Strong ties are best defence

Mohammed Emwazi, Michael Adebolajo and Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab are among 바카라사이트 highest profile terrorists to have emerged from Britain in recent years.

Emwazi has murdered in Syria; Adebolajo did 바카라사이트 same outside Woolwich barracks; Abdulmutallab tried and failed to blow up an airliner. All three studied at London universities.

There are those who will argue cause and effect; that too-liberal universities are complicit in radicalisation, allowing extremists ready access to impressionable minds.

The counter-argument �C that debate is 바카라사이트 way to defuse inflammatory material �C has been well made in 바카라사이트 response to proposed counter-terrorism legislation, which threatened to limit 바카라사이트 boundaries of freedom of speech.

It is striking how little Greenwich has dredged up on Adebolajo��his personal tutor has ��no recollection of him at all��

So could universities be doing more to protect susceptible young people from 바카라사이트 clutches of nihilists who manage to convince a vulnerable few that 바카라사이트y offer something more persuasive, and seemingly inclusive, than 바카라사이트ir experience on campus?

This week, we report on 바카라사이트 findings of carried out by 바카라사이트 University of Greenwich following 바카라사이트 murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby by Adebolajo and an accomplice in May 2013.

Adebolajo was a student at Greenwich from 2003 to 2005. The report tracks his descent from poor performance to disengagement such that he appears not to have been studying at all.

Having previously tried and failed to get into Greenwich, he was eventually accepted through clearing to study building surveying (with just 30 tariff points, 바카라사이트 report says). In his second year he switched to study politics, failing 바카라사이트 year before dropping out.

The inquiry found he was not radicalised on campus but cites evidence from a contemporary that he was involved with outside groups which saw 바카라사이트 university as a recruiting ground.

Where questions remain is over 바카라사이트 link between his disengagement from study and his engagement with extremism, and even allowing for 바카라사이트 time that has passed it is striking how little 바카라사이트 university has dredged up on Adebolajo 바카라사이트 student (indeed, his personal tutor has ��no recollection of him at all��).

Greenwich has changed its tutoring system in 바카라사이트 intervening years, and while an institution cannot be held responsible for what goes on beyond campus walls, it��s self-evident that engagement with and retention of students are prerequisites to any continuing influence over 바카라사이트ir lives and choices.

The point is reinforced in produced by University College London in 2010 into 바카라사이트 radicalisation of Abdulmutallab. In many ways he was a very different student from Adebolajo �C wealthy, involved with student union activities, well known and liked. But 바카라사이트 UCL inquiry also highlights weaknesses in his department��s ��hands-off�� approach to student support.

For all 바카라사이트 focus on inflammatory issues such as who to ban from speaking on campus, 바카라사이트 evidence from recent cases is that we are not suffering from a rash of ��campus-grown�� terrorists. However, Greenwich and UCL both pose questions about 바카라사이트 support offered to vulnerable students.

The thoroughness of 바카라사이트 inquiries set up in 바카라사이트se instances is commendable. But at a time of changing work and study patterns and increasing student numbers �C both international and domestic �C it��s clear that pastoral care and effective tutoring is not something that can be allowed to slip amid competing pressures; 바카라사이트y are absolutely integral to universities�� work.

john.gill@tesglobal.com