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| Terror fight 'may take 15 years' | Terror fight 'may take 15 years' |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The battle to deal with radicalisation in the fight against terrorism could take up to 15 years to achieve, says the UK's new security minister. | The battle to deal with radicalisation in the fight against terrorism could take up to 15 years to achieve, says the UK's new security minister. |
| Former navy chief Admiral Sir Alan West told the Sunday Telegraph the UK faced a "disparate core" of "racist" people, often based abroad, who wanted power. | Former navy chief Admiral Sir Alan West told the Sunday Telegraph the UK faced a "disparate core" of "racist" people, often based abroad, who wanted power. |
| And he urged people to be "un-British" by "snitching" to the authorities. | And he urged people to be "un-British" by "snitching" to the authorities. |
| Meanwhile Gordon Brown said he wanted a system put in place across Europe to help identify potential suspects. | |
| In his first interview since being appointed by the prime minister, Sir Alan said he hated the expression "war on terror", saying it was "totally wrong" for the current situation. | In his first interview since being appointed by the prime minister, Sir Alan said he hated the expression "war on terror", saying it was "totally wrong" for the current situation. |
| "It's not like a war in that sense at all. It demeans the value of a war and it demeans the value of a lot of things," he told the paper. | "It's not like a war in that sense at all. It demeans the value of a war and it demeans the value of a lot of things," he told the paper. |
| The people we are talking about are trying to destroy our entire way of life Admiral Sir Alan WestSecurity minister | The people we are talking about are trying to destroy our entire way of life Admiral Sir Alan WestSecurity minister |
| BBC political correspondent Sean Curran said Sir Alan and other political leaders saw the situation as being more comparable with the Cold War, in that it was a "long haul" task in which a "battle of ideas" needed to be won. | BBC political correspondent Sean Curran said Sir Alan and other political leaders saw the situation as being more comparable with the Cold War, in that it was a "long haul" task in which a "battle of ideas" needed to be won. |
| Sir Alan said the new prime minister had asked him to help "sort out" the government's response to the terror threat, when he appointed him last week. | Sir Alan said the new prime minister had asked him to help "sort out" the government's response to the terror threat, when he appointed him last week. |
| The most important aspect of countering the terror threat was prevention of the radicalisation of young Muslims, he said. | The most important aspect of countering the terror threat was prevention of the radicalisation of young Muslims, he said. |
| He said: "This is not a quick thing. I believe it will take 10 to 15 years." | |
| 'Muslim community' | 'Muslim community' |
| Sir Alan described those threatening Britain as "racist, they're bigoted, they seek power, they're avaricious in money terms and they talk of the caliphate." | |
| The term caliphate generally refers to the dream of unified Islamic rule, with Sharia law applying to all. | The term caliphate generally refers to the dream of unified Islamic rule, with Sharia law applying to all. |
| Sir Alan also disagreed with the use of general phrases such as "the Muslim community". | Sir Alan also disagreed with the use of general phrases such as "the Muslim community". |
| "I have a lot of Muslim friends and they see themselves as British. We've got to be very careful. The threat is to our British way of life and all of our British people." | "I have a lot of Muslim friends and they see themselves as British. We've got to be very careful. The threat is to our British way of life and all of our British people." |
| He added: "Britishness does not normally involve snitching or talking about someone. | He added: "Britishness does not normally involve snitching or talking about someone. |
| "I'm afraid, in this situation, anyone who's got any information should say something because the people we are talking about are trying to destroy our entire way of life." | "I'm afraid, in this situation, anyone who's got any information should say something because the people we are talking about are trying to destroy our entire way of life." |
| Director of Liberty Shami Chakrabarti said Sir Alan's comments had represented an "important change in tone", and the minister was right to want to abandon the "divisive" war on terror rhetoric. | |
| But she said in order to expect people to report their suspicions about family members or neighbours, the government would have to "inspire a sense of solidarity" in people. | |
| 'Caution needed' | |
| Swiss Muslim academic and theologian Tariq Ramadan told BBC Radio Five Live it was important to distinguish between a "tiny minority" and the wider Muslim community who condemned extremism. | |
| Mr Ramadan said he backed the call for more "snitching" in that all citizens should "come together and fight" terrorism, including giving support to the police. | Mr Ramadan said he backed the call for more "snitching" in that all citizens should "come together and fight" terrorism, including giving support to the police. |
| But he added: "We must be very cautious not to nurture this sense of suspicion towards Muslims. I think that the current political discourse and also what is going on at the grass roots during the last three years, it's just worrying, about the change of atmosphere in our society." | But he added: "We must be very cautious not to nurture this sense of suspicion towards Muslims. I think that the current political discourse and also what is going on at the grass roots during the last three years, it's just worrying, about the change of atmosphere in our society." |
| Mr Brown told Sky News the current security "watchlist" system should be expanded to create a better flow of information about "the potential recruitment or the actual recruitment" activities of terrorist groups. | Mr Brown told Sky News the current security "watchlist" system should be expanded to create a better flow of information about "the potential recruitment or the actual recruitment" activities of terrorist groups. |
| "Then we may have a better idea about people coming into different countries, whether as professional recruits or in other ways, and about what the dangers and the risks that we face are. | "Then we may have a better idea about people coming into different countries, whether as professional recruits or in other ways, and about what the dangers and the risks that we face are. |
| "I think it's very important that we tighten this up and it's something that we are looking at as a matter of urgency," he said. | "I think it's very important that we tighten this up and it's something that we are looking at as a matter of urgency," he said. |