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08/07/2004:

"British Cultural Official Tied to Slurs Against Muslims"

New York Times
LONDON, Aug. 6 - The British Council, which promotes culture and learning around the world, has suspended one of its senior press officers after it emerged that he is suspected of being the author of a series of newspaper commentaries attacking Muslims and denouncing "the black heart of Islam.

The council, whose official patron is Queen Elizabeth II, operates as the cultural arm of British diplomacy in 110 countries. A spokesman for the organization said Friday that the press officer, Harry Cummins, was suspended from his post on July 29 after the newspaper The Guardian identified him as the likely author.

"All of us who work for the British Council are appalled that our organization should in any way be associated with the deeply offensive content of these articles," the spokesman said.

In one article the author stated, "All Muslims, like all dogs, share certain characteristics." Another commentary asserted, "It is the black heart of Islam, not its black face, to which millions object." full article

No worse insult to them than having a 'black heart', even worse, if possible, than having a 'black face.'