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The UK’s Experience in published in October 2005, denied having “neo-con” links and supporting that Salafist ideologies played any role government anti- policies.4 Counter-Radicalization in the July 7 bombings and blamed Rafiq admitted that he was unprepared British foreign policy, the Israeli- for the hostility—or effectiveness—of By James Brandon Palestinian conflict and “” these Islamist attacks: for the attacks.1 They recommended in late april, a new British Muslim that the government tackle Islamic The Islamists are highly-organized, group called the Foundation, by altering foreign policy motivated and well-funded. The th named after Abdullah Quilliam, a 19 and increasing the teaching of in relationships they’ve made with century British convert to Islam, will be schools. Haras Rafiq, a Sufi member of people in government over the last launched with the specific aim of tackling the consultations, said of the meetings: 20 years are very strong. Anyone “” in the United “It was as if they had decided what their who wants to go into this space Kingdom. Being composed entirely findings were before they had begun; needs to be thick-skinned; you of former members of Hizb al-Tahrir people were just going through the have to realize that people will lie (HT, often spelled Hizb ut-Tahrir), the motions.”2 about you; they will do anything global group that wants to re-create to discredit you. Above all, the the and which has acted as Sufi Muslim Council attacks are personal—that’s the a “conveyor belt” for several British As a direct result of witnessing the way these guys like it. jihadists, the Quilliam Foundation Islamists dominate the Preventing represents a significant departure from Extremism Together consultations, In spite of this, Rafiq was able to gain conventional counter-radicalization Haras Rafiq established his own group access to senior members of government, efforts. If successful, it may become an called the Sufi Muslim Council (SMC). including Tony Blair, the then-prime important model for tackling Salafi- It was launched on July 19, 2006 at minister, and urged them to re-think the jihadi ideologies in Western Europe and an event attended by Hazel Blears, the government’s deepening dependence on in the United States. minister for Communities and Local groups such as the MCB. Despite such successes at a policy-making level, The group’s launch reflects the mixed “In many cases, the most however, the abuse directed at Rafiq— results of previous British counter- including death threats—gradually radicalization efforts that have been outspoken and influential deterred others from speaking on behalf dominated by conflict between Salafist of these critics were former of the group, creating the impression Islamists and their secular Sufi rivals. that, in the words of one Muslim These groups disagree substantially extremists.” blogger, the SMC was “an outfit whose over the causes of Islamic extremism. membership could probably fit on one On the whole, Islamist groups blame piece of furniture.”5 British foreign policy, Islamophobia and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict Government.3 Rafiq said that he set up Freelance Counter-Terrorism Efforts for radicalizing young ; Sufi the SMC because he was frustrated that Although the SMC became widely groups acknowledge that these are government efforts to tackle extremism discredited among many British contributing factors, but blame extreme had been repeatedly hijacked by Islamists Muslims, by mid-2006 the group had Salafist ideologies for transforming and was angry that their attempts to broken the Islamists’ stranglehold over these grievances into a literal casus make synonymous with government policy and emboldened belli. the Islamic religion were damaging Muslim secularists. In many cases, the faith as a whole. Rafiq hoped the the most outspoken and influential of “Preventing Extremism Together” SMC would tackle Islamist influence these critics were former extremists. One of the earliest government attempts over government policy and, through In mid-2006, Shiraz Maher, a former to encourage Muslims to tackle Islamic grassroots work, give young Muslims a mid-ranking member of HT, became the radicalism were the “Preventing strong secular Sufi identity that would first to denounce his former ideology, Extremism Together” consultations. inoculate them against Salafi-jihadi writing newspaper articles and fronting Held soon after the July 7, 2005 thought. From its inception, however, television documentaries explaining bombings, the consultations brought the SMC suffered damaging attacks how the ideas of HT and other Islamists together prominent Muslims and asked by established Muslim groups that lead to terrorism. Inevitably, he was them to investigate the causes of the accused it of being unrepresentative, attacked by HT and also received death bombings and suggest ways to prevent threats. Similarly, in the summer of future attacks. The discussions were 1 Preventing Extremism Together: Working Group Report 2007, , a local leader of dominated by members of the Muslim August-October 2005, available at www.communities. Council of Britain (MCB), an umbrella gov.uk/documents/communities/pdf/152164. 4 For an example of such criticism, see the article “Fi- group of Muslim organizations mainly 2 Personal interview, Haras Rafiq, London, February nally Exposed! The Sufi Muslim Council” on the website run by supporters of Jamaat-i-Islami 2008. of the Muslim Public Affairs Committee UK (MPACUK) (JI), the South Asian equivalent of the 3 “Launch of the Sufi Muslim Council,” Department of on February 8, 2006, available at www.mpacuk.org/ , who packed the Communities and Local Government, July 19, 2006, content/view/2816/35/. consultations with fellow Islamists. As available at www.communities.gov.uk/speeches/corpo- 5 “Hunt Down the Sufis?” Indigo Jones Blog, December a result, the consultations’ conclusions, rate/sufi-muslim-council. 17, 2007. april 2008 . Vol 1 . Issue 5

HT in East London during the 1990s, University, a former stronghold of Once operational, Nawaz said that published a book, , about groups such as HT, independently took Quilliam will argue that is his experiences, providing not only action to challenge student extremists. “the biggest form of extremism” and an insider’s view of HT, but also Admani has said that he took action also “put out ideas regarding how to describing Jamaat-i-Islami’s attempts to himself after the government ignored counter the Islamist narrative.” While monopolize Islamic practice in London’s his request for assistance.8 By early Islamist groups often aim to defend heavily Muslim East End. Although 2008, his efforts had begun to succeed; political Islam from criticism, Nawaz Husain—like Maher and Rafiq—came on March 11, members of the campus’ says Quilliam aims to protect Islam itself under assault from Islamist groups Islamic Society complained on the from being associated with violence and that sought to intimidate and discredit radical website islambase.co.uk that refute arguments that Islam itself is the him, his bestselling book circumvented they were no longer able to invite source of terrorism: the Islamists to explain to the British extremist preachers to their events public how Islamist teachings can lead because of Admani’s influence.9 If people of both sides of the to violence. equation are saying Islam is the Quilliam Foundation problem, then we can point to Others also renounced their former The Quilliam Foundation is expected to the biggest theologians who are views. , a former al- pose the biggest threat to radical Islamists around today who are saying Muhajiroun member who helped British thus far when it launches on April 22. that Islam can and is adapting jihadists join the during 2001- Funded by Muslim donors, it is entirely to these problems. From a policy 2002, renounced his former views and composed of former HT members who perspective, it is key to say that claimed to have begun de-radicalizing have renounced their former beliefs. Islam isn’t the problem. If you former jihadists in Manchester.6 As Its director is Majid Nawaz, formerly say that Islam is the problem then a result, he was reportedly stabbed one of HT’s most prominent members you’re basically saying that 1.5 by other al-Muhajiroun members. He who gained celebrity status within the billion people are the problem.11 now plans to co-publish a book on his group after being jailed for three years experiences later this summer. Others Unlike the SMC, the Quilliam include , a Salafist “The most committed Foundation will launch without in East London, who denounced Muslim government backing. Instead, its “pacifists” in 2001 and had joined the opponents of extremism launch will be attended by a range of Afghan mujahidin to fight the country’s are often former radicals prominent Muslim leaders, including communist government in 1990. Now, Ali Goma, the mufti of Egypt. According however, Hasan has become a prominent who are best able to to Nawaz, “In the Muslim community, opponent of Salafi-jihadi ideologies— explain the attractions it’s important to have theologians with using his jihadist past to win credibility us if we’re going to make progress.” with his congregation, while continuing and implications of radical In this respect, as in others, the group to identify himself as a Wahhabi. Hasan Islam.” aims to learn from the mistakes of does not argue merely that jihadist previous groups, keeping its distance attacks on the are from the government, working within only undesirable at present; instead, the Muslim community and using the he challenges the theology behind such in Egypt before being released in early “extremist” background of the group’s violence. For instance, he has challenged 2007. In addition, the group’s deputy members to earn vital credibility among the use of kafir (heathen), calling the director is Ed Husain, while Usama young British Muslims. term intrinsically derogatory, and says Hasan sits on the group’s advisory that Islam prohibits the killing of all council. Also involved is Rashid Ali, a Conclusion and any non-combatants, arguing that former director of HT’s secret command It is too early to judge the ultimate theological justifications for attacks structure who wrote and edited many success of British counter-radicalization against Israeli citizens inevitably open of the group’s publications. “To refute efforts. It is clear, however, that Muslim the door to similar attacks in Western or criticize Islamism as an ideology, secularists are increasingly successful countries. “Others argue that this it’s important to have people who have in finding ways to challenge jihadist terrorism is just counter-productive; been involved in it,” Nawaz explained. ideologies. The Quilliam Foundation I’m arguing that it’s wrong and immoral “People on both sides of spectrum still itself illustrates several important and evil,” he said.7 don’t understand what Islamism is lessons of the British experience in about. We can understand and explain combating extremism: Others also felt emboldened to stand this ideology because we were training up to pro-jihadist organizations. For people in it.”10 - The most committed opponents of example, Musa Abu Bakr Admani, the extremism are often former radicals who Muslim chaplain of London Metropolitan 8 “Islamic Radicalisation,” BBC Radio 4, November 14, are best able to explain the attractions 2006. and implications of radical Islam. 6 Ed Husain, “If Words Could Kill Me,” New Statesman, 9 Post entitled “Speakers needed!!!!!!” islambase.co.uk, June 14, 2007. March 11, 2008. 7 Personal interview, Usama Hasan, London, December 10 Personal interview, Majid Nawaz, London, March 20, 28, 2007. 2008. 11 Ibid. april 2008 . Vol 1 . Issue 5

- Radical Islam’s most ardent opponents are often pious Muslims who are motivated by a desire to protect Islam from being associated with violence and hatred.

- While Islamists regularly work closely with the government without losing influence in Muslim communities, reformists are often more successful if they keep their distance from government.

Nevertheless, many challenges remain. Hundreds of mosques and Islamic schools around the country are run by highly conservative members of the and Salafist traditions, while Islamist groups frequently enjoy levels of foreign funding that their secularist and Sufi rivals cannot match. Furthermore, many politicians— particularly on the left—are willing to support Islamists in return for their support in elections. Despite this, it is clear that increasing numbers of secular Muslims are stepping forward to question jihadist ideologies regardless of the personal risk. One important outcome of this is that Islamists no longer monopolize the interpretation of Islam and can no longer portray their version of Islam as more genuine than others. Haras Rafiq said, “A few years ago the Islamists were able to say that their’s was the only version of Islam and no one would contradict them; I don’t think that’s any longer the case.” In other words, counter-radicalization efforts are not only tackling terrorism, but are also aiding the development of a more pluralistic, tolerant and, indeed, recognizably “Western” version of Islam.

James Brandon is a senior research fellow at the Centre for Social Cohesion in London. He is a former journalist who has reported on Islamic movements in Europe, the Middle East and Africa for a wide variety of print and broadcast media. He has an MA in Middle Eastern Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS).