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Islamic terrorists could be from any race, warns secret MI5 report
Last updated at 14:40pm on 21.08.08
Potential Islamist terrorists in Britain are not religious extremists or illegal immigrants, a leaked MI5 report warns.
The internal study of hundreds of known and suspected radicals says it is difficult to identify those most likely to commit atrocities as they often have well-paid jobs and families and are 'demographically unremarkable'.
The Security Service report concludes that the vast majority are British nationals or in the country legally.
Slipping under the radar: The July 7 bombers arrive at Luton station to head for London for their suicide attacks. Future terrorists may be no easier to identify, MI5 warns
It says half are born here. The rest includes people who originally came to study or to join family or for economic reasons, as well as asylum-seekers who had fled oppressive regimes or violence. Many of these only became radicalised years after arriving.
Very few have come from highly religious households and most only practise their faith occasionally. The proportion of converts is above average.
Some are even known to have taken drugs, drunk alcohol and visited prostitutes.
But they are not especially prone to mental health problems or pathological personality traits.
They come from ethnic backgrounds as diverse as Pakistani, Middle Eastern and Caucasian.
Most have become radicalised in their early to mid-20s but a significant minority have not done so until later. Those over 30 are just as likely to have a wife and children as to be loners with no ties.
Radical clerics are also playing less of a role now in radicalising future terrorists, according to the 'restricted' briefing note, published in the Guardian today.
The research was carried out by the security service's behavioural science unit and involved analysis of several hundred people linked to violent extremism through activities ranging from fundraising to planning suicide bombings in Britain.
Overall they are 'a diverse collection of individuals, fitting no single demographic profile, nor do they all follow a typical pathway to violent extremism', the study says.
MI5 praises mainstream Islam, stating there is evidence that a well-established religious identity actually protects against violent radicalisation.
Reader views (10)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
Neil, I think you are crazy. This picture proves they got on the subway. Just like the video that proves a plane that hit the pentagon. You can not possibly be correct because that would mean the "war of terror", sorry the "war on terror" would be a fraud too. Then they would take all our freedom and make everyone a terrorist. Oh, come to think of it that's kind of what this article is saying. Sorry, Neil maybe not so crazy.
- Ian, St. Louis, formerly USA
First they came for the Communists,
- but I was not a communist so I did not speak out.
Then they came for the Socialists and the Trade Unionists,
- but I was neither, so I did not speak out.
Then they came for the Jews,
- but I was not a Jew so I did not speak out.
And when they came for me, there was no one left to speak out for me.
Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984)
- Well-Paid And Very High Caucasian With Wife And Child, London, UK
I think this news site is a terrorist centre. This site should be shut down.
- Jimbo, London UK
Neil, if only more people thought your way...unfortunately as you can see from the comments below...the Islam bashing is now the norm!
- Daveb, london
Get your facts right Neil from London, if the London bombers going into that station weren't terrorists why did they make martyrdom videos of themselves? explaining exactly what they intended to do and why.
- Kuldip, London, UK
In other words, ID cards, surveillance databases and all the other means of state control over ordinary, law-abiding citizens introduced by our excremental government are entirely useless for combating terrorism.
- Eric Murphy, London, UK
Neil, you need to get out more and throw away that conspiracy handbook Elvis gave you when he came back from the faked moon landing
- Adam, Harrow, uk
The men in the above picture did not plant any bombs. They were not religious, they bought return tickets, and they were set up by the securities services as patsies in a false flag terror operation designed to pave the way for the abolition of our liberties and the implementation of a New World Order. The official version of the events of 7/7 is a pack of lies.
- Neil, london uk, Airstrip ONE .
Here is some pointers for the spooks I have gleaned from reading this website for the identification of potential terrorists: Regardless of their given name they are likely to call themselves Muhammed Islam or Yusuf Jihad or some combination of same. They are likely to have a ridiculous long whispy beard but curiously no moustache. They will never have done a days work in their lives and most likely be studying computing at a rundown ex technical college like the University of South London. They will have no dress sense.
- Squiz, Islington
Until they start informing on their own families and friends they will never gain the trust of the UK citizens.
- Charlie, London
