Ala Abbas
The Home Affairs Select Committee published the findings of an Inquiry into online extremism on August 25, calling on social media organisations to take responsibility for the content published on their platforms. “There must be a zero tolerance approach to online extremism, including enticement to join extremist groups or commit attacks of terror and any glorification of such activities.”
The Inquiry acknowledged the different factors that contributed to radicalisation, including Islamophobia in the mainstream media: “Islamophobia contributes to young Muslims feeling alienated from mainstream society, as we heard in Bradford and Glasgow, thereby potentially leading to them becoming more susceptible to radicalisation.” It recommended that media organisations do not identify terrorists as Muslims, but as terrorists and followers of Daesh.
The Inquiry called for the concerns about the Prevent strategy to be addressed, “otherwise it will continue to be viewed with suspicion by many, and by some as ‘toxic’.” Its recommendation is an overview of Prevent training provided to frontline professionals delivering the Prevent Duty. It recommended that an independent body “report on the advantages and disadvantages of placing the Prevent duty on a statutory basis and the range of institutions which are subject to the duty.”
The Inquiry referred to the support given to the families of individuals who travel abroad to join terrorist organisations as “lamentable”. It recommended that there needs to be an advice and counselling service for people “who wish to raise concerns and ask for help when worried about their loved ones being radicalised.” Although emphasising the need to support families in these circumstances, the Inquiry expressed a wish to use the experiences of these families to learn more about the radicalisation process: “By constructively engaging with the families and friends of people who have been radicalised, lessons can be learned, which is crucial to better identifying the tipping point for their transition to extremism.”
The Inquiry called on the Muslim Council of Britain to “do more to expose and remove those who preach or advocate race hate and intolerance, and particularly those who draw young people into extremism.” It called on the MCB to show “more effective leadership in supporting families concerned about their loved ones.” The Home Office was called on to provide support for existing community initiatives such as Families Against Stress and Trauma (FAST).
The Inquiry touched on the importance of rehabilitation for extremists, commending the Danish approach to returning foreign fighters: “The Government needs to have a more effective strategy to help those who have genuinely moved away from extremism and wish to reintegrate into society.” Denmark has been running a rehabilitation programme for returnees since 2014 which offers medical treatment and assistance with finding work or further education.
In written evidence submitted to the Inquiry, Dr Sarah Marsden, a lecturer in radicalisation at Lancaster University, said that even though people who were once radicalised might wish to move away from extremism, it can be very difficult to do so due to stigmatisation and emotional trauma, a view that is very different in tone to the recommendations of the Government-funded inquiry into prison extremism led by Lord Acheson.
The Inquiry referred to the importance of engaging with young people: “It is clear that they are willing to discuss their concerns and share their views, and they should be given a safe space to do so. The Government must move urgently to develop a programme that helps these young people better develop the critical skills required to be conscious of manipulation and grooming and to actively question information they receive.”
When it came to the role of faith, the Inquiry took the line of connecting “extreme interpretations” of faith with political extremism. It recommended a “resilience programme” involving community organisations and the police to “encourage young Muslims to challenge extreme interpretations of their faith.”
