British foreign policy ‘key factor’ in extremism

-11/11/05

A report has suggested tha


British foreign policy ‘key factor’ in extremism

-11/11/05

A report has suggested that British foreign policy is a “key contributory factor” in driving UK Muslims to extremism – a point previously made by Christians and others but which the government has so far denied.

The report comes from the government’s own advisers.

Working groups set up in the wake of the 7 July atrocities said the government should learn from the impact of its foreign policies, particularly in the Middle East.

The government has previously denied that its foreign policy – and in particular the war in Iraq – is to blame for increasing the threat of terrorist attack in Britain.

But the working groups’ final report said “radical impulses” among the Muslim community were often triggered by “perceptions of injustices inherent in western foreign policy”.

It confirms, what the religious thinktank Ekklesia, amongst others, suggested in its own response to the London Bombings: Beyond the Politics of Fear produced in July.

Ekklesia warned that; “the actions of Western governments in what is seen to be the invasion and occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq, denial of justice to the Palestinians, and support for autocracies across the Middle East for many years are the major sources of discontent for a large majority of people. They breed the anger that in turn produces an unaccountable minority willing to use terror tactics.”

The latest report compiled by seven committees appointed by the Home Secretary, Charles Clarke, appears to confirm this.

It says; “British foreign policy – especially in the Middle East – cannot be left unconsidered as a factor in the motivations of criminal radical extremists.

“We believe it is a key contributory factor. The government should learn from the impact of its foreign policies on its electors.”

The report also suggested that those who criticised British foreign policy should not be assumed to be disloyal.

“Peaceful disagreement is a sign of a healthy democracy. Dissent should not be conflated with ‘terrorism’, ‘violence’ or deemed inimical to British values,” it said.

The committees recommended setting up a British Islam website to counter the mass of extremist Muslim sites.

Ideally, it would “represent a wide range of views and opinions from all the major Muslim schools of thought, presenting young Muslims with a wide range of choice in terms of views within a mainstream spectrum”, the report advised.


British foreign policy ‘key factor’ in extremism

-11/11/05

A report has suggested that British foreign policy is a “key contributory factor” in driving UK Muslims to extremism – a point previously made by Christians and others but which the government has so far denied.

The report comes from the government’s own advisers.

Working groups set up in the wake of the 7 July atrocities said the government should learn from the impact of its foreign policies, particularly in the Middle East.

The government has previously denied that its foreign policy – and in particular the war in Iraq – is to blame for increasing the threat of terrorist attack in Britain.

But the working groups’ final report said “radical impulses” among the Muslim community were often triggered by “perceptions of injustices inherent in western foreign policy”.

It confirms, what the religious thinktank Ekklesia, amongst others, suggested in its own response to the London Bombings: Beyond the Politics of Fear produced in July.

Ekklesia warned that; “the actions of Western governments in what is seen to be the invasion and occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq, denial of justice to the Palestinians, and support for autocracies across the Middle East for many years are the major sources of discontent for a large majority of people. They breed the anger that in turn produces an unaccountable minority willing to use terror tactics.”

The latest report compiled by seven committees appointed by the Home Secretary, Charles Clarke, appears to confirm this.

It says; “British foreign policy – especially in the Middle East – cannot be left unconsidered as a factor in the motivations of criminal radical extremists.

“We believe it is a key contributory factor. The government should learn from the impact of its foreign policies on its electors.”

The report also suggested that those who criticised British foreign policy should not be assumed to be disloyal.

“Peaceful disagreement is a sign of a healthy democracy. Dissent should not be conflated with ‘terrorism’, ‘violence’ or deemed inimical to British values,” it said.

The committees recommended setting up a British Islam website to counter the mass of extremist Muslim sites.

Ideally, it would “represent a wide range of views and opinions from all the major Muslim schools of thought, presenting young Muslims with a wide range of choice in terms of views within a mainstream spectrum”, the report advised.