The UK's Experience in Counter-Radicalization
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APRIL 2008 . VOL 1 . ISSUE 5 The UK’s Experience in published in October 2005, denied having “neo-con” links and supporting that Salafist ideologies played any role government anti-terrorism 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 “Islamophobia” 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 Quilliam Foundation, extremism by altering foreign policy motivated and well-funded. The th named after Abdullah Quilliam, a 19 and increasing the teaching of Islam 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 “Islamic extremism” 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 caliphate 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 Muslims; 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 political Islam 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 London 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, Ed Husain, 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/ Muslim Brotherhood, 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, The Islamist, about groups such as HT, independently took Quilliam will argue that Islamism 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. Hassan Butt, 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 Taliban 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 Usama Hasan, a Salafist imam “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 United Kingdom 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.