A couple of years ago I was ridiculed and verbally attacked when I suggested that the British Government was trying to control Muslims to such an extent they wanted a uniform sermon in masjids on Fridays ... vetted and approved in advance.

I was accused of causing mischief and the main accusers came from a bunch of self important, male community leaders who thought they had access and influence with Number 10 because they occasionally had tea with Tony. Although I was barely two years old as a Muslim revert, the attack on me was personal, vicious and most un-chival ...

I must confess that the events of the last few days involving British woman Faye Turney and her Royal Navy shipmates have filled me with mixed emotions.

Faye is a captive of the Iranian Government and I can't help drawing parallels with my days as a prisoner of the Taliban way back in September 2001. Like Faye, I was simply doing my job and just like her I ended up being plastered across the world's newspapers portrayed as a victim of an evil, brutal regime.