Counter-terrorism or counter-subversion?
A UK official who has worked extensively in law enforcement there focused on the Muslim community says the counter-subversion efforts of groups like the Quilliam Foundation needlessly make enemies of those ‘Islamists’ who are non-violent and as interested in preventing terrorism as any other citizen. “Prevent” is the name of the UK program to combat violent extremism.
As co-director of the Prevent-funded Quilliam Foundation, Husain argues that Prevent should target Muslims he describes as Islamists whether or not they are suspected of terrorism or violent extremism.
Such intrusion of civil liberties is warranted, he says, because his targets are extremists who “provide the mood music” for the 7/7 bombers and others who threaten the British public with violence.
Although there is no credible evidence to support this view it is one that Husain shares with influential think-tanks including Policy Exchange and the Centre for Social Cohesion in the UK and Daniel Pipes’ Middle East Forum in the US.
On this account, respected Muslim activists Iniyat Bunglawala and Anas Altikriti are described as “extremists” and “subversives” who should be targeted and stigmatised in the same way as terrorists inspired or directed by al-Qaeda.
Abdullah 9:11 am on October 29, 2009 Permalink |
As the Quilliam Foundation is a fully government funded body, there must be the presumption that it is just doing what the government wants done.