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| Social isolation behind extremism and terrorism, police told | Social isolation behind extremism and terrorism, police told |
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| The police chief leading the fight against extremist murder plots has said a lack of integration was a factor driving some suspects who wanted to stage attacks, as a former government adviser said social isolation was driving rising Islamist and far-right terrorism. | |
| Louise Casey, the former government integration tsar, told an audience of police leaders that oppression of women in Muslim communities was a sign of extremism that led to Islamist terrorism. But furthermore that was feeding the rise of the extreme right and an increase in the terrorist threat neo-Nazis posed. | Louise Casey, the former government integration tsar, told an audience of police leaders that oppression of women in Muslim communities was a sign of extremism that led to Islamist terrorism. But furthermore that was feeding the rise of the extreme right and an increase in the terrorist threat neo-Nazis posed. |
| Casey told police leaders: “We are helping the extreme right wing if we do not take these issues on. They are nasty, horrible racist people who have no place in our society but their numbers are growing. I also think in our desire to embrace diversity we are creating division.” | Casey told police leaders: “We are helping the extreme right wing if we do not take these issues on. They are nasty, horrible racist people who have no place in our society but their numbers are growing. I also think in our desire to embrace diversity we are creating division.” |
| Casey carried out a review for the government on integration which reported in December 2016, and left the civil service this summer. It is believed to be her first speech free of the constraints of government service. | Casey carried out a review for the government on integration which reported in December 2016, and left the civil service this summer. It is believed to be her first speech free of the constraints of government service. |
| She addressed the joint conference of police chiefs and police and crime commissioners, which also heard from Met police assistant commissioner Mark Rowley, UK head of counter-terrorism. | She addressed the joint conference of police chiefs and police and crime commissioners, which also heard from Met police assistant commissioner Mark Rowley, UK head of counter-terrorism. |
| Asked after Casey’s remarks whether there was evidence that suspects in 20 terrorist plots and attacks in the last four years came from a background with a lack of integration, Rowley said: “We do see evidence of some of our suspects coming from communities with low integration, both Islamist and extreme rightwing. That does not mean that everyone from a non-integrated community is a terrorist.” | Asked after Casey’s remarks whether there was evidence that suspects in 20 terrorist plots and attacks in the last four years came from a background with a lack of integration, Rowley said: “We do see evidence of some of our suspects coming from communities with low integration, both Islamist and extreme rightwing. That does not mean that everyone from a non-integrated community is a terrorist.” |
| Casey said society was comfortable taking about inequalities faced by black men but uneasy talking about views in Muslim communities that led to inequalities for women: “The far-right milk it every time we are overtly politically correct and are unable to deal with Islamic extremism.” | Casey said society was comfortable taking about inequalities faced by black men but uneasy talking about views in Muslim communities that led to inequalities for women: “The far-right milk it every time we are overtly politically correct and are unable to deal with Islamic extremism.” |
| She added that sex abuse scandals involving Asian men targeting white girls had been exploited by the far right. “Everybody saw how the Rotherham sex scandal was milked by the EDL to fuel Islamophobia,” she said. | She added that sex abuse scandals involving Asian men targeting white girls had been exploited by the far right. “Everybody saw how the Rotherham sex scandal was milked by the EDL to fuel Islamophobia,” she said. |
| Casey said she came across evidence of hardline attitudes that led to isolation during her review. “‘I was very upset and saddened by the level of unequal treatment,” she said, “and I was struck by the lives, because of culture, we think it is acceptable for women to live in Bradford, Birmingham and the east end of London.” | Casey said she came across evidence of hardline attitudes that led to isolation during her review. “‘I was very upset and saddened by the level of unequal treatment,” she said, “and I was struck by the lives, because of culture, we think it is acceptable for women to live in Bradford, Birmingham and the east end of London.” |
| She cited figures that 61% of women from Pakistani and Bangladeshi heritage are economically inactive and twice as likely to lack proficiency in English than men from the same background. | She cited figures that 61% of women from Pakistani and Bangladeshi heritage are economically inactive and twice as likely to lack proficiency in English than men from the same background. |
| She gave the example of schools which shut at 1.30pm on a Friday for the main Muslim prayers of the week, with girls allegedly stopped from going out until they return to school on Monday morning. “‘I don’t think girls should be growing up in this country where they don’t leave their houses over the weekend,” she said. | She gave the example of schools which shut at 1.30pm on a Friday for the main Muslim prayers of the week, with girls allegedly stopped from going out until they return to school on Monday morning. “‘I don’t think girls should be growing up in this country where they don’t leave their houses over the weekend,” she said. |
| Government and police are searching for a way to stop the rising threat of terrorism. Casey’s prescription allows a rare insight into thinking about social factors some believe are driving the extremism which in turn lead to terrorist violence. | Government and police are searching for a way to stop the rising threat of terrorism. Casey’s prescription allows a rare insight into thinking about social factors some believe are driving the extremism which in turn lead to terrorist violence. |
| Casey said: “The time has come to have those gentle conversations and in some cases less than gentle.” | Casey said: “The time has come to have those gentle conversations and in some cases less than gentle.” |
| While her views broadly chime with the linking of extremism to Islamist violence widespread on the mainstream right and sections of the mainstream left, Casey suggested the government was not taking the findings of her integration review seriously. “The government has still got my review and the recommendations in the ‘difficult to deal with’ filing cabinet and it still hasn’t seen the light of day,” she said. | While her views broadly chime with the linking of extremism to Islamist violence widespread on the mainstream right and sections of the mainstream left, Casey suggested the government was not taking the findings of her integration review seriously. “The government has still got my review and the recommendations in the ‘difficult to deal with’ filing cabinet and it still hasn’t seen the light of day,” she said. |
| In his speech Rowley said 50 children, mostly girls, had been taken into care and away from their families because of concerns they were at risk of being drawn into extremism or terrorism. | In his speech Rowley said 50 children, mostly girls, had been taken into care and away from their families because of concerns they were at risk of being drawn into extremism or terrorism. |
| He repeated calls made by other police leaders for more resources from the government to tackle the growing terrorist threat from Islamists and the far right. | He repeated calls made by other police leaders for more resources from the government to tackle the growing terrorist threat from Islamists and the far right. |