Muslim women exempt from �90 national ID cards.

[Gromit]

Asian women who wear a veil will not have to pay �90 for an ID card like the rest of us.

"Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is considering a request to exempt some muslim women from national Identity Card scheme when it is introduce next year.

The Muslim Council of Britain argues that muslim women who wear the burqa should not have to carry the ID card as it would be useless for identification purposes.

A burqa is an enveloping outer garment worn by women in some Islamic traditions for the purpose of cloaking the entire body.

Miss Posal Dafil Roy a spokesman for the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) said "The main item of identification on the cards will be a photograph. Obviously this is useless when the subject is wearing a garment covering the face. I have asked Jacqui Smith to consider an exemption, and the Home Office have indicated that an exemption is likely to be granted.

Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari, Secretary General of the MCB recently met with the Home Secretary at the East London Mosque, and he is understood to have also pressed for the exemption.

The Government's timetable for introduction of the cards will see them gradually introduced from January 2009. The cards are expected to cost about �90 and every citizen will have to have one by 2012."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7281368.stm

Is this a dangerous loophole that needs to be closed? or Just facing up to reality that the ID scheme is unworkable for these ladies?

[B00]

gromit, im mightily impressed how you did that!

Aftr looking at it again, you can tell the page is a fake- no clickable links etc- but damn good copy and it sure fools you the first time you look at it.

[redvanman]

We should all wear a balaclava for how pass port pictures and see what the government say