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Extremists could escape charges in new police tactic
Martin Bentham, Home Affairs Editor10 Jul 2009
Police will be told not to charge Islamist extremists who are in the “grey area” of criminality in an attempt to stop them becoming radicalised further.
New guidance will instruct forces to avoid prosecution in cases where it is a borderline decision as to whether a suspect has committed a crime.
Examples could include allegations of incitement or the viewing of extremist material on the internet.
Government officials insisted there was no question of letting off those who committed clear offences. They said the policy would help ensure marginal offenders were diverted away from further extremism by keeping them out of the criminal justice system.
One concern is that those sent to jail risk being further radicalised by terrorist convicts. Officials also want to avoid alienating those facing court over minor allegations who could be persuaded away from extremism.
Critics who accuse the Government of excessively using its anti-terrorist powers are likely to welcome the strategy. A senior Whitehall official said it was being prepared as part of a drive to use persuasion rather than the criminal justice system to fight extremism.
“The aim is to stop people being dragged into extremism. We are not talking about letting someone off who has committed a clear offence, but there is a grey area where it is unclear if an offence has been committed,” he said.
“For instance, where there has been incitement or someone has been on the internet there can be a grey area where there is some discretion and it would be more sensible to avoid going down the criminal route.”
The guidance is being drawn up by the Government's policing counter-terrorism board and will be sent to major police forces, including the Met, later this year.
An updated Home Office counter-terrorism strategy earlier this year said preventative measures to win round potential extremists should be considered instead of arrest and prosecution. “We need to be able to provide support for individuals who are drawn into criminal activity,” the document said.
Councils, community groups and the Government's youth justice board will be asked to help identify those drawn into extremism or at risk. Staff in areas such as social services, health, housing and education will try to work with individuals to cut the likelihood of their becoming further radicalised.
The initiative builds on the Home Office's 2007 Channel Project, under which police, teachers and youth workers seek to identify children vulnerable to extremism.
How troop protesters would be affected
Today's new strategy will make it less likely that charges will be brought against Islamist radicals taking part in protests such as the anti-troop demonstration in Luton earlier this year.
There was public anger after a group of about 15 gathered at the 2nd Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment's Iraq homecoming parade on 10 March. They carried placards calling the troops “butchers” and “animals”.
There were no arrests for incitement. An 18-year-old, who was opposed to the protest, was charged with racially-aggravated harassment — but police dropped the inquiry. Tarique Ghaffur, formerly Britain's most senior Muslim police officer, called for the demonstrators to be brought to justice and wrote to the chief constable of Bedfordshire to demand a “robust” investigation.
Under the new strategy they would be even less likely to face charges. Although officials insist those guilty of a clear offence — such as urging another to carry out a terrorist act — will be prosecuted, police will be asked to avoid action where the link between words and possible violent consequences is less certain.
They say dragging borderline offenders through the courts, and risking the possibility of them being jailed, could backfire by fuelling their extremism and by fostering resentment against Britain in their communities.
Reader views (26)
Thats ok ... if the police wont deal with it the people will .. just a matter of time.
- Scott, London, 13/07/2009 00:50
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Stuart, Dunstable: What you describe is appeasement. It is a policy that has been pursued with gusto by the current government, and one that has seen convicted terrorists taking seats in the NI assembly. It has not worked against Islamist terrorists or Irish Republican terrorists, as evidenced by the recent murders of a Police officer and two soldiers in N.Ireland, and countless failed or botched attempts besides, both here and on the Mainland. Appeasement will never work, it will only ever be exploited by those who would do us harm.
To those who cite the recent increase in "race hate crime" in NI, I advise you to take BBC reports with a pinch of salt. Their reporting is driven by their politically correct doctrine. Most of these incidents are inter-ethnic minority, with rival immigrant factions vying for position. Like in the rest of the UK, Eastern EUropean and other immigrants have been responsible for an explosion in crime, as they import their native cultures and practices into this country, but shhh...we're not allowed to talk about it!
The Roma incidents in S. Belfast amounted to a small number of broken windows at one property, over a few weeks. This was a contirved scam used to obtain gretaer access to services, free handouts and the best social housing. They had used the same scam to travel across EUrope in the first place. The protests were orchestrated by a known Republican activist, who saw it as an opportunity to do a bit of "Prod bashing".
- Belfast Cop, Belfast, 10/07/2009 16:05
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Sarah, good comment and will read the book you suggested
But I cannot dismiss this as nutters at work. They pose a real threat to our way of life if they are radicalised more than they already are.
We must use innovative and lateral ideas to proven this happening. And by this I mean radicals in general and not just Muslims.
- Stuart, Dunstable, Uk, 10/07/2009 15:57
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Good, let these radicals turn up to more homecomings to demonstrate and let the British public deal with them our way.........
- Jonny, London, 10/07/2009 15:43
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What is the point in having laws if they are sometimes not enforced? Especially, when those breaking them are doing so deliberately and cynically, rather than accidentally out of forgiveable one-time ignorance?
Prosecute whenever the law is broken. The courts should be allowed discretion to show mercy (where mercy is merited) and to crack down extra hard (where the criminality is aggravated).
This, or abolish the law, if it's an unnecessary or outdated one.
- Nigel, London, 10/07/2009 15:25
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- Stuart, Dunstable, Uk
Dear Stuart, I am not out to savage you, you are entitled to your opinion, but you are completely and utterly wrong if you imagine that anything we do in this country will encourage or dissuade nutcase extremists. They choose to come to non-Muslim countries because they hate our way of life, because they are on a crusade to spread the nation of Islam across the entire globe. The fact that they usually have massive families means that they are off to a headstart even before they open their front door. They are nutter zealots on a mission and no amount of kind behaviour on the host country's part is going to stop them. To imagine anything different is not just naive and foolish, it is dangerous. There is plenty of reading material available on this subject and I suggest you start with an easy to read book called "Time to Emigrate?" by George Walden. And before any of you PC lot start squawking, I am the last person anyone could accuse of being racist! Leave the race element out of it, it's about nutters!
- Sarah Bradshaw, Enfield, Middx, 10/07/2009 14:22
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This is not a tactic more of Nu Labor. Next year only it will get better. We have to get rid of this Gordon Brown style of "governing" in Britain. This has got to stop!!
- Caroline, Islington, London, 10/07/2009 13:18
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If you actually think about it and not just react with the usual, I am English and proud rubbish, this isn't as stupid as you think.
If you look at the profile of what creates a radical punishment that they believe to be unfair is a major part of what creates them. A radical or extremist, whatever the political or religious belief, are very different to your average criminal and our law and understanding is only set-up for criminals
That said, before I get savaged, don't agree with this particular idea, but I do applaud the lateral thinking and a true effort to understand the problem beyond the 'send them home' mentality.
- Stuart, Dunstable, Uk, 10/07/2009 12:54
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Thank you nulabour; nice to see you're still busy destroying everything you touch!
- Jules_London, london, 10/07/2009 12:06
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Rolling over and revealing a soft underbelly to antagonists is foolish and only shows weakness to be exploited.
- Mr Pastry, Brisbane, 10/07/2009 11:52
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Ah well if this puts an end to all the cant and hypocricy surrounding the reaction to the BNP euro election result then at least something will have come out of it but don't hold your breath. It's even money that pro-hunt, pro-british and most other demonstrators will still have their faces smashed in and will still be dragged through the courts at every available opportunity.
Come on guys, let's at least have SOME consistency!
- Steve, Brentford, 10/07/2009 11:35
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We as British born and bred are fast becoming second class citizens in our own country, one rule for them and another for us.
If the government have no guts to sort this grey area, then have the guts to deport them to the country where their other families live.
That way the problem is solved.
- Joe, Swanley Kent, 10/07/2009 11:22
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It is quite clear that Islam has no place in a 21st Century society. Adopt an open door policy and allow third world ideas into this country, you get a third world country.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 10/07/2009 10:59
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Lets, just let all radical muslim islamist do what they like, and hand over the country to them. After all that is what Labour is doing. These people are the most disgusting and evil creatures to be let into this country and the arrogance of them is overwhelming. Still this government seems happy to let them run wild, whenever we BRITISH show some pride.
- Alan, London, 10/07/2009 10:55
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Like it or not this is just another form of appeasement. At some point, in the not too distant future, the UKs indiginous Christian population will be forced to take up arms to defend itself against the followers of radical Islam. The Government, and by extension the police, have become so afraid to speak out against the creeping tide of radical Islam, and so hampered by its own political correctness, that they are fast becoming incapable of protecting the general public. The tolerant Britain that I grew up in is disintegrating before our very eyes, and uncontrolled mass immigration from the Muslim world is a major cause. US and UK troops are already being killed fighting Islamic terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan, China is now starting to experience Muslim intolerance to other religions, these same armed forces will soon be needed back here to defend our own people and way of life from the intolerance of Islam. We continue to ignore the threat at our own, and our childrens, peril.
- Paddy, South London, 10/07/2009 10:54
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These idiot extremists, hiding behind the banner of religion, they have no place in a British society. Hard line religion has been used by self consumed control freaks for centuries. Fortunately the general society in the UK has moved out of those dark ages of unquestionably accepting the word of god from self appointed, ego driven individuals with no care for the general populus. The UK generally accepts all people whatever their belief, as that is exactly what it is, just their own belief. These extremists have no interest in bettering our nation. Its time we drew a line in the sand and said, either you are part of this country, its ideals and ways of life or you're not. For those who come from other cultures/soceities who promote extremism against our values should be removed. Harsh but fair.
- Harsh But Fair, London, 10/07/2009 10:51
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I assume this will lead to more vigilanteism and a general hardening of anti-immigrant attitudes in the general public.As shown by the case of the Roma in N.Ireland where police ignored their 'minor' criminality.
- Jay, London, UK., 10/07/2009 10:49
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When are we going to get this lunatic government out of power. Time for the British people to form an uprising me thinks.........
- Kay Guidera, London, 10/07/2009 10:48
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The extremists must be jumping up and down rubbing their hands in glee at this news. No wonder they have no respect for the British way of life, when they see how stupid those in charge are. I heard this morning on the news that some of the indigenous people of Northern Ireland are warning ethnic minorities to get out of the country. Northern Ireland is British, so I wonder how those people will be treated? Will their threats against the newcomers be considered a grey area, or will the full force of the law come down on them for inciting race hatred? I think we all know the answer to that one, don't we!
- Sarah Bradshaw, Enfield, Middx, 10/07/2009 10:26
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I feel a jingoistic tone forming. Personally I feel the law should be applied at all times regardless of faith or skin colour we are all equals. This is the only fair way of running a state. Extremists should never be allowed to alter policy or gain an advantage over another citizen as they seek to divide the law should be used to unite.
Political correctness is the true evil in Britain.
- Gary, Brentwood, 10/07/2009 10:09
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Only in England
- P Staker, London, 10/07/2009 10:06
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We're eveidently a nation divided now as a result of mass immigration.- Steve, London
This is so typical of the left-liberal nutters that infest our public institutions under the sponsorship of Britain-hating NuLiebour. Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster
I just wish people were honest rather than trying to hide what they think. hmmm but then again should we give everyone a voice, the subtext is easy to read in a few comments posted here?
I have no answers but Evil seems to be on both sides and if a compromise works and cuts both ways not just applied to Extremists who are the actual breakers of the peace. I am happy to give it a go, so long as change happens
- Ade, Laindon, 10/07/2009 09:52
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Good idea.
Let's not punish drunk drivers in case they turn into very drunk drivers.
Let's not punish burglars in case they turn into bank robbers.
Inappropriate mass immigration by people who are not mature enough to handle
freedom is destroying our country.
Islam has played no part in our national history or the development of our laws & conventions. Those who won't respect our values should leave. And that includes those born here.
- British Not Racist, Bracknell England, 10/07/2009 09:39
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Zero tolerance is probably a better answer to extremists of Left Right and Centre. They set out deliberatley to make trouble. The 'cause' is secondary.
- Dhan Raj, Basildon, 10/07/2009 09:18
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We're eveidently a nation divided now as a result of mass immigration.As a result we should pull out of this pointless war as it's evident we cannot actively express which side we're on for fear of offending those that chose to settle here.
- Steve, London, 10/07/2009 08:35
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Great, pandering to terrorist extremists and other violent criminals, whilst hounding the generally law abiding majority over petty misdemeanours.
This is so typical of the left-liberal nutters that infest our public institutions under the sponsorship of Britain-hating NuLiebour.
They do not have a response to Islamist extremism that is compatible with their politically-correct dogma, so they simply ignore it and hope that nobody will notice.
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster, 10/07/2009 08:35
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