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| Theresa May pledges new measures to tackle British jihadis | Theresa May pledges new measures to tackle British jihadis |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| New powers to tackle extremist groups are being brought forward by the government, the home secretary says. | New powers to tackle extremist groups are being brought forward by the government, the home secretary says. |
| Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Theresa May said what have been dubbed "Asbos for terrorists" could 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, as she defended the government's counter-terrorism strategy. | |
| Ministers have been urged to step up their response to extremism at home following the murder of US journalist James Foley by Islamic State (IS) militants operating in Iraq and Syria. | |
| UK police and security services are trying to identify a jihadist with an English accent who appeared in footage of Mr Foley's killing. | |
| 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. | 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 officials must have all the legal powers they needed to tackle the problem, but Labour says more detail is needed on plans to increase civil powers (such as Asbos) to tackle extremists or extremist groups. | |
| 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 such as councils and schools would also be required by law to take steps to tackle radicalisation. | Public bodies such as councils and schools would also be required by law to take steps to tackle radicalisation. |
| Mrs May also defended the government's record on confronting terrorist activity, revealing that since 2010, more than 150 foreign individuals had been excluded from entering the UK, including "hate preachers". | Mrs May also defended the government's record on confronting terrorist activity, revealing that since 2010, more than 150 foreign individuals had been excluded from entering the UK, including "hate preachers". |
| She added the UK had improved its ability to address the problem of extremism online - with 28,000 pieces of terrorist material removed from the internet so far in 2014. | She added the UK had improved its ability to address the problem of extremism online - with 28,000 pieces of terrorist material removed from the internet so far in 2014. |
| 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. |
| Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said more action was needed to respond to the "serious problem" of people travelling to fight for IS. | |
| "I remain concerned that the government is not addressing the gaps in the Prevent programme - especially the lack of support for community-led approaches to preventing radicalisation. | |
| "And the Home Secretary also needs to respond to the concerns raised by the current and previous Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation about the decision to weaken control orders, where they have advised that stronger measures should be put in place." | |
| '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. | 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 TPims, 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 TPims, 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." |
| TPims are used to restrict movement, the use of computers and mobile phones and meetings with others. They replaced the previous system of control orders - which were more restrictive - in 2011. | TPims are used to restrict movement, the use of computers and mobile phones and meetings with others. They replaced the previous system of control orders - which were more restrictive - in 2011. |
| 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. |