Preventing Violent Extremism Awareness Training: Definitions

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While the law relating to violent extremism is clear, it is useful to remember that there is no single definition of extremism or violent extremism. With that in mind, broader explanations include

      Archbishop Desmond Tutu

 

 

      Free Dictionary

 

 

      HM Government

 

The lack of an agreed definition means that exploring issues around safeguarding against violent extremism with communities, young people and colleagues presents a need to engage with different ideas and perceptions. Having unusual or even ‘radical’ views is not illegal, and in a diverse society differences are the norm rather than the exception. Freedom of speech is to be respected – preventing violent extremism relates to the promotion or justification of violence and hate.


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.