police have revealed a total of 2,653 young people aged 15 to 24 were referred to government-funded de-radicalisation programmes between 2006 and 2013.
According to a report by Islamic campaign group CAGE, schoolchildren are being reported to the authorities by schools, youth workers and doctors, amid concerns they are exhibiting signs of extremism.
Research included in the 56-page document claims children with extreme political views are being sent for “deprogramming”.
The group, which is closely linked to former Guantanamo Bay detainee Moazzam Begg, 45, arrested last week on suspicion of Syria-related terror offences, reckons the Government is overstepping the mark by targeting kids for its Prevent Strategy.
The strategy is designed to tackle the problem of terrorism at its roots, preventing people from supporting terrorism or becoming terrorists themselves.
Cases quoted in the findings include: “A nine-year-old schoolboy in east London, who was referred to the authorities after allegedly showing signs of extremism – the youngest case known in Britain. He was ‘deprogrammed’ according to a source with knowledge of the case.”
And in Blackburn, Lancs, “at least 80 people were reported to the authorities for showing signs of extremism. They were referred to the Channel project, part of Prevent”.
CAGE claims the findings are part of the “criminalisation” of the Muslim community in the UK and have led to Britain becoming a “Security state” for followers of Islam.
“A nine-year-old schoolboy in east London, who was referred to the authorities after allegedly showing signs of extremism – the youngest case known in Britain”
In 2006/07 just five individuals were referred to a “multi-agency panel” to deal with potential terrorists but that figure had increased to 748 in 2012/13 with the overall total reaching 2,653 cases in just seven years.
And groups which get Prevent Strategy cash have also been accused of milking taxpayers.
One east London-based radical told us the authorities’ attempts to “turn him” following his release were little more than a box-ticking exercise.
Web designer Mizanur Rahman, 29, was jailed for six years in 2007, on a solicitation to murder charge linked to protests against Danish newspaper cartoons depicting prophet Muhammad as a terrorist.
Following his release on licence in 2009 he attended a series of Government-funded de-radicalisation sessions he now claims were a farce.
Jihad-loving Rahman from Palmers Green in north London alleges he “signed in” at the London HQ of the government-funded Active Change Foundation (ACF) for six months in 2009 but says no attempt was made by centre boss Hanif Qadir, 49, to change his views.
He said: “I had a four-man team (from probation) look after me. As soon as my licence was over I went back to life as normal, business as usual.
“Once I was back outside I was giving talks and lectures and attending demonstrations. If anything, my audience grew.
“Hanif Qadir actually attended one of my meetings with Waltham Forest probation. I met him every fortnight. He did nothing.
“I used to go to his office, sign my name in and go home. That was the extent of my de-radicalisation with Hanif.
“That’s what I found with all these Prevent-funded schemes – it’s just a face for the media, a money-making scheme.”
Reformed extremist Mr Qadir, who founded ACF in 2003, denied Rahman’s claims, calling them a “fabrication”.
He said: “This guy is a total liar. This is just a futile attempt to undermine our credibility. It makes sense for them to try and discredit us.
“The only discussion I had with probation was to tell them he was a very devious individual who does not want any mentoring.”
No comments:
Post a Comment