'Help Muslims report terror' call

Chief Superintendent Ali Dizaei, of the Metropolitan Black Police Association (MBPA), said some Muslims did not like going to police stations.

Ch Supt Dizaei, the third-highest ranking Muslim officer in the Met, said they should be able to give information at centres such as schools and mosques.

Such a system worked well in areas including domestic violence, he added.

'More secure'

Ch Supt Dizaei said: "I think clearly everyone accepts that we need the community - and particularly the Muslim community - on board in order to deal with terrorism.

"Currently, for a variety of reasons, we believe there is a disconnect between members of the Muslim community coming out with routine information and intelligence and giving that to the police."

He added: "They simply do not like to go to a police station and part with that information.

"What we're suggesting is that there should be third-party reporting centres, such as schools, such as mosques or community centres, where people can actually give that information to the police."

'Helping us'

Ch Supt Dizaei said the track record of third-party reporting centres for offences such as domestic violence and hate crime was good.

"Third-party reporting centres work there and we manage to get far more intelligence coming through," he said.

"This is not about 'grassing' on your neighbours, this is about helping us, (people) helping themselves and helping the general population to sort out the issue of radicalisation and extremism, which has got to be good for everyone."

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