Wrong Conversations about Extremism in Britain | Overhauling Counterterrorism Project | Tougher Terrorism Sentences, and more

At this stage, so little is known that jumping to grand conclusions is a risky business. Nevertheless, police are investigating ‘Islamist extremist’ motives and it seems the suspect, 25 year old Ali Harbi Ali of Kentish Town, was offered one-on-one mentoring through Prevent after being referred while still in Sixth Form. It is important to note that Prevent is not the security services and a referral means no offence has yet been committed, so reaching Prevent would not have put Harbi Ali on any watchlist or investigation that might somehow have thwarted his plans.

U.K. Terror-Prevention Program Questioned After Lawmaker Slain  (Danica Kirka, AP)
The killing of British lawmaker David Amess is once again fueling concern about a government program aimed at preventing at-risk young people from becoming radicalized, with critics saying change is urgently needed to ensure it works. Questions surfaced soon after Amess was stabbed to death Friday afternoon amid reports in the British media that the man arrested had been referred to the Prevent program several years ago but was not currently on the security service’s counter-terrorism watchlist. The suspect is being held under the Terrorism Act on suspicion of murder, and police say he may have had a “motivation linked to Islamist extremism.” Under Prevent, Britons are asked to report anyone they suspect may be on the road to becoming radicalized — so the person can get help. The hope is that early intervention will help thwart terrorist attacks. Teachers, prison officers and local government agencies are legally required to make such referrals, but anyone is able to. But the program, conceived in the years following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the U.S., has been repeatedly criticized since it was expanded in the aftermath of the deadly bombings of London’s transport network in 2005.

UK ‘Ignoring Report on Laws That Allow Groups to Glorify Terrorism’  (Laura O’Callaghan, The National)
The UK government has been accused of ignoring top-level advice to change laws to curb hate, as a former policing boss gave a warning that existing legislation allows people to “glorify terrorism”. Sir Mark Rowley, co-author of a review into the country’s counter-terrorism strategies, said eight months after submitting the findings of his probe he has yet to hear anything back from ministers. He said the review, which he carried out in collaboration with the Commission for Countering Extremism, found new laws were needed to stop hateful groups from “operating with impunity”. Sir Mark spoke out about the lack of response after the killing of Sir David Amess, a 69-year-old Conservative MP who was stabbed to death while holding a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, on Friday. Officers investigating the killing have declared it a terror incident. The victim’s family have said they are “absolutely broken” by the father-of-five’s death. Sir Mark’s review, submitted in February, said extremists were exploiting gaps within existing hate crime and terrorism legislation. It argued that terrorists including the London Bridge attack ringleader could have been arrested earlier had tighter laws been in place.

Grinning Hate Preacher Anjem Choudary Boasts That He May Film New Extremist Videos as He Strolls Along the Street Free of Any Conditions Days After David Amess Terror Attack Despite Influencing More Than 100 UK Jihadis  (Paul Thompson and Martin Anderson, Daily Meal)
Hate preacher Anjem Choudary broke cover today for the first time since being blamed for radicalising the Sir David Amess murder suspect. Wearing a traditional Muslim white robe, the 54-year-old radical smiled as he walked to his local shops to buy some bread. Former friends of murder suspect Ali Harbi Ali say that he went from being a quiet, intelligent teenager to a radical after being brainwashed through Choudary’s YouTube videos. But Choudary denied being 25-year-old Ali’s inspiration and revealed he had considered making even more YouTube videos - but Sir David’s murder in Southend on Friday had made him think twice. Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Choudary said: ‘The restrictions were lifted earlier this year. I have not made any videos although I was thinking about doing some. ‘In light of what has happened I don’t think it would be a good idea. I have not published any videos but do send out press releases. I have not looked or watched any of those videos in years and do not have them. I would not know where to find them. They are probably somewhere but I have not looked.’ Speaking from his council flat in Ilford, east London, he went on: ‘Those videos are no longer available and I have not made any new ones. There are others online that he could have watched.

The Body Count Doesn’t Lie’: How Islamist Terrorists Behind Four Attacks – and Suspect in David Amess Murder – Were ALL Referred To Prevent… Yet Six Lives Have Been Lost Since 2018 as Scheme ‘Focuses on Right-Wing Threat’  (Roy Tingle, Daily Mail)
Islamist terrorists behind four recent attacks and the suspect in Tory MP David Amess’ murder were all referred to Prevent, yet six lives have been lost since 2018 as critics accuse the scheme of focusing on the far less deadly threat of right-wing extremism. Ian Acheson, a former prison governor and senior adviser at the Counter Extremism Project, said the official narrative that the far-right is the fastest growing threat is a ‘comfort blanket’ obscuring the ‘patently more potent threat of Islamist extremism’. ‘The body count does not lie,’ he said.  Ali Harbi Ali, 25, the suspected terrorist accused of murdering Tory MP David Amess on Friday, was referred to the programme seven years ago but his case was not deemed enough of a risk to be passed on to MI5.  Khairi Saadallah, 27, fatally stabbed friends James Furlong, 36, Dr David Wails, 49, and Joseph Ritchie-Bennett, 39, in a Reading park in June 2020.

Stopping Terrorists Starts with Prevent – but an Overhaul Is Badly Needed  (Ian Acheson, CapX)
Publication of the review of the Government’s ‘Prevent’ counter-terrorism strategy can’t come soon enough. After the grotesque murder of Sir David Amess last weekend, details have emerged that the suspect had been referred to Prevent for screening after reported suspicions he was becoming radicalized. His alleged killer, Ali Harbi Ali, 25, has been detained under terrorism legislation with police saying they suspect an Islamist extremism motive. Ali was reportedly referred to Prevent officers as a teenager. We don’t yet know what happened to him in the intervening period to put him on a fatal trajectory with his alleged victim. Hundreds of young people are referred to Prevent every year and only a tiny proportion of them are judged as serious enough in intent to warrant further intervention. The issue of whether he fell through the cracks is relevant, despite what other commentators may say. The 2015 Parsons Green tube bomber, Ahmed Hassan, was referred to the Surrey Prevent scheme on several occasions in the months before his attack. No meaningful action was taken. But there’s a bigger problem that the review led by William Shawcross must respond to. Prevent is currently a national security strategy with a parish hall mentality.