London UK, 30th March 2010 – The government should stop trying to "engineer" a so-called moderate form of Islam and pay more attention to other factors leading to ‘violent extremism’ says a report published today by the UK parliament’s communities and local government select committee. The report on the British government’s flagship Prevent strategy which is said to target ‘radicalisation’ and the causes of ‘terrorism’ also says that the Prevent programme has "stigmatised and alienated" British Muslims. Prevent enjoys broad approval from all main political parties.
Taji Mustafa, media representative of Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain said, “This report exposes what we have been saying for years. That the government is trying to create a secular westernised government friendly Islam based on the false premise that Islam causes terrorism.”
“The report criticises the fact that the government has done nothing to deal with its foreign policy, what could arguable be called the ‘create’ strategy for many of today’s problems. It is a sad hypocrisy that when bombs go off on the Moscow underground, the western media are quick to point the finger at Russia’s brutal policy in the Caucasus but unwilling to look at how western colonial policy, which kills thousands and destabilises regions, also fuels resentment.”
“The Prevent strategy has also been blamed for spying on the Muslim community and increasing alienation. This attempt to create a state approved religion is reminiscent of the attempts by the odious regimes in the Muslim world who vet mosques, sermons and preachers in the name of state security.”
“Muslims are constantly told to separate politics from religion, yet secular western governments are increasingly seeking to control people’s religious beliefs in a doomed strategy that only creates further alienation.”
[Ends]