In Canada last August, police arrested several suspected terrorists who had circuit boards that could be used to remotely detonate bombs. They have since been charged and are awaiting trial. But the police say they made one mistake – they made the arrests during the “holy” month of Ramadan.

As RCMP investigators searched through homes, computers and the seized equipment of three terror suspects arrested at the end of August, the RCMP’s community outreach office in Ottawa was calling an emergency meeting of the cultural diversity consultative committee to apologize to local Muslims.

“To show support to our Muslim brothers and sisters during RAMADAN, there will be no food or drink during this most important meeting. This meeting is for one hour only, in order to observe prayer time and the breaking of the fast during RAMADAN,” wrote Cpl. Wayne Russett.

Of course police in Muslim countries carry out arrests during Ramadan without complaints (apart from the obvious ones). In fact, even the people being apologised to couldn’t work out why:

“This e-mail is an indication of how within the RCMP there are officers in authority who do not see the threat Islamism poses to our nation, but unwittingly perform the role of useful idiots,” said Tarek Fatah of the Muslim Canadian Congress.

“Why would they apologize to Muslims for arrests during Ramadan?” one of the meeting participants asked. The person, who did not want to be named, highly doubted police would call a meeting of Christian leaders to apologize for arresting someone on Christmas Day.

You’re entering the realms of madness when even people you’re grovelling to can’t understand what you’re doing it for.