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| Theresa May pledges new laws to tackle British jihadis | Theresa May pledges new laws to tackle British jihadis |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The home secretary has confirmed the government is pressing ahead with plans for new powers to tackle extremist groups and defended its current counter-terrorism strategy. | The home secretary has confirmed the government is pressing ahead with plans for new powers to tackle extremist groups and defended its current counter-terrorism strategy. |
| Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Theresa May said what have been dubbed "Asbos for terrorists" would be introduced for those who try to radicalise others. | Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Theresa May said what have been dubbed "Asbos for terrorists" would be introduced for those who try to radicalise others. |
| Extremist groups could be banned even if they are not involved in terrorism. | Extremist groups could be banned even if they are not involved in terrorism. |
| Mrs May said the struggle against extremism may continue for decades. | Mrs May said the struggle against extremism may continue for decades. |
| The government must have all the legal powers it needed to prevail, she added. | The government must have all the legal powers it needed to prevail, she added. |
| Public bodies | Public bodies |
| In her article, which comes after several senior Conservatives questioned whether the government was doing enough to tackle extremism and terrorism, Mrs May acknowledged the threat to the UK was very serious. | |
| She said: "Dealing with terrorism and extremism will require continued commitment and international collaboration. | She said: "Dealing with terrorism and extremism will require continued commitment and international collaboration. |
| "Since I was made home secretary, I have constantly made the case for legislation to ensure the police and security services have access to the communications data they need, for example. | "Since I was made home secretary, I have constantly made the case for legislation to ensure the police and security services have access to the communications data they need, for example. |
| "I am looking again at the case for new banning orders for extremist groups that fall short of the legal threshold for terrorist proscription, as well as for new civil powers to target extremists who seek to radicalise others." | "I am looking again at the case for new banning orders for extremist groups that fall short of the legal threshold for terrorist proscription, as well as for new civil powers to target extremists who seek to radicalise others." |
| Public bodies would also be required by law to take steps to tackle radicalisation. | Public bodies would also be required by law to take steps to tackle radicalisation. |
| Caroline Wyatt, religious affairs correspondent, BBC News | Caroline Wyatt, religious affairs correspondent, BBC News |
| At least 500 British Muslims have travelled to Iraq or Syria to support Islamist extremists, many joining the fighters of Islamic State. | At least 500 British Muslims have travelled to Iraq or Syria to support Islamist extremists, many joining the fighters of Islamic State. |
| Some are as young as 16; the oldest known to have done so is 42. Others estimate the figures could be three times as high. | Some are as young as 16; the oldest known to have done so is 42. Others estimate the figures could be three times as high. |
| Some of the Islamic State recruits are active on social media, and keen to recruit others. | Some of the Islamic State recruits are active on social media, and keen to recruit others. |
| In east London, we met one British convert to Islam who says he can understand why they go. | In east London, we met one British convert to Islam who says he can understand why they go. |
| Abu Rumaysah is careful to stay within the law, but what he says still has the power to shock after the violence meted out by Islamic State. | Abu Rumaysah is careful to stay within the law, but what he says still has the power to shock after the violence meted out by Islamic State. |
| "The caliphate is something that is in the heart of every single practising Muslim, so I'm not surprised that many Muslims would wish to migrate there," he tells me. | "The caliphate is something that is in the heart of every single practising Muslim, so I'm not surprised that many Muslims would wish to migrate there," he tells me. |
| "There is not a single country in the world - whether it's Saudi or Pakistan - that implements Islam fully. | "There is not a single country in the world - whether it's Saudi or Pakistan - that implements Islam fully. |
| "So now we've got this caliphate, people are going to flock there, and leave the insecurity they're facing in many Muslim countries as well as the West, and live there peacefully there under the sharia [law]." | "So now we've got this caliphate, people are going to flock there, and leave the insecurity they're facing in many Muslim countries as well as the West, and live there peacefully there under the sharia [law]." |
| Countering the call to jihad | Countering the call to jihad |
| Mrs May added that "people who insist on travelling to fight in Syria and Iraq will be investigated by the police and security services". | Mrs May added that "people who insist on travelling to fight in Syria and Iraq will be investigated by the police and security services". |
| The measures were included in the report from the Extremism Task Force that was set up by Prime Minister David Cameron after the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby last year. | The measures were included in the report from the Extremism Task Force that was set up by Prime Minister David Cameron after the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby last year. |
| But BBC political correspondent Carole Walker says the government is now under renewed pressure to put its plans into practice. | But BBC political correspondent Carole Walker says the government is now under renewed pressure to put its plans into practice. |
| 'Ahead of curve' | 'Ahead of curve' |
| Rob Wainwright, director of the EU's law enforcement agency Europol, said the UK was taking the right approach to dealing with extremism. | Rob Wainwright, director of the EU's law enforcement agency Europol, said the UK was taking the right approach to dealing with extremism. |
| He told BBC Radio 4's The World Tonight: "As always you have to balance the security interests of countries with that of individual liberties; maintaining liberty and privacy is something that we all cherish in Europe of course. | He told BBC Radio 4's The World Tonight: "As always you have to balance the security interests of countries with that of individual liberties; maintaining liberty and privacy is something that we all cherish in Europe of course. |
| "Getting that balance right is very important and is a feature I think of the EU's response so far. | "Getting that balance right is very important and is a feature I think of the EU's response so far. |
| "In terms of the effectiveness of control orders and other things, we see that the United Kingdom has been ahead of the curve, has been rather progressive in the way in which it's using systems to try and manage these problems." | "In terms of the effectiveness of control orders and other things, we see that the United Kingdom has been ahead of the curve, has been rather progressive in the way in which it's using systems to try and manage these problems." |
| But former security minister Lady Neville Jones told the BBC that new laws are not necessary as current legislation deals effectively with extremism. | |
| "I think we have a lot of law and it needs to be enforced and there are ways in which the present version of control orders, known as T-PIMS, can be used if you need to, as part of the armoury of preventing people from going to Iraq," she said. | "I think we have a lot of law and it needs to be enforced and there are ways in which the present version of control orders, known as T-PIMS, can be used if you need to, as part of the armoury of preventing people from going to Iraq," she said. |
| "And there are also various other immigration measures that we have in place and they need to be used because it is very important I think to stop this traffic." | "And there are also various other immigration measures that we have in place and they need to be used because it is very important I think to stop this traffic." |
| Muslim Council of Britain general secretary Dr Shuja Shafi said anyone who is "knowledgeable about any wrongdoing must report it to the police, or organisations like Crimestoppers". | Muslim Council of Britain general secretary Dr Shuja Shafi said anyone who is "knowledgeable about any wrongdoing must report it to the police, or organisations like Crimestoppers". |
| Dr Shafi called on parents, communities, imams, religious leaders and governments to address what was going wrong. | Dr Shafi called on parents, communities, imams, religious leaders and governments to address what was going wrong. |
| "We have got to see what it is that has lured these individuals and young people into criminal activity like this," he said. | "We have got to see what it is that has lured these individuals and young people into criminal activity like this," he said. |
| "We have to understand why this "jihadi cool" culture seems to lure them, and make sure this does not persuade them, and ensure they are engaged with society and understand this is wrong," he says. | "We have to understand why this "jihadi cool" culture seems to lure them, and make sure this does not persuade them, and ensure they are engaged with society and understand this is wrong," he says. |