In a letter to the Home Secretary Caabu Director Chris Doyle has called for her to issue an immediate clarification to her comments in the media about the use of the name Jihad. She had stated in the wake of the terrible attack on the synagogue in Manchester that "As a Muslim, I've never heard someone being called 'Jihad’" referring to the perpetrator of the atrocity.
However, as Doyle points out, this is a very common name in Arabic used by Christians as well as Muslims. This has escalated the risk to British Arabs called Jihad, who may suffer from hate attacks and abuse. Several have reached out to Caabu about this.
The letter is as follows:
To Rt Hon Shabana Mahmood MP
Home Secretary
4 October 2025
Dear Home Secretary,
In the wake of the appalling attack on the synagogue in Manchester you gave an interview to Nick Ferrari on LBC News on 3 October.
In that interview you stated that: "As a Muslim, I've never heard someone being called 'Jihad'."
Whilst in no way questioning your experience about not knowing anyone called Jihad, it is actually a very common name in the Arabic speaking world, used by both Muslims and Christians. For example, Jihad Azour the former Lebanese finance minister and is Director of the International Monetary Fund’s Middle East and Central Asia Department, is a Christian. There is the Hollywood actor, Jihad Abdo; another actor, Jihad Saad; the Syrian Christian economist, Jihad Yazighi; the businessman Jihad Salkini; and the former diplomat, also a Christian, Jihad Makdisi. There are many, many others. The name of course as you know does not indicate any notion of war but the duty to strive to improve. Because of hostility, already some Arabs called Jihad have started using the name, Jay instead, such as Abdo and Salkini mentioned above.
This is very serious because many British-Arabs are called Jihad too, working in all sectors of life here. Several have reached out to me fearful of the impact of your words, that what you said has inadvertently put them at risk from retaliatory attacks and abuse. These are names given to them at birth and have zero bearing as to what their political and religious beliefs maybe.
Would you please consider putting out an immediate clarification as soon as possible in as public a way possible to offset this risk. As I am sure you will agree the last thing we need is any further hate attacks or abuse.
Chris Doyle
Director
Ends...
Notes to editors:
1) For more information or interviews contact Chris Doyle on +44 (0)7968 040281
