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| Britain |
| Counter-terrorism officials rethink stance on Muslims |
| 2007-11-21 |
| read and weep Counter-terrorism officials are rethinking their approach to tackling the radicalisation of Muslim youth, abandoning what they admit has been offensive and inappropriate language. They say the term "war on terror" will no longer be heard from ministers. Instead, they will use less emotive language, emphasising the criminal nature of the plots and conspiracies. The government in future, they add, will talk of a "struggle" against extremist ideology, rather than a "battle". "We hadn't got the message right," said one senior official. He added: "We must talk in a language which is not offensive." Another said that the terrorist threat must not be described as a "Muslim problem". The change in tactics came as Jonathan Evans, the head of MI5, is expected to tell MPs today that the amount of time for which terrorist suspects should be detained without charge is a matter for parliament and the police. MI5 believes it is not for the security and intelligence agencies to advise the government on this issue. Unlike the police, MI5 does not have the power to arrest or detain suspects. He is due to appear in private before the Commons home affairs committee, which wants to question him about government plans to extend detention without charge beyond the existing 28 days. Though the two initiatives - extending the pre-charge detention period and adopting a more conciliatory approach towards potential extremists - appear contradictory, officials say they are linked. Evans warned earlier this month that terrorists were radicalising people as young as 15 to carry out acts of terrorism in the UK. But he also said close attention must be paid to "our use of language...we are tackling a threat which finds its roots in ideology, so words really do matter." MI5 chiefs were among the first to argue that the term "war on terror" was inappropriate, as it exaggerated the nature of the threat and even legitimised the actions of the bombers. The change in approach by counter-terrorism officials is part of plans by the government's Research, Information, and Communications Unit to counter al-Qaida propaganda and win hearts and minds. The unit, headed by Jonathan Allen, is part of the Home Office, but will work closely with the Foreign Office and Department of Communities and Local Government. Whitehall officials are being asked to draw up "counter-narratives" to the anti-western messages on websites designed to influence vulnerable and impressionable audiences here. They will set out to explain what one official called the government's "foreign policy in its totality", counter the accusations made by al-Qaida sympathisers and extremist groups and pinpoint the weaknesses in their arguments. The unit will also support "alternative voices" in the Muslim community. Counter-terrorism officials recognise that mistakes were made in the past, not only in the use of language, but in the way in which the officials were slow to appreciate the influence of radical ideology on elements of Britain's youth. But they admit that the counter-radicalisation campaign may be jeopardised if it is not reflected in the actions and operations of the security and intelligence agencies and the police, including how they use the powers the government plans to give them. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #16 In the end it will be both. |
| Posted by: Secret Master 2007-11-21 18:50 |
| #15 They will get precisely what they are trying to avoid: rivers of blood. Exactol, twobyfour. The only question is whether it will be from murdered Europeans or that of Muslims running out from under the charnel house doors. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-11-21 17:56 |
| #14 Stories like this are getting all too common. We need a new Rantburg category: Not With A Bang, But A Whimper. |
| Posted by: Dave D. 2007-11-21 17:50 |
| #13 They will get precisely what they are trying to avoid: rivers of blood. One only has to wonder whether they are so stupid or so deliberately suicidal. |
| Posted by: twobyfour 2007-11-21 16:07 |
| #12 Lord, I've lost any confidence that the Brits have a chance. Couple this capitulation by the police and their outflow of citizens as the influx of muslims continuies, and the country is no longer really Britain |
| Posted by: No More BS 2007-11-21 14:57 |
| #11 "We hadn't got the message right," And the message is, "You're all dog meat". Like bigjim says, giving up in small increments. We are witnessing a voluntary version of the death of a thousand cuts. If the message to your enemies is not offensive, you're doing something very, very wrong. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-11-21 11:55 |
| #10 'What we have here, is a failure to communicate.' |
| Posted by: wxjames 2007-11-21 11:40 |
| #9 good bye and thanks for all the fish. |
| Posted by: 3dc 2007-11-21 11:17 |
| #8 "...the radicalisation of Muslim youth... must not be described as a 'Muslim problem'..." Why don't we just call it a jihad problem and then the non-jihadis won't be offended. Or maybe we could just call it Gretrude with a wink. |
| Posted by: Darrell 2007-11-21 09:37 |
| #7 You are giving up in small increments. That's all it is, and if I can see it the Mooks can see it and the go crazy when the smell blood. Good luck, you will all be lucky if you don't end up lying in the street with a muslim love letter pegged to your chest by a butcher knife, like Theo Van Gogh. |
| Posted by: bigjim-ky 2007-11-21 09:08 |
| #6 Whoops! Mulligan: As long as people interpret the word "struggle" correctly (i.e.: No holds barred only if you can get away with it), it's OK with me. |
| Posted by: gorb 2007-11-21 08:58 |
| #5 As long as people interpret the word "struggle" correctly (i.e.: No holds barred unless you can get away with it), it's OK with me. |
| Posted by: gorb 2007-11-21 08:56 |
| #4 John Kerry could be elected PM there with that outlook. |
| Posted by: Jack is Back! 2007-11-21 08:56 |
| #3 The government in future, they add, will talk of a "struggle" against extremist ideology, rather than a "battle". My thoughts exactly. Our jihad against islam sounds good to me. Or better yet, call it "mein kampf". |
| Posted by: Excalibur 2007-11-21 08:30 |
| #2 Why don't they call the "struggle" against extremists the "Jihad", it's language we all can understand. |
| Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 2007-11-21 08:22 |
| #1 I think I could make a fortune by selling Marshall Pétain's photos in Britain. |
| Posted by: JFM 2007-11-21 07:33 |