Further Concerns Over Judgement and Accountability

Since this petition launched, a further incident has raised serious questions about judgement, due diligence, accountability, and the place given to survivor voices at the highest level of the Church of England.

On Friday 11th September 2026, the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Archbishop of Canterbury presented the Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation to Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi.

Ashrafi had previously attracted controversy for remarks concerning Osama bin Laden. In 2007, he said that bin Laden “must be given the lofty title of Islam, Saifullah,” meaning “Sword of God.” His representatives dispute suggestions that the remarks amounted to an endorsement of bin Laden.

The decision prompted strong criticism. Travis Frain OBE, a survivor of the Westminster Bridge terrorist attack, described it as a “grave misjudgement by the Church.” The National Secular Society called it “an insult to the victims of 9/11 and their families.”

On Thursday, 17th September, Lambeth Palace withdrew the award.

The episode raises a serious question: what due diligence was undertaken before presenting such an honour, particularly on the 25th anniversary of 9/11?

This controversy adds to wider concerns about scrutiny at the highest level of the Church and whether those who have experienced abuse, terrorism, and institutional failure are being properly heard.

Sources

This petition draws on publicly available information, including statements published by Lambeth Palace and reporting by BBC News, BBC Sounds, Church Times, ITV News, National Secular Society, Premier Christian News, The Guardian, The Independent, The Telegraph, The Times, and Thinking Anglicans.