Cameron urges Muslims to do more to stamp out extremism
PM praised for confronting 'uncomfortable truth' on terror, but others says his remarks are unhelpful
David Cameron will today raise concerns that extremist ideology is being "quietly condoned" in parts of British Muslim communities.
The Prime Minister will urge Muslims in the UK to do more to challenge extremist views and to report any concerns they might have to the authorities.
In a speech at the annual Globsec conference in Bratislava, Cameron is expected to say that it is "less of a leap" to go from a troubled British teenager to an Islamic State fighter if extremist ideology is "quietly condoned online or perhaps even in parts of your local community".
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His speech comes as three sisters from Bradford are believed to have taken their nine children to Syria, and Britain's youngest suicide bomber – a 17-year-old said to be fighting for Islamic State – was reported dead in Iraq. About 700 people are have reportedly travelled to Syria and Iraq to join the war, with around half said to have returned to the UK.
"Too often we hear the argument that the radicalisation is the fault of someone else," Cameron is expected to say today. "That blame game is wrong and dangerous. By accepting finger-pointing – whether it's at agencies or authorities – we are ignoring the fact that radicalisation starts with the individual… we need to treat the causes not just the symptoms."
The Daily Mail applauds Cameron for confronting what it calls an "uncomfortable truth" on terror.
"The overwhelming majority of British Muslims abhor everything about IS," says the Mail. "But pretending that some in the Islamic community cannot do more to condemn extremism and root out the preachers of hate is as terrifyingly misguided as it is dangerous."
The Daily Telegraph describes the Prime Minister's speech as "courageous". In an editorial, the newspaper says: "When it comes to maintaining law and order, it is the responsibility of the state to keep a close watch over potential terrorists and prosecute criminals. But the state can only do so much. Responsibility also lies with the communities and families from which the guilty arise."
However, Yousif Al-Khoei from the Centre for Academic Shia Studies, told Sky News that Cameron's comments were "unhelpful". If the government is serious about tackling IS, they "really need to take serious steps to tackle rampant Islamophobia", he said.
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