Preventing Violent Extremism Awareness Training: Practical Actions

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So what should you do if you are concerned about an individual or something you have seen?

There is a scale of action, from informal conversation through to referral to authorities. Firstly, if you are concerned about a person, it is best to try to open up dialogue. Do not be judgmental, rather try to find out what is behind the worrying behaviour. It is important not to confuse religious or political activities of colleagues and members of the public with worrisome behaviour – when in doubt, talk to the designated safeguarding lead in your organisation.

However, if you have doubts, and urgent concerns persist, or you think you have seen something suspicious, you should ring:

  • 999 if there is an immediate threat to life, or the police on 101 who will connect you with a local officer with a Prevent remit.
  • The police anti-terrorist hotline on 0800 789 321. This number is available 24/7 for members of the public to report any suspicious activity. Calls are answered by specially trained counter-terrorism officers who make some initial enquiries before passing on details to local counter-terrorism officers for further investigation where appropriate.
  • Crimestoppers on 0800 55511 anonymously and more information can be found on https://crimestoppers-uk.org
  • NSPCC who recently launched a free 24-hour helpline on 0808 800 5000 for parents worried about radicalization and the impact of terrorism. They have access to trained counsellors.
  • For suspicious online activity or material, local police websites are running the stop button campaign, for example: http://content.met.police.uk/Article/Reporting-online-terrorist-content/1400006268056/1400006268056

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Further reading:

There are many reports to read on the subject but a few good places to start include:

The Prevent Strategy

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2010-to-2015-government-policy-counter-terrorism/2010-to-2015-government-policy-counter-terrorism

Review of Current and Proposed Legislation

https://terrorismlegislationreviewer.independent.gov.uk/

Formers & Families, ConnectJustice 2015

http://connectfutures.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/UK-Formers-Families-Final.pdf

Well done! Finally, complete the quiz below to print your certificate.

Optional: head over to the forum to share ideas and discuss issues, and catch the next live webinar (dates to follow).

 


9/11: The Al Qaeda attacks on New York’s Twin Towers and the Pentagon in Washington on 11th September 2001, which triggered President George W Bush’s ‘War on Terror’ and the  wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

7/7: The co-ordinated bomb attacks on London by four young British men in the name of Al Qaeda, on 7th July 2005, which killed 52 people.

Al Qaeda: Terrorist group founded in 1988 by Osama Bin Laden, which committed the 9/11 attacks.

Islamic State (Daesh/IS/ISIS/ISIL): Terrorist group formed after the fall of Saddam Hussain in Iraq and the civil war in Syria. It is the most prominent recruiter of Westerners to its mission to establish its own state.

CONTEST & the ‘4 Ps’: The British Government’s Counter Terrorism strategy initiated in 2006, revised in 2011, consisting of 4 strands: Prepare, Protect, Prevent and Pursue.

Prevent: Aiming to stop (prevent) individuals from supporting terrorism or becoming terrorists.