Excerpt:
South Shields in northern England is an unlikely flash-point in the struggle against extremism.
Nestled just east of Newcastle, this is an area better known for its football than leading the charge against interpretations of Islam used to condone violence.
But the Al Azhar mosque in Laygate of South Shields was the UK’s first purpose built place of worship for the “The Toon’s’” vibrant Muslim community, one of the most established in the country.
In the late 1890s, thousands of Yemenis came to this industrial corner of the UK’s north-east to power a shipbuilding community that would become essential to the British effort in both World Wars.
“Can you believe Ali renewed his vows here?” chuckles 40-year-old Abdul Ahad, a speaker and imam at the Al Azhar mosque.