A Derby radicalisation expert has voiced reservations over the idea young Muslims can be turned away from extremism through “computer games-type sites”.
The University of Derby’s Professor of Inter-Religious Relations, Paul Weller, said the key was understanding that those at risk of radicalisation were often motivated by “misplaced idealism”.
He said they needed instead to be encouraged to assist countries in the Muslim world more healthily through working with aid and development agencies.
Professor Weller was speaking after Britain’s youngest suicide bomber, Talha Asmal, 17, reportedly detonated a vehicle while fighting for Islamic State, having previously attended the Zakaria Mosque in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.
Talha’s family said that, despite him never exhibiting any extreme views, he had been exploited on the internet “in a process of deliberate and calculated grooming”.
The case led to comments from Lord Carlile, former reviewer of anti-terrorism legislation, who said the Government needed to work with social media firms and computer games companies to offer anti-extremism messages online.
He said: “Games designers are among the experts with the ability to design internet sites that would lay out the dangers and immorality of joining IS and becoming terrorists. Computer games-type sites might form part of this effort.”
When asked about that idea, Professor Weller said he believed such a move could have “an affect”.
But he added: “Mostly the young people you would be engaging are quite sophisticated and probably would understand that this was a specific attempt to try and get them to look at things in another way.”
Professor Weller said young people at risk of radicalisation were often motivated by “misplaced idealism” and might perceive Muslim countries to be oppressed and want to do something about that.
Professor Weller said it was important for Muslim groups, and “the wider community”, to ensure young people had healthy forums to discuss and tackle issues like this.
He said young Muslims often felt they couldn’t speak out because they would be seen as sympathising with extremists.
He said: “We need to encourage young Muslims to feel they can articulate concerns about the way the world is, not feel that, if they do, they are being disloyal to the state here.
“It’s an entirely normal thing for young people to feel that the world shouldn’t be as it is. One should nurture that and not stigmatise it.”
Professor Weller said one example of a positive channel for idealism would be getting young Muslims involved in aid and development groups that aim to achieve change through non-violent means.
They could be encouraged to do this through social media.
In Derby, there are already people from women’s groups, mosques and the multi-faith centre working to tackle “distorted messages” on line that could lead to radicalisation.
They could respond on social media or message boards or put something that opposes the view on another website.