: "A desperate shortage of Muslim foster families may have been a factor.
"Muslim children can only be placed with people of the same faith and the need to find foster parents could mean that corners were cut in the vetting process."
In a statement, Haringey council said: "The placement here was made after checks and before anyone was made aware of any terrorist activity in the extended family network.
"The placement was ended immediately when the police were in touch and the arrests were made. The family no longer fosters for Haringey."
Haringey refused to say whether any staff had been disciplined and would not reveal the age or sex of the child, or how long it had spent with Ali's family.
Ali's family was approved for fostering even though he had a poor employment record, never holding down any job for long, and was unemployed at the time.
He was also under police surveillance and had a record of fundamentalist Islamic views, praising the Taliban and advocating the introduction of sharia law in the UK.
The case is the latest disaster to befall Haringey council's social services.
Last year, Haringey's director of children's services, Sharon Shoesmith, was sacked after a catalogue of failures by Haringey social workers allowed the brutalisation and murder of two-year-old Peter Connolly, Baby P.
In 2000 another child, Victoria Climbié, was killed after "blindingly incompetent" care by Haringey social services.
Haringey Liberal Democrat MP Lynne Featherstone said: "Just when you think Haringey cannot get any worse, it does.
"This beggars belief, and to say that questions must be answered is an understatement."
Tory Assembly member Brian Coleman said: "I think we seriously have to start considering whether we can trust Haringey with any form of children's services."
Reader views (33)
These men are mad and the trouble is our borders are open so many more can get in.
Isn’t it about time that those who say they are worried about Palestine and Lebanon started protesting against the Arabs once again firing rockets into Israel.
At least two Katyusha rockets struck open fields near Nahariya on Friday.
The rockets were fired from southern Lebanon and Israel Radio has reported that the Israel Defence Forces have launched retaliatory artillery into southern Lebanon. 4 were sent in from Gaza.
No nation will allow another to constantly rain down rockets on it’s territory. My point is those who express horror at Israel retaliatory actions should start now to stop these Islamic extremists firing into Israel. Don’t wait until Israel is forced to use massive power when thousands could die.
As there are now and estimated 60,000 rockets in both Gaza and Lebanon the next war could be horrific as Israel will have to use her maximum power just to survive. Iran’s actions aren’t helping as she now has ICBMs to carry nuclear bombs. These rockets apparently debeloped in North Korea who have launched them over Japan into the Pacific Ocean and have a huge range that will not only reach Israel but their range is as far as Newfoundland on the East Coast of America and threatens Europe including Britain. What is the West Waiting for, for these countries to trigger world War 111?
Talks about talks about talks about more talks are not working.Iran is prevaricating.
- Jas, Camberley UK
""Muslim children can only be placed with people of the same faith"
WHY!!? Really, why? This makes me so angry.
This is an absolute joke. Are catholic children only placed with catholic families? Jewish children only with Jewish families? And would they ban a muslim from fostering a Christian child? For some reason I'm guessing "NO!" to all 3 of those questions. The question is then - why is Islam once again being treated differently than everyone else, and with kid gloves. Is it in case some hardliners get angry? Divisive policies like this DO NOT not help the muslim community integrate.
I really am tired of so much respect being given to any religion - people are entitled to worship whatever sky-god they want, but it should not affect the rest of us, and we should stop "politically correct" policies that aim to avoid "offending" these religious people. Because it usually ends up offending the rest of us.
P.S. When will we make Darwin, Dawkins etc compulsory reading in all schools? To have medieval religions still causing problems in the developed western world in the 21st century is depressing.
- James Lll, UK
Assuming for one nanosecond that the spooks would trust Haringnormal council with the kind of information that would allow them to know they were about to place a child with a suspected terrorist, how long would it be before a sympathetic counci worker let the bombers know they were under surveillance?
The reason that councils and government are in such a parlous state is because they would rather spend our tax on Outreach Workers and translating documents into Welsh, than on joined-up IT projects.
- Nobby Clark, Perth, the Scottish one
oh yes, that silly Haringey Council. How dare they not order their mystics to scry the water?
It's in the rules they should, you know.
- Anon, Global Connection, Internet
Haringey council is crippled by political correctness and common purpose,and is probably the best example of Labours failed social engineering programme,- lets shut the whole rotten place down and sack all the useless imbeciles employed there,-and have a new council with a new name, because that one has got the pox on it for ever.
- Aufdeutsch, Kentish Gulag 3 EUSSR.
THIS STORY WON'T GO AWAY.
- Annie, croydon
I agree with Scott, the statement of policy 'Muslim children can only be placed with people of the same faith' is a disgrace.
I once harboured hope that British society would reach an age of enlightenment where it was realised that a belief in Gods was born of ignorance and that communities would no longer be separated due to religious upbringing. For example, Jews and Arabs are closely related genetically. Unfortunately dangerously foolish Nu-Lab with their promotion of multi-culturalism and the introduction of laws prohibiting free speech against religions has sent Britain back into the Dark Ages.
In my book, allowing the forcing a religion upon children. Particularly one that is oppressive and does not readily permit an individual to stop believing, fails to protect the interests of the child. Why do we condone the repeated brainwashing of vulnerable young people to take place? We ban Moonies!
If it was down to me, I would make religion as dangerous as under age sex, drinking and smoking. Would ban faith schools of any religion and make it illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to participate in any religious ceremonies. Every human being should be given the right to know, understand and even reject religion. Free from brainwashing, before they are given a believer label. There would also be no laws for one group of religious believers and another for the rest. We should all be treated equally.
- Harry H, London UK
As a Haringay resident, I can vouch for their excellent recycling and garbage collection services. And I left my car on a stretch of road that I wasn't supposed to park on - wow, were they efficient at sending a letter and demanding a fine! I wish their child protection services could be run with this level of efficiency but major changes are needed and as Tottenham is an area with many social problems, there could be perhaps extra help from the government.
- Lolly, Haringay
To all those that are saying "It the job of the secret services". It worth pointing out that Councils, under new powers provided them by Westminter, survey and spy on more UK people than GCHQ.
Just think, Haringey spying on your calls and emails. Heavens above.
- Hansel, London
What reasons can there be for muslim children only going to muslim familes?? This is totally opposite to all the policies about fairness, equality and non discrimination that Councils use to foster children with homosexuals, and stop children being fostered with Christian parents?
Why are muslims given preferential treatment?
- Ravi, bradford uk
EDITED by admin @ 14.46 on September 11 2009
breach of comunity guidelines
- C.Nichol, London
"Muslim children can only be placed with people of the same faith"
I think that says it all. Where is the equality? This pigeon-holing of people based on race and religion is what is helping fuel the divides we now have in the country.
- Scott, London
Haringey Council - a joke without a punchline.
- Alex, St Albans, England
'The foster child has been placed with Mr. & Mrs. Bigshark at The Sea, nr. Cornwall. We followed standard procedure. We don't see anything wrong with that.'
- John, London
Do you really expect Haringey Council to have better intelligence on terrorists than the security services?
Get real.
- Carl, London
This is a bit much, isn't it?
How exactly was Haringey Council supposed to know about any suspected terrorist links? Haringey removed the child when the police informed them so in this case, Haringey did not do anything wrong.
- Angela, London
This country uses the race card when it suits them. If we are supposed to integrate then why can't a child be placed with someone of another faith, as kids aren't born with any religious beliefs until they are brainwashed. It seems that nowadays there isn't one central or local government department that isn't in a complete and utter mess. Maybe one day we may get back to some common sense in this country and sort everything out.
- Sue, Orpington, Kent
As bad as Haringey Council is, this is a cheap political shot. Without access to information from the intelligence services, how could it possibly have foreseen this? What is Lynne Featherstone implying? That there should be a test to gauge the fanatical sensibilities of prospective Muslim foster parents? Absolutely ridiculous.
- Justin, London
How on earth were the Council supposed to know about any terrorist connections? To blame the Council is ridiculous in the extreme.
- S T G, London
Haringey Council has a nationwide reputation for poor child protection and support, based on similar fact evidence, poor training and lack of professionalism. Might it not be time for the local residents who pay their taxes, to ask if the Council is worth the money!
- Andrew, London
Miguel - exactly!
How can any council official know whether someone is a terrorist suspect? Social work staff do not have high level MI5 security clearance and so have to rely on police checks (CRBs). If the police put 'terrorist suspect' on their record, the terrorist in question is likely to be tipped off and it could poossibly undermine a serious investigation.
Was the child harmed? No. Was the child rmeoved from the house as soon as the terrorist was arrested? Yes. Could Haringey have done anything differently? No.
Move on.
- Liberal And Proud, London, UK
Haringey Council is a malignant growth on London's backside,its overpaid staff are riddled with incompetence,lacking in care,in short failing in almost every department.There needs to be a root and branch clearout of this hideously inept organisation,some of their employees are not fit to clean toilets or sweep roads never mind work in social services.
- Aufdeitsch, Kentish Gulag 3 EUSSR.
Have Harringay gone crazy? Interesting when this story runs alongside the need for 1 in 4 parents to register for the protection database and yesterday's news about the convicted murderer being considered to drive a Black Cab. It is not just Harringay that has lost the plot.
Clearly the madness has spread to many of those making up the rules that will affect everyone, except the few that matter.
- Jay, Southend
If true, why do Muslim children have to go with Muslim families? Do catholic children have to go to Catholics or Jewish kids etc etc?
- Chris, London
You really couldn't make it up could you. For those who think the whole Islamist terror threat is a MI5/CIA inspired conspiracy it really does show how incompetent our public services are and how there's no way they could have run this for so long and kept it hidden.
- Peter, Harrow, UK
"Muslim children can only be placed with people of the same faith..."
Surely children don't HAVE any "faith" - at least, not until they've been brainwashed by irresponsible adults. So why are our social services insisting on perpetuating what amounts to intellectual child-abuse? ...And funded by our taxes, too!
- Croyboy, Croydon
There is always a first time to commit acrime and It is would be extremely impossible for Haringey Council to forseee any terrorists link if these people have never committed a terrorists act or been informed by the police of any possible acts. This si not Haringeys Council's fault.
- Miguel Vargas, London Uk
One source said "Muslim children can only be placed with families of the same faith" - why? Isn't this religious discrimination? I thought that wasn't allowed in PC Britain and I thought integration was to be encouraged?
- Ab, London
Trying to work with Haringey in any department is like walking mid-scene into amateur hour. Noone seems to know what they are doing and what the rules actually are. The power is in the hands of a few department heads that are so detached that everything falls through the gaps.
What ever happened to these government intervention squads for failed councils ?
- Hansel, London
Well why not. Haringey Social Services are already in enough trouble, why not add a sadistic mental terrorist into the mix as well.
- Alan, LONDON
"Tory Assembly member Brian Coleman said: "I think we seriously have to start considering whether we can trust Haringey with any form of children's services.""
how the heck are we going to be able to weed out the terrorists if we don't know they are doing anything wrong!
- Peter, leeds uk
Oh come on! I know you don't like Haringey Council, but this is stretching it too far.
I am not aware that the Social Services are required to screen prospective foster families for terrorist links which, in truth, even those tasked to do so often struggle to do succesfully.
- Barry Chapman, Welwyn England
Working at Haringey must be like living in a badly scripted soap opera.
- Threaded, Roskilde, Denmark
