Cairo, October 18: The revelation of using an anti-extremism program to gather information about innocent Muslims is sending shockwaves across the Muslim minority in Britain.
“It would fuel anger and give ammunition to extremists to recruit people to their cause.”
The Guardian revealed Friday that the government is using its “Prevent” strategy to spy on innocents Muslims.
Sources close to the program said the strategy is being used to gather sensitive information about Muslims who are not involved in criminal activity.
Documents seen by the Guardian show that the government gathers information on political and religious views, mental health, sexual activity and associates.
The gathered information can be stored until the people concerned reach the age of 100.
In one case, the authorities stipulated passing information about individuals in return for funding for a mental health project to help Muslims in the Midlands.
A new youth project in London was also pressured by police to provide names and details of Muslim youngsters as a condition of funding.
“I have been opposing the anti-extremism strategy from the very beginning as it harms the social cohesion,” Ahmed said.
Launched by the Home Office in 2003, the “Prevent” strategy is an updated version of the government counter-terrorism strategy (called Contest).
The government says the strategy aims to prevent Muslims from being lured into extremist ideologies.
“Putting the spotlight on Muslims does not help fight extremism, but rather helps separating Muslims,” Ahmed said.
Ahmed warned that spying on innocent Muslims undermines efforts to fight extremism in the country.
“(Spying on people) is very dangerous,” she said.
“We should be fighting extremism in an integrated way not in an isolated way.”
The Home Office denies using the anti-extremism strategy to spy on Muslims.
“Any suggestion that Prevent is about spying is simply wrong,” the Office said in a statement.
“Prevent is about working with communities to protect vulnerable individuals and address the root causes of radicalization.”
British Muslims, estimated at nearly two million, have been in the eye of storm since the 7/7 attacks.
They have repeatedly complained of maltreatment by police for no apparent reason other than being Muslim.
A Financial Times opinion poll showed that Britain is the most suspicious nation about Muslims.
“(Fighting extremism) needs to be done through dialogue,” Ahmed said.
“It needs to be done in an integrated way not in an isolated way.”
Human rights group also blasted the government spying on the Muslim minority.
“It is the biggest domestic spying program targeting the thoughts and beliefs of the innocent in Britain in modern times,” Liberty director Shami Chakrabarti said.
“It is information-gathering directed at the innocent and the spying is directed at people because of their religion, and not because of their behavior.”
–Agencies–