• News
  • Articles
  • Videos
  • Podcast
  • Campaigns
    • Stand4Uyghurs
    • In Their Shoes
  • Prayer
  • Members
  • Donate
  • More
    • About Us
    • Advertise Your Business
    • Contact
    • Jobs
    • Submit an Article
    • Subscribe
    • Write
Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube WhatsApp Telegram
Islam21c
  • News
  • Articles
  • Videos
  • Podcast
  • Campaigns
    • Stand4Uyghurs
    • In Their Shoes
  • Prayer
  • Members
  • Donate
  • More
    • About Us
    • Advertise Your Business
    • Contact
    • Jobs
    • Submit an Article
    • Subscribe
    • Write
0 Shopping Cart
Islam21c
Home»News»Government seeking counterterror orders for children

Government seeking counterterror orders for children

The British government has not learned from its poisonous Prevent policy, as reports suggest that ministers are looking into terrorism orders that specifically target youngsters
News 05/01/2023No Comments4 Mins ReadBy Shaheer Choudhury
Gorodenkoff / shutterstock.com

The Guardian reported on Monday that the government is reviewing advice from the so-called independent reviewer of terror legislation, Jonathan Hall KC. According to reports, Hall has suggested that the government consider bringing in new laws that could lead to not only increased arrests of children suspected of terror offences, but also the same being forced to accept restrictive measures or face the prospect of prison. Campaigners have decried the reports and poured scorn on the reprehensible concept. [1]

Hall stated in remarks,

โ€œIโ€™m not talking about the most serious cases, where prosecution will usually remain the best option. But during the last three years there has been a slew of internet cases where the suspected terrorist conduct all relates to what children are saying or downloading online.โ€ [1]

For a number of years, the British government has employed the toxic and failing Prevent policy as one of its flagship methods of tackling terrorism.

However, as many academics and opponents of the scheme have repeatedly highlighted, the policy is extremely ineffective and many have questioned why it unfairly targets Muslims.


  • Helps complete development and release our brand new website where all the above happens
  • Helps run National Khutbah days with 100s of Imams reaching 100,000s on Jummah highlighting social issues
  • Helps produce Unscripted podcast shows with global influential figures tackling todays challenges
  • Helps produce Unscripted podcast shows with global influential scholars and activists tackling today's challenges
  • Helps research featured articles by leading scholars/activists offering guidance and solutions
  • Helps write NewsViews articles setting our narrative to major breaking stories
  • By proceeding, you will be added to the Islam21c mailing list. Your data is safe with us and will be protected in accordance with our data protection policy.
  • £ 0.00
  • per month
  • NOTE: Donating Zakat? Please proceed to our Zakat applicable emergency appeal here.
  • Donation Top Up

    Are you trying to increase your Rizq? Did you know by increasing your donation right now, Allah promises to give you back MUCH MORE
  • Helps write NewsViews articles setting our narrative to major breaking stories
  • Helps research featured articles by leading scholars/activists offering guidance and solutions
  • Helps produce Unscripted podcast shows with global influential scholars and activists tackling today's challenges
  • Helps produce Unscripted podcast shows with global influential figures tackling todays challenges
  • Helps run National Khutbah days with 100s of Imams reaching 100,000s on Jummah highlighting social issues
  • Helps complete development and release our brand new website where all the above happens


Indeed, while the powerful parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) noted in July of 2022 that an attack of an extreme right wing nature was โ€œa realistic possibilityโ€, we seldom hear of plans to tackle this ideology. [2]

Government continues to alienate

This planned legislation, while yet to be ironed out before any potential bill entry into Parliament, risks alienating an already vulnerable segment of society.

Instead of taking an approach that treats children as children, it could be argued that these plans would likely cause an extreme level of distrust, and anti-government, anti-establishment sentiment in children and their guardians.

Moreover, just as Prevent is counterproductive and counter to any real tackling of terrorism, this concept would simply become an extension of a failed policy.

Building on the Islamophobic Prevent policy

The Prevent programme has been in place for the past two decades, with tweaks and revisions being implemented along the way, each arguably more controversial and infringing on the rights of ordinary citizens than the last.

In 2015, statutory guidance issued under section 29 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act led to Prevent being forced down the throats of school and college teachers and support staff as a so-called โ€œstatutory dutyโ€. This major development has required educational institutions to surveil their pupils and report any behaviour classed as at โ€œrisk of radicalisationโ€.

In essence, this unacceptable move by the government saw the Thatcherite textbook of privatisation employed: it outsourced the work of the domestic security service, MI5, to teachers and administrative staff. [3]

Campaigners have consistently condemned the government scheme as being a tool to target and spy on Muslims. It continues to disenfranchise vast sections of the British population, and has ingrained a culture of surveillance into academic institutions such as universities and colleges, as well as primary and secondary schools.

As Prevent has already impacted children as young as four-years-old, this planned legislation has the ability to unnecessarily damage more lives.

Also read

  • UN expert: Prevent strategy violates human rights
  • Prevent: Students essays in university reported to police
  • Four-year-old Muslim boy reported to Prevent over video game
  • Prevent: UK Police criminalising Muslim mental health problems
  • Muslim boy referred to Prevent after calling for charitable giving
  • Abolish Prevent: CAGE launches powerful community resource on toxic policy
  • Newly released list of Prevent Priority Areas proves the policy is oppressive at the core
  • How can Muslims work for Prevent after this damning report from the Peopleโ€™s Review of Prevent?
  • Prevent experts call on Charity Commission to investigate Policy Exchange after condemned report

Source: Islam21c

Notes

[1] https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/jan/02/ministers-studying-plans-for-uk-child-specific-terrorism-orders

[2] https://isc.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/E02710035-HCP-Extreme-Right-Wing-Terrorism_Accessible.pdf

[3] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prevent-duty-guidance/revised-prevent-duty-guidance-for-england-and-wales

COUNTER-TERRORISM PEOPLE'S REVIEW OF PREVENT PREVENTWATCH
Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Telegram WhatsApp
Previous ArticleCondolences on the passing of Dr. Muhammad Naim Yasin
Next Article Police presence boosted following London mosque knife incident

Related Posts

Honouring the Neighbour (Coming Soon!)

22/03/2023

The Selfless Muslim

22/03/2023

Dutifulness to Parents in Old Age (Coming Soon!)

22/03/2023

Ramadan 1444/ 2023 is nearly here!

21/03/2023

Reflections on the invasion and occupation of Iraq

21/03/2023

20 years on from the disastrous US-led invasion of Iraq

20/03/2023
Add A Comment

Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

Shaheer Choudhury

As Head of Editorial at Islam21c, Shaheer is a regular contributor who has an unwavering passion and commitment for staying on the pulse in regards to global geopolitical and general current affairs, whilst paying close attention to the changing world conditions of Muslim populations. Prior to joining Islam21c, he developed a number of years’ experience in the health and social care sector, and previously worked as a caseworker at HHUGS. He has also volunteered at the Muslim Youth Helpline. Shaheer holds a bachelor’s degree in business management.

Islam21c
Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Telegram
© 2023 Islam21c.com | All rights reserved

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.