London police using social media-savvy Muslims to counter extremist propaganda
Top counter-terrorism officer admits his department did not engage effectively with Muslim community in past
David Cameron speaks to students at a Birmingham school about ways that young Muslims can tackle extremism online. PHOTO: AFP
London’s top counter-terrorism officer Commander Richard Walton in an interview with the Evening Standard said that the Muslim youth were coming up with 'great ideas' to counter extremist propaganda on the Internet.
He said that the Muslim Youth forums held in recent months at Scotland Yard were helping the youth come up with idea such as the development of online messages to counter the appeal of the “jihadi bride” concept and to empower women and girls to resist extremists views.
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He added that young Muslims were also working with parents, imams and 'disengaged' peers and helping the police improve their counter-extremism strategy. Walton termed the engagement with Muslim youth “very positive”.
“We are sensing that Muslim youth wants to stand up to extremism,” Walton said, adding that the best people to counter Islamic State inspired narrative on social media are going to be young people from within the Muslim community who are not radicalised. “They are great kids who are used to social media and they look at it and say ‘why don’t you do this or why don’t you do that?’”
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The commander, however, admitted that his department in the past did not engage effectively with the Muslim community. “I’m not sure that in the past we invested enough in asking Muslim youth what they thought,” he said. “We’re going to get Muslim youth involved in training our officers. It’s important that our officers understand the cultural and religious issues.”
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Walton also highlighted the biggest challenge the police force was facing – Islamic State propaganda. “It’s glossy and high-quality. They are making promises of a better life which are patently not true. They are painting this rosy picture of a dream utopian state when in reality it is an ungoverned space controlled by a terrorist mafia.”
He said that the Muslim Youth forums held in recent months at Scotland Yard were helping the youth come up with idea such as the development of online messages to counter the appeal of the “jihadi bride” concept and to empower women and girls to resist extremists views.
Read: Britain's most high-profile cleric Anjem Chaudhry charged for extending support to IS
He added that young Muslims were also working with parents, imams and 'disengaged' peers and helping the police improve their counter-extremism strategy. Walton termed the engagement with Muslim youth “very positive”.
“We are sensing that Muslim youth wants to stand up to extremism,” Walton said, adding that the best people to counter Islamic State inspired narrative on social media are going to be young people from within the Muslim community who are not radicalised. “They are great kids who are used to social media and they look at it and say ‘why don’t you do this or why don’t you do that?’”
Read: Cleric who inspired Tunisia gunman lives in £1 million West London home
The commander, however, admitted that his department in the past did not engage effectively with the Muslim community. “I’m not sure that in the past we invested enough in asking Muslim youth what they thought,” he said. “We’re going to get Muslim youth involved in training our officers. It’s important that our officers understand the cultural and religious issues.”
Read: British Muslims protest in London against Charlie Hebdo cartoons
Walton also highlighted the biggest challenge the police force was facing – Islamic State propaganda. “It’s glossy and high-quality. They are making promises of a better life which are patently not true. They are painting this rosy picture of a dream utopian state when in reality it is an ungoverned space controlled by a terrorist mafia.”