London, Jan 21, IRNA — The National Association of Muslim Police (NAMP) has castigated one of the main planks of the government’s counter-terrorism strategy as misguided, stigmatising Muslims and causing Islamophobia.
The government was wrong to blame Islam as the main cause of terrorist activity, the association warned MPs investigating the Prevent Violent Extremism programme.
Research by “those convicted of terrorism acts shows Islam was not, and is not, a real driver but all our strategy seem to focus on is this un-evidenced view of Islam being the driver,” it said in a memo to the Communities and Local Government select committee.
“In fact the research shows that firstly the so called terrorist have little if any knowledge of Islam and secondly were they to be more islamically aware they may not be susceptible to such deviance or actions,” the memo said.
It suggested that “foreign policy and an uneven handed approach to world affairs” has caused major concern in the country’s communities.
Last month, the Institute of Race Relations also castigated the entire premise of Prevent, finding that it had been used “to establish one of the most elaborate systems of surveillance ever seen in Britain”.
The Guardian also reported from its own investigations that the £140 million programme was gathering intelligence to spy on innocent Muslims.
NAMP, which represents over 2,000 Muslim police officers, warned that the government’s attempt to combat terrorism has left whole communities “stigmatised.”
“It has also arguably isolated them and visibly made them the focus of all our anti-terror actions for a substantial period. The net result may have caused some serious damage to community cohesion,” it told MPs.
“Our British system is a model for the world to follow, yet we have embarked on a journey that has put this very core of British values under real threat.”
The association warned that the government’s anti-terrorism policies could not continue unchecked and was causing a rise in Islamophobia.
“It can be argued that there is a connection in the rise of Islamophobia and our Prevent programme, as it feeds on the stereotypes that the media and some rightwing parties promote, ie that all Muslims are evil and non trustworthy.”
“The hatred towards Muslims has grown to a level that defies all logic and is an affront to British values. The climate is such that Muslims are subject to daily abuse in a manner that would be ridiculed by Britain, were this to occur anywhere else,” it said.