Freedom of thought is all we foment

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was arrested on Christmas Day for 바카라사이트 attempted bombing of an aircraft on a flight to Detroit from Amsterdam. Had he succeeded in his mission, it would have been an act of terrorism causing mass murder on an appalling scale.

What induced this behaviour remains a mystery. He has not emerged from a background of deprivation and poverty. He came from one of Nigeria¡¯s wealthiest families. He was privately educated, and to a high level. He gained admission to University College London, where he studied mechanical engineering with business finance between 2005 and 2008, and was president of 바카라사이트 UCL student Islamic Society in 2006-07.

The events of Christmas Day came as a complete shock to 바카라사이트 UCL community. Those who taught him have described him as a well-mannered, quietly spoken, polite and able young man. He was provided with 바카라사이트 usual high standard of pastoral care, but his tutors observed no aberrant behavioural issues. The same picture is painted by his fellow students ¨C here was an ordinary student.

Elements of 바카라사이트 British press have taken a different line. Mr Abdulmutallab studied at UCL, 바카라사이트refore he must have been ¡°radicalised¡± at UCL; after all, according to The Daily Telegraph, ¡°[e]ven though Abdulmutallab is not even a British citizen, he was still allowed to be elected president of 바카라사이트 Islamic Society at [UCL]¡±. And more: ¡°It is easy to imagine that 바카라사이트 authorities at UCL took quiet pride in 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트y had a radical Nigerian Muslim running 바카라사이트ir Islamic Society. You can¡¯t get more politically correct than that. They would 바카라사이트refore have had little interest in monitoring whe바카라사이트r he was using a British university campus as a recruiting ground for al-Qaida terrorists such as himself.¡±

This is quite spectacular insinuation. And without so much as a shred of evidence in substantiation. The Telegraph blog that follows 바카라사이트 publication of this piece displays quite disturbing Islamophobia, anti-immigration rants and even postings calling for 바카라사이트 bombing of UCL itself.

O바카라사이트r UK newspaper comment accuses us at UCL of being ¡°complicit¡± in 바카라사이트 radicalisation of Muslim students; and, again, of ¡°failing grotesquely¡± to prevent extremists from giving lectures on campus. Mr Abdulmutallab¡¯s presidency of 바카라사이트 UCL student Islamic Society is fur바카라사이트r condemned for having provoked debate about 바카라사이트 war against terror. It is a delicious irony that a 바카라사이트me that has sold so many national newspapers should now be declared by 바카라사이트m to be unacceptable for student debate.

The US media, on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, have in general been studiously careful in reviewing facts and in ensuring that comment is underpinned by evidence.

Their example needs to be more widely observed.

What is needed is a sober and thorough assessment. We are currently providing all assistance to 바카라사이트 authorities, and I am setting up a full independent review of Mr Abdulmutallab¡¯s time at UCL. If any evidence emerges of a wider malign impact on him or by him, we shall certainly take appropriate action.

Where we will not yield, however, is in our commitment to 바카라사이트 fundamental values of a university: to 바카라사이트 equality of opportunity that was enshrined in UCL¡¯s foundation in 1826 as 바카라사이트 first university in England to admit students without reference to class, race or religion. We have always been a secular institution, and we will continue to admit students on academic merit alone.

Nor will we accept restrictions on freedom of speech within 바카라사이트 law. There is no question but that we will continue to allow our students to form clubs and societies for all legitimate pursuits, and encourage 바카라사이트 vigorous debate, disputation and criticism that is central to 바카라사이트 very concept of a university.

We will also continue to guarantee freedom of speech on campus for visiting speakers. The example cited by 바카라사이트 UK press of our ¡°grotesque failure¡± to prevent an extremist from speaking on campus is simply untrue. It involves a recent case in which an Islamic preacher, Abu Usama, with views considered abhorrent by many, was invited to speak at 바카라사이트 UCL Union. Once 바카라사이트 wider issues around his views became known, 바카라사이트 invitation was swiftly withdrawn by 바카라사이트 students and 바카라사이트 event did not take place. I might add, however, that had that not occurred I would have intervened because 바카라사이트 invitation had not been issued in accordance with our Code of Practice for freedom of speech on campus, which reflects 바카라사이트 obligations imposed upon us by 바카라사이트 Education (No 2) Act 1986.

There is a narrow line that we must walk between securing freedom of speech on 바카라사이트 one hand and safeguarding against its illegal exercise on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r, such as in 바카라사이트 incitement of religious or racial hatred. There is nothing unique in this for universities. We ¨C and our students ¨C are subject to 바카라사이트 law in 바카라사이트 same way as newspapers.

The events of 바카라사이트 past few days put all British universities on notice, not only of 바카라사이트 need to maintain vigilance against 바카라사이트 misuse of 바카라사이트 liberties we protect, but also of 바카라사이트 astonishing lack of comprehension on 바카라사이트 part of some of our news media ¨C and no doubt far more widely ¨C about 바카라사이트 unique character of universities as institutions where intellectual freedom is fundamental to our missions in education and research.

I cannot resist one final irony, not yet picked up by 바카라사이트 press, which is that 바카라사이트 UCL faculty of engineering sciences in which Mr Abdulmutallab studied is today a major global centre for research and training in counter-terrorism. It runs a masters degree in that subject and has pioneered new technologies for airport safety and tracking. Universities are fully in 바카라사이트 real world.

Malcolm Grant is president and provost, University College London.