Extremism in Britain: Now the Crackdown Is Launched

Police escort an Islamist demonstrator marching to protest
outside the US embassy in London

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Ministers are planning a raft of new measures to help stem the tide of Islamic extremism and radicalisation

The Government is planning a series of tough new measures to combat the growing threat from Islamist extremists.

A leaked draft of the Home Office’s new counter-extremism strategy, seen by The Telegraph, targets Sharia courts and calls for a ban on radicals working unsupervised with children over fears the young could be brainwashed.

Other measures include a requirement that staff at job centres identify vulnerable claimants who may become targets for radicalisation, after public outrage at people who hate Britain being able to live off the state.

There will also be an introduction of penalties in the benefits system to make people learn English to improve their integration into British society.

The rules on granting citizenship will also be tightened to ensure new residents embrace “British values”.

The crackdown is part of a new “get tough” strategy to deal with the perceived growing threat to the UK from Islamist extremists. » | Andrew Gilligan, Robert Mendick | Saturday, March 07, 2015

Terror in Woolwich: Home Secretary Theresa May Threatens Online Crackdown for Extremists Who Don’t Advocate Violence
THE INDEPENDENT: Coalition clashes over Home Secretary's plans to revive controversial ‘snooper’s charter’

Radical Islamist groups which whip up hatred but do not advocate violence could be outlawed in the UK for the first time, under an attempt to curb the spread of hardline ideology being considered by the Government following the Woolwich murder.

Theresa May, the Home Secretary, warned that there were thousands of people judged to be at risk of being radicalised as she set out moves to deprive hardliners of platforms for their views. They include plans to ban more organisations accused of fomenting division and to tighten the rules on their access to the internet, as well as the revival of plans for a "snooper's charter".

But the moves threaten to provoke a freedom-of-speech row as organisations which stop short of advocating terrorism could be banned under the proposals, which will be considered by a Whitehall task force headed by David Cameron.

At the moment, the Home Secretary has the legal power to proscribe an organisation linked to terrorism, such as al-Muhajiroun, which was outlawed in Britain in 2010.

But she has no authority to act against organisations suspected of "inciting hatred and division" and ministers will consider introducing a lower threshold enabling her to act, Whitehall sources said. » | Nigel Morris | Monday, May 27, 2013