'Britain Breeds Muslim Terrorists'

Nobel laureate and Nigerian political activist Wole Soyinka wrote an op-ed in the Times of London defending controversial comments he made during an interview on The Daily Beast, when he called Britain a “cesspit” and breeding ground for fundamentalist Muslims. His accusations stem from Nigeria being placed on a U.S. watch list because of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, also known as the Christmas Day bomber. Although Abdulmutallab was born and raised in Nigeria, Soyinka suggests his extremist views did not develop until he attended university in London. The same story applies to Richard Reid, the shoe bomber. Soyinka says his friends fear for their sons who are at British universities because they appear to be "caught up in Islamic fundamentalism." Although he points out several reasons why London is to blame, he says a large part has to do with its acceptance of all cultures and ideas. "I am not condemning the idea of the open society, but alongside freedom sits responsibility," he wrote. "When freedom of expression is abused by the preachers of hate—either racial or religious—then the state has a responsibility to act."