Maajid Nawaz attacks Government for failing to effectively address terrorism

30 November 2019, 13:17

Maajid Nawaz argued that, since Theresa May, there has been inaction from the government in efforts to deradicalise terrorists.

Maajid Nawaz said: "Since Theresa May became prime minister, from her premiership onwards till this day, the Government has completely taken their eye off the ball on what we call counter-radicalisation.

"The only thing you can do with those who have served their sentences if you believe in a country that implements the rule of law, you have to release them from jail, the only thing you can do is ongoing deradicalisation efforts with them.

"And sometimes they don't work, as is evidenced yesterday.

The second thing, which is more important because deradicalisation as evidenced by yesterday is extremely inefficient, the second thing is the most important one which is preventing them becoming radicalised in the first place."

He continued: "The Home Office and the Government have completely taken their eye off the ball.

"They've stopped engaging with the voices that address these issues, they mistrust pretty much everybody that talks about it.

"They've closed in on themselves and led by Theresa May, during her time as Secretary of State for Home Affairs at the Home Office all the way through to her premiership and then that legacy has continued, they've had an obsessive focus with a law and order approach.

Because they simply don't understand the importance of making sure people don't become radicalised in the first place."

Maajid told listeners: "I have lost my patience with the inaction and the disengagement by the Government on these issues."

He continued: "Some of us may feel like this is all deja vu because they are simply not listening to what needs to be done.

Now, whether it's because of austerity, they're saying now that's kind of going to come to an end, whether it's because there's resistance within Muslim communities to the counter-radicalisation efforts otherwise known as prevent."

He explained: "If you reject this notion that counter-radicalisation and working to challenge this ideology in the communities is the way forward, then deal, as I say, with the consequences because the only alternative that you then leave people is a law and order police led state."

Maajid concluded his monologue by saying: "We must start thinking seriously about long-term social cohesion efforts that are needed to get people, whether we like it or not, to rehabilitate them into society and to debunk these ideologies that they subscribe to."