Omar Khan Sharif, left, who was radicalised on campus and became the first British suicide bomber recruit in the Israel-Palestine conflict, along with Asif Hanif, right
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Universities given 'how-to' guide for fighting violent Islam
The Government today issued explicit guidelines aimed at tackling violent Islamist extremism on Britain's university campuses.
A 20-page booklet aimed at university Vice Chancellors and principals of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) advises campus administrators how best to resist extremist groups and preachers attempting to radicalise their students and commit themselves to violent jihad.
The document, following general guidelines issued last year to tackle all forms of extremism among students, contains several "real life" scenarios specifically aimed at targeting Islamism.
As well a definition of "violent extremism in the name of Islam", the guidelines describe various pieces of anti-terrorism legislation that might be relevant to controlling extremist groups.
The specific nature of the advice drew a rebuke from Universities UK (UUK), the association of universities that helped prepare the last guidelines, while a coalition of Muslim students said the document contained little to improve campus relations.
Universities UK praised the guidelines for offering "practical and useful information for staff and students alike on recent legislation" but observed: "UUK’s earlier document focused on all kinds of extremism, not just on extremism in the name of Islam.
"Universities are some of the most diverse communities in the UK, and work hard to ensure community cohesion on campus across all faiths and racial groups. Universities have a duty of care to protect vulnerable groups, and they also have a responsibility to assure all their constituent communities that they are party to fundamental values of free enquiry and free expression within the law."
The scenarios described in the booklet include the invitation of a preacher suspected of justifying terrorist attacks against British civilians; the taking over of an Islamic prayer room; and the radicalising of an Islamic students group, in which moderate members are frozen out and bullied into electing hardline leaders.
In another case, "a member of teaching staff has raised concerns with university authorities about some literature that was left lying around in a university room in which she took a tutorial group.
"Some leaflets were written in English, and others appeared to be in Arabic. She reported that the literature in English had titles such as ‘Who is a legitimate target?’ and ‘From Jihad to a new world order.’"
A separate scenario describes a member of the college library staff watching students using the internet. "She reported that two males were looking at some kind of home-made images of other men dressed in military and civilian clothing holding guns," the guidance says.
"The two men were joined by two others and she could see that they were watching shots being fired and explosions on the computer. The images then appeared to show somebody making a home made explosive device."
In this case, the booklet advises: "The HE provider will have a policy on internet use and internet security... If it is alleged that these policies are breached then what is the process for sensitively investigating allegations, and if necessary who should decide whether to inform the police?"
According to the Department of Education Skills (DfES), today's document is the product of 18 months of consultations between colleges, the police and Muslim students and leaders.
Launching the guide this morning, Bill Rammell, the Minister for Higher Education, said: "The guidance provides a recognition - that I believe must be faced squarely - that violent extremism in the name of Islam is a real, credible and sustained threat to the UK. And that there is evidence of serious, but not widespread Islamist extremist activity in HEIs."
"This guidance is not about targeting one particular community."
The document was welcomed by the British Muslim Forum today, although the group said it would like to see similar guidelines issued to help confront "the anti-Muslim extremism of the far right".
But the Federation of Student Islamic Societies (Fosis), an umbrella grup that represents around 90,000 Muslim students in the UK, joined the National Union of Students and other bodies, issuing a statement saying there was a need for positive proposals.
"Demonising Muslims is unacceptable and dangerous, whether in educational institutions or in communities," the joint statement said. "Students and staff should be assured by their institutions that there is no intention of adding to a climate of Islamophobia."
The busy life of university campuses and the fluid nature of student organisations have for years enabled Islamic extremist groups to organise addresses by radical preachers and to target young Muslims amenable to violent interpretations of Islam.
Members of proscribed groups such as Hizb-ut Tahrir and al-Muhajiroun have been reported giving speeches and forming new student associations.
The sentencing of Dhiren Barot, the most senior al-Qaeda operative to be prosecuted in Britain, last week revealed that he had a fake research pass for Brunel University, allowing him access to the campus.
The Sunday Times reported last weekend that fundamentalists had been recently reported at least four British universities: Brunel University, west London, Bedfordshire University, Luton, Sheffield Hallam University and Manchester Metropolitan University.
The newspaper quoted Sheikh Musa Admani, an imam who helps moderate the views of radical young Muslims and is one of Mr Rammell's advisers, saying that extremist groups were adept at avoiding campus bans and joining mainstream organisations with the aim of turning a few members to their cause.
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