Countering Terrorism in the UK: A Community Perspective

Abstract

This chapter highlights the findings of preceding research chapters drawing on earlier discussions that identified historical and ideological delineations relating to violent extremism. Discourse follows regarding community development of counter-radicalisation/intervention initiatives that have been developed to address and effectively tackle the issue of violent extremism at a grassroots level. In bringing these threads together the author intends to address the primary research question as well as highlight the implications and subsequent effects of the government’s Preventing Violent Extremism agenda (PVE) on Muslim communities.¹ The PVE Pathfinder Fund was launched by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) in October 2006 and introduced publicly in February 2007.² Initial funding of £5 million was allocated to ‘support priority local authorities, or groups of local authorities, to take forward a programme of activities to tackle violent extremism at a local level’.³ Its more specific remit was to develop a community whereby Muslims were empowered to:

• Identify themselves as a welcome part of a wider British society and are accepted as such by the wider community

• Reject violent extremist ideology and actively condemn violent extremism

• Isolate violent extremist activity, and support and co-operate with the police and security services

• Develop their own capacity to deal with problems where they arise and support diversionary activity for those at risk.⁴