Magic Circle firm Clifford Chance has refused to say whether a trainee who posted a controversial video on YouTube in the wake of the Charlie Hebdo shootings will continue working at the firm.
Aysh Chaudhry made headlines across national media this week after posting the 21-minute video in which he blamed the Paris attack on non-Muslims who ‘killed our people and raped and pillaged our resources’. During the video, Chaudhry makes reference to non-believers as ‘kuffar’.
The 22-year-old trainee, who is thought to earn more than £40,000 a year, has since apologised for any offence caused by the video.
When asked about Chaudhry's future at the firm, Clifford Chance said that information was ‘confidential’.
In a statement, Clifford Chance said: ‘The views expressed in this video are personal and not those of Clifford Chance. The firm is committed to establishing an inclusive culture where people with diverse backgrounds and views work effectively together and feel confident to develop their potential.
‘We ask our people at all times to consider how their personal conduct and actions may affect those around them, their professional reputation and that of the firm.’
The firm also released a statement on behalf of Chaudhry, in which he said: ‘I have a deep and serious Islamic faith, I had no intention other than to encourage intellectual debate and would never support or condone violence.’
