'The carrot of counter-terrorism'

By Mark Easton
Home Editor, BBC News

The home secretary has met young Muslims to explain the plans

As the government struggles to convince backbenchers of the need for powers to lock up terror suspects for six weeks without trial, £12.5m is being made available for projects in Muslim communities.

This is no coincidence.

Ministers want to stress that their counter-terrorism strategy is about carrot as well as stick.

And so, along with the funding, five secretaries of state have put their name to a document spelling out how they hope to counter violent extremism and prevent the radicalisation of young Muslims.

The money from the counter-terrorism pot will fund projects that aim to "undermine extremist ideology" by "amplifying mainstream voices" within communities.

Some of the cash will be channelled through police-led schemes that identify individuals who may be vulnerable to the siren call of al-Qaeda-inspired recruiters.

There is money too for work with young offenders, both in prison and in the community.

'Messages of hate'

Local authorities are being sent detailed guidance on how they can counter the threat from extremists in what is being described as a national "de-radicalisation" programme.

It really is like selling Christmas to a turkey - it is insulting Dr M G Khan Birmingham University

Among the ideas is a suggestion that councils map their areas religion by religion.

"Preventing violent extremism is about supporting local people to build resilient communities where extremists and their messages of hate cannot take root," Communities Secretary Hazel Blears said.

In Birmingham, for example, the city council is to receive £800,000 each year to prevent the radicalisation of young people.

The Home Office money will fund existing projects in a part of Britain where police say a third of Britain's known terror networks are operating.

The Tyga youth forum is one such scheme, operating out of the Hazrat Sultan Bahu Mosque in Balsall Heath.

Currently funded by the council, the project will now be supported with money from central government's counter-terrorism budget.

A group of young Muslims are meeting there discuss the meaning of Islam, the conversation led by a mentor whose views are known to be moderate.

"By being a good Muslim you are a good citizen," says one. "They go hand in hand," acknowledges another.

'Insulting'

That is exactly the kind of conversation the government wants to support.

But others in Birmingham are less convinced. "It really is like selling Christmas to a turkey - it is insulting," says Dr M G Khan, a lecturer in youth and community studies at Birmingham University.

"I know organisations who are reluctant to accept funding on the basis of preventing violent extremism simply because they would lose integrity and compromise their access to young people."

It's going to go in one ear and out of the other. What they need is jobs Asad Mahmood, 18, from Sparkbrook, Birmingham

His fears that Muslims will feel picked on are echoed by 18-year-old Asad Mahmood who lives in the Sparkbrook area of Birmingham.

"We are hot-seated. I am hot-seated right now because I am a Pakistani lad in a community where there's supposed to be radicalisation," he says.

"If they're going to spend £800,000 a year in Birmingham they shouldn't spend it on setting up youth forums and stuff because that's not going to do nothing," he argues.

"It's going to go in one ear and out of the other. What they need is jobs."

Nevertheless, many mosques in Birmingham are signing up to the Prevent Strategy with its money for English lessons and invitations for imams to go into schools.

And the police commander in the racially mixed Handsworth area of the city believes it is vital work.

"It's about dealing with a problem at its root cause", says Chief Superintendent Paul Scarrott.

"Instead of picking up the pieces let's do something about it and work with all communities whoever they are to prevent extremism."