An MP who was stabbed by an al-Qaeda fanatic has accused Google and other internet giants of “shrugging their shoulders” over extremist videos and websites.
Stephen Timms, who was attacked by a Muslim student in his East Ham constituency in east London three years ago, said ministers must investigate how to remove radical material from the internet in the wake of the Woolwich terror attack.
Thousands of extremist videos are easily available on YouTube and other websites, and police investigating the murder of Drummer Lee Rigby have seized a number of computers.
Roshonara Choudhry, the student who attacked Mr Timms, was inspired by online sermons by a radical preacher who urged Muslims to do “whatever you can” in violent defiance of the West.
She tried to murder the Labour MP as “punishment” for voting in favour of the Iraq war, and she is now serving a life sentence.
Mr Timms said: “It does appear that it was exactly that material which led to my being stabbed, and I would feel much better if it wasn’t there.
“I would certainly welcome an exploration of what might be possible. Those companies have slightly shrugged their shoulders.
“This question [about radical material] was raised after Roshonara’s trial in November 2010.
“I understand that YouTube at the time said they would take it all down, which they did, and I’m told that within 10 or 15 minutes it was all back up again.
“They ought to be responsible. My scepticism is whether it is technically possible to do so with the amount of stuff that’s being uploaded. Clearly if it could, it would be an attractive idea.”
Theresa May, the Home Secretary, has said the Government is considering forcing Google and other internet giants to take more responsibility for blocking extremist websites. Search engines, social media networks and video websites rely on users to alert them to offensive content.
Mr Timms also criticised the BBC for interviewing Anjem Choudary on Newsnight.
“This morning somebody I know in one of the local mosques asked me to write on his behalf to the BBC to complain about the fact that Anjem Choudary was given airtime.
“He said, ‘He does not speak to us, please can you find people that do speak for us’.
“One of the most memorable aspects after what happened to me was the response from the community afterwards, many of them from Muslims saying, ‘We are praying for you’.
“It left me with a very strong sense that the great majority of people in the Muslim community are appalled by what happened to me and in Woolwich, but are mortified that people claim to be doing it in their faith.”
Mr Timms said he still does not understand why Choudhry became radicalised. He hopes to meet her in prison.
He said: “I don’t have any lasting ill-effects from what happened so I don’t think about her very much.”
A man has admitted making threats to kill Prince Harry, Scotland Yard has said. Ashraf Islam, 30, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty at Uxbridge magistrates’ court and is in custody awaiting sentencing. He was arrested a day after the murder of Drummer Rigby.