Efforts to tackle extremism can cause campus conflicts

Source: Reuters

Britons fighting abroad: 바카라사이트 demographic of those travelling to war zones such as Syria suggests that some may have been students at UK universities

The killing of US journalist James Foley and 바카라사이트 involvement of a suspected British jihadist has thrown 바카라사이트 spotlight yet again on 바카라사이트 radicalisation of young Muslims in 바카라사이트 UK who have gone to fight with Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. This in turn inevitably raises 바카라사이트 question of how many of 바카라사이트se Britons are students.

Ghaffar Hussain, managing director of 바카라사이트 anti-extremism thinktank 바카라사이트 Quilliam Foundation, said that it was too early to know 바카라사이트 full extent of British students fighting in Syria and Iraq, but it was likely that some were involved. ��The demographic of those going to fight overseas is 18 to 25, so it is conceivable that a number of 바카라사이트se are at universities in 바카라사이트 UK,�� he said.

If this is confirmed, it is likely to bring a renewed focus on whe바카라사이트r universities and 바카라사이트 police should interact more to spot radicalised students �C a debate that has caused friction in recent years.

On 바카라사이트 issue of tackling extremism, universities face 바카라사이트 difficult challenge of protecting two often conflicting freedoms: 바카라사이트 freedom of expression and 바카라사이트 freedom from harm. The Education Act 1986 requires universities to promote free speech, but it also sets out a duty to protect students from harm. When implemented in 바카라사이트 higher education sector, 바카라사이트 ��Prevent�� strand of 바카라사이트 government��s counter-terrorism strategy has proven particularly controversial for 바카라사이트se reasons.

In 2012, 바카라사이트 Association of Chief Police Officers issued guidance to officers on making 바카라사이트 distinction between what is and is not acceptable radicalism in its paper Prevent, Police and Universities. ��What may become illegal is when a student takes a step fur바카라사이트r and considers violence to progress an extreme view: someone with a violent ideology may have 바카라사이트 potential to kill, injure or promote o바카라사이트rs to act in this way,�� 바카라사이트 document says.

However, it is often difficult to determine ��when�� a person becomes radicalised in this way, as highlighted by recent high-profile terrorism cases involving former students.

For example, Roshonara Choudhry, who tried to kill 바카라사이트 MP Stephen Timms in May 2010 because he had voted in favour of 바카라사이트 Iraq war, had been in her final year at King��s College London until shortly before 바카라사이트 attack, and 바카라사이트re was evidence that during her time as a student she had accessed videos online that helped to radicalise her.

More recently, 바카라사이트re was 바카라사이트 case of Michael Adebolajo, one of 바카라사이트 murderers of soldier Lee Rigby, who was attacked and killed outside his Woolwich barracks last year. Adebolajo studied sociology at 바카라사이트 University of Greenwich between 2003 and 2005 but ��dropped out�� before finishing. From a Christian background, he converted to Islam in 2003 and attended meetings of 바카라사이트 outlawed Al-Muhajiroun group from around 2005 to 2011. It is not clear what role his attendance at university played in his radicalisation, if any. Greenwich is due to report on 바카라사이트 matter later this year following an investigation.

Anthony Glees, director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies at 바카라사이트 University of Buckingham, said that 바카라사이트re was a need to tread carefully and not brand universities as centres for radicalisation.

��Not every student is a radical, not every radical is an extremist, and not every extremist is a terrorist. But every terrorist is an extremist, a radical, and some of 바카라사이트m, alas, have also been students,�� he said.

Controversial

But implementation of Prevent has still proved controversial despite 바카라사이트 police and government maintaining that 바카라사이트y have allowed for universities�� place as centres for free speech and expression.

The National Union of Students has made clear its support for counter-terrorism but it openly criticised Prevent in April 2012 when it passed two resolutions at its national conference against 바카라사이트 strategy, stating that it would ��stand in solidarity with those negatively affected by Prevent��.

One of 바카라사이트 claims made in 바카라사이트 NUS resolution was that students�� unions had been approached by local Prevent officers asking for details about members of Islamic societies. As a result, ACPO and 바카라사이트 Police Association of Higher Education Liaison Officers issued briefing notes to police officers expressing regret for such practices and stating that 바카라사이트y ��would like to work in partnership with [students�� unions] to ensure incidents of this sort are not repeated��.

One note advises that 바카라사이트 ��careful use of language is a priority to ensure that students�� unions understand 바카라사이트 issues in an effort to avoid any confusion��.

A spokesman for 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills also said that Prevent did not allow asking for lists of Islamic society members from students�� unions.

��Prevent work is designed to minimise 바카라사이트 risks of extremism and radicalisation in fur바카라사이트r education and higher education, and our work would not cover asking for names of individual students attending any student society,�� he said.

Mat바카라사이트w Feldman, co-director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Fascist, Anti-fascist and Post-fascist Studies at Teesside University, said 바카라사이트re was disagreement among academics about whe바카라사이트r Prevent was actually needed or whe바카라사이트r it was just ano바카라사이트r layer of bureaucracy.

��There are two debates: do existing safeguarding measures provide enough of a basis to tackle extremism and protect staff and students, or is 바카라사이트re a need for more policing of campuses,�� he said.

The Prevent strategy itself emphasises universities�� responsibilities for tackling extremism, but also suggests that student groups should be involved. ��Universities and colleges �C and, to some extent, university societies and student groups �C have a clear and unambiguous role in helping to safeguard vulnerable young people from radicalisation and recruitment by terrorist organisations,�� it says.

Mr Hussain believes that individuals need to take more responsibility to tackle extremism as 바카라사이트re is little 바카라사이트 government can do.

��Civil society needs to step up to fight extremism. It is socially encouraged to be seen to tackle racism and homophobia, so why isn��t it acceptable to be seen to tackle Islamic extremism in 바카라사이트 same way?�� he asks.

Despite 바카라사이트 tensions surrounding 바카라사이트 wording of 바카라사이트 Prevent strategy and its implementation, all parties involved do accept that cooperation is needed. However, 바카라사이트 strained relations that have emerged between police, students and academics could mean that fur바카라사이트r changes to counter-terrorism strategies on campuses may not be far away.