BRITISH MIDDLE EAST POLICY: THE COUNTERTERRORISM DIMENSION By Isaac Kfir* The emergence of Islamist terrorism has had a tremendous impact on the United Kingdom. The British government has pursued controversial domestic and foreign policies. This paper reviews some of the key measures and also the British involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. It holds that the continuous clashes between the different branches of government has undermined Britain’s ability to contend with the threat raised by Islamic radicals, which is like no other. The British government decision to support to get technology is there.”3 Around the the U.S.-led “War on Terror” placed the same time, Metropolitan Police United Kingdom at the epicenter of the Commissioner Sir Ian Blair stated, in a campaign, forcing the adoption of policies, comment on the August 2006 transatlantic strategies, programs, and other measures to airline bomb plot, that “the apparent speed deal with the Islamists—even though with which young, reasonably affluent, initially there was no indication that the UK some reasonably well educated British-born was a target of al-Qa’ida.1 Unfortunately, people” had become radicalized and willing the threat became a reality on July 7, 2005, to commit mass murders through suicide when four British-Muslims undertook a attacks was worrying.4 Significantly, suicide bombing campaign that left more Manningham-Buller made it clear that due than 50 people dead across central London, to al-Qa'ida’s nature, the challenge faced by making July 7 the deadliest terror attack on the security forces was substantial. This British soil. Britain has since became a was seen with the Barot case, in which the major target of al-Qa’ida and Islamists, plot was forged in one country, approved in with some security officials believing that another, and executed elsewhere.5 Overall, Islamic radicals view “…7/7 as just the it is apparent that Britain is a key target of beginning.”2 In a November 2006 speech, Islamist terrorism.6 Consequently, there has Director-General of MI5 Dame Eliza been a call to toughen up anti-terrorism Manningham-Buller claimed 200 terrorist laws. This move, however, is likely to be networks involving at least 1,600 people resisted by civil libertarians and Muslims and 30 “Priority 1” plots to kill had been who claim that Britain’s anti-terrorism identified. Only a few days after measures are already far too stringent.7 Manningham-Buller’s speech, a senior Britain’s role in the global War on Foreign Office counter-terrorism expert Terror has led to a fierce public debate over claimed that there was “[n]o doubt at all” the country’s participation.8 There have that al-Qa’ida was seeking nuclear been mass demonstrations,9 the jailing of a technology to attack the West and Britain. British officer for refusing to serve in The official added, “We know the Iraq,10 a variety of legal challenges about aspiration is there, we know the attempt to detention and the powers of the state, and get material is there, we know the attempt questions concerning integration and the Middle East Review of International Affairs, Vol. 10, No. 4 (December 2006) 41 Isaac Kfir soundness of the measures promoted by the An analysis of British counter-terrorism government11 (such as immigration).12 It measures show that the British approach is has also raised the issue of what it means to based on four key elements: prevention be British. However, most of the debate and (tackling the factors that lead to the controversy have been over Britain’s radicalization and terrorist recruitment); foreign policy.13 In the words of Inayat protection of British people and British Bunglawala of the Muslim Council of interests; preparation in terms of ensuring Britain, “…the [British] government has that in the case of an attack, casualties been totally in denial about the impact of its would be minimized due to effective own policies, especially foreign policies, response; and the pursuit of terrorists and and how they may have contributed to the those who sponsor them. Under UK law, growth in extremism. That’s why the terrorism is regarded as a criminal act, with demand for a public inquiry must be crucial investigation and prevention falling on the to any discussion of terrorism.”14 Simply shoulders of the police, while the security put, there are Muslims who feel that their services focus on intelligence gathering and community and the umma (Islamic nation) the investigation of covert, organized are ignored, neglected, or discriminated threats.18 The military’s role within the against by mainstream Western society. It is domestic sphere could at best be defined as repeatedly noted by such Muslims that the supporting the civilian mechanism. In plight of Muslims in Palestine, Chechnya, foreign policy, the military plays a central Kashmir, and most recently in Lebanon are role in counter-terrorism through its active often forgotten or ignored by the military engagements with terrorists international community at large and the (combat) and nation-building, as seen in West in particular. Consequently, British Iraq and Afghanistan. Muslims have criticized various measures The transformation of Britain’s security adopted by the UK government to counter apparatus has been impressive, especially the threat posed by al-Qa’ida.15 They feel since July 7, 2005, but the continuous clash that these measures coupled with the usage between the various branches of of such terms as “radical Muslim cleric” government (particularly between the and “Islamic extremists” lead to the executive and the judiciary branches) vilification of the Muslim community and coupled with inter-communal tensions to Islamophobia, which plays into the hands makes the UK vulnerable not only to of the militants.16 At the other end, Muslim further acts of terrorism, but also as a leaders such as Ahmad al-Rawi, president potential breeding ground for terrorist of the Federation of Islamic Organizations recruitment. The British public must in Europe, declared at the Twenty-Third understand that the threat posed by al- Congress of the Union of Islamic Qa’ida and other Islamist terrorist groups is Organizations in France (UOIF), “In real and total.19 At present, there is a failure Britain, where we are more than 2 million, to appreciate that a global war is raging and there is less discrimination than in other that giving in to the Islamists would countries. We may practice our religion undermine contemporary and future world completely. Young women wearing society. Abandoning Iraq and Afghanistan headscarves are very active at school or would allow the militants to focus their universities.”17 attention on topping the regimes and instituting a Shari’a-based system, as seen 42 Middle East Review of International Affairs, Vol. 10, No. 4 (December 2006) British Middle East Policy: The Counterterrorism Dimension in Iran and previously in Afghanistan under Irish Republicans, arguably leading to their the Taliban. The government must improve decision to renounce the use of violence. In its public relations program to better the words of Frank Gregory and Paul educate the public of what the Islamists Wilkinson, “The UK’s armed forces and stand for, what they wish to achieve, and police have gained invaluable experience how their victory would impact the lives of and expertise in counterterrorism through people across the globe. three decades of involvement in the effort to suppress terrorism in Northern Ireland DEFINING THE ENEMY: INTERNAL and its overspill into the British VS. EXTERNAL mainland.”25 The emergence of Islamist terrorism of the al-Qa’ida model, however, There is considerable debate in is very new, as the religious conviction of academic and political circles as to how to these Muslims is so fierce that negotiation describe the al-Qa’ida movement and those is impossible. Moreover, there is no direct it inspires. There is a distinction between or even indirect contact. It is not known those who support the al-Qa’ida agenda where the jihadists are located, especially wholeheartedly and take up arms to fulfill the al-Qa’ida hierarchy, who nowadays its mantra and those who decry the exist to inspire operations rather than treatment received by the Muslim undertake and design ones.26 community at the hands of contemporary society. Thus, within the confines of this Britain’s Counter-Terrorism Legislation paper, the terms “jihadists” or “Islamists”20 and Other Measures are preferred when discussing Muslims who strive for “pure Islam”—the strict The horror and the fear caused by the adherence to Shari’a. Such Muslims are indiscriminate, callous, and methodical act angry primarily at Arab regimes that they of violence that occurred in the United claim have abandoned the true ways of States on September 11, 2001, propelled the Islam while drawing support from the West UK government to adopt an activist and predominately the United States, who legislative program, while also making it also give Israel unconditional support.21 It clear (and even more so after the London is, however, somewhat ironic that these bombings and French riots) that the root Muslims are willing to use the liberal causes of terrorism must be studied in great system as well as the comfort and security depth. The House of Commons Select offered by Western society22 to recruit new Committee on Home Affairs found that: members and support the jihadist mantra to ensure the emancipation of the Muslim …the new terrorism legislation world from the hands of the infidels.23 cannot and must not simply be a set of police and judicial powers. It BRITAIN AND TERRORISM must be part of an explicit broader anti-terrorism strategy. In the Britain has dealt with “terrorists” both context of international terrorism, it domestically and internationally for must explicitly and specifically set centuries.24 The country’s security out how British Muslim leaders will apparatus made substantial gains against be supported in assisting British various terrorist organizations, especially Middle East Review of International Affairs, Vol.