Debt-Ridden Convicted Robber: Just the Person to Whom Your Tax Money Should Go to ‘Prevent Extremism’

A convicted robber who converted to Islam after being jailed for 12 months has been handed £10,000 funding by Midland police and council leaders as part of their campaign to ‘prevent extremism’ amongst Muslim youth.

Bilal Davis was given the cash to set up Inner-City Guidance in Birmingham to ‘prevent youth offending and radicalisation of vulnerable Muslim teenagers.’

The company is currently £10,000 in debt due to rent arrears. Mr Davis set up the firm after spending 10 years at the University of Medina in Saudi Arabia where he studied Salafi Islam. The university is hailed as a leading centre for the study of the ultra-conservative Salafi interpretation of Islam followed by Al Qaeda members.

Prior to converting to Islam, Mr Davis, who also uses the name Abu Hakeem Bilal Davis, was a member of the black Birmingham gang, Inch-Hi, which became the notorious Johnson Crew, for six years.

His latest project is struggling financially and owes more than £10,000 in rent arrears on its premises.

Mr Davis set up Inner-City Guidance in Hockley in 2005. It was funded by the Birmingham Community Safety Partnership, which is supported by the police force, the city council, West Midlands Fire Service and other bodies.

Under that scheme Inner City Guidance was given £5,000 in 2005. This week Mr Davis received another £5,000 from the city council, which is believed to have come from the equalities department.

He said he has also applied for funding from the Preventing Violent Extremism Pathfinder fund, as well as other European funds.