Today I randomly recalled that "This is Woke" - the outlet that we learnt last year was a government Counter Terrorism outfit pretending to be "grassroots" - contacted me after my poem went viral in 2017- i found the email which is dated just 2 weeks after my poem went online -

Here's the story on them https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/revealed-woke-media-outfit-thats-actually-uk-counterterror-programme but basically its part of a wider govt strategy to "affect behavioral and attitudinal change" in young Muslims - e.g. cultivate opinions which conveniently reproduce and comply with the state's agenda

I dont know how I forgot about them contacting me but it made me reflect on how much research goes into the CT propaganda work of finding "authentic Muslim voices", and then co-opting them so that we become mouth pieces for the government to legitimise its policing of us.

I can only thank Allah and continue to pray that those leeches know they cannot use me. I think they know im too far gone now but back in 2017 when i was thrown onto a public platform i can see exactly why i was appealing to them -which reminds me of

in maybe 2018 when a muslim woman prevent lead DMd me on twitter saying it would be good to get a coffee as we had so much in common. i played along and asked what we would chat about? and she said "things we have in common e.g. being muslim women"...red flag who speaks like that

anyway, just weird the things i forget and then what you later realise was actually something really surreptitious or sinister, may Allah always safeguard us from being oppressed and being oppressors. ameen

oh to add - i did actually meet up with the Woke woman (unfortunately) as she offered that they would make a film of my poem (which they didn't) (and she said she left the organisation like a week later)... it makes me angry knowing that was essentially a surveillance exercise :(

RICU were found to behind This is Woke and just to help you understand what they do you can see the below - they're essentially propaganda - working with communications agencies to co-opt grassroots orgs/people to SAY the messages THEY author...