Integration can help beat home-grown terrorism
Top university academic Dr Nilufar Ahmed argues that better integration, not curbs on immigration, can help defeat terrorism
THE fight against terrorism and home-grown jihadis can be won through better integration rather than curbs on immigration, according to a university academic.
Dr Nilufar Ahmed said people needed to “become British” and feel part of the multi-cultural communities they live in.
She said there were often calls for stricter immigration controls following terrorist atrocities in the UK.
“Issues of immigration and integration are very much in the forefront of public discourse and policy decisions and it will be in the forefront of people’s minds as we go into the election,” she said.
“What always happens when you have these acts that we have witnessed in recent weeks and days is that issues of immigration come to the forefront and people start to question whether we should curb the number of people allowed into the UK.
“This is a discourse that happens in America, happens in this country and happens in Europe, but it doesn’t make sense when you think about the people that perpetrate these acts.
“Because it is almost always people who are British-born, so the issue isn’t necessarily one of immigration but rather integration – of becoming British.”
Dr Ahmed, a social scientist and senior lecturer at Swansea University, was speaking during an event at the Cheltenham Science Festival discussing immigration and integration in Britain.
“Since 9/11 the whole discourse has changed and the association between Islam and terror has come together in ways that we could never have foreseen. They have become synonymous,” she said.
“If you hear the word ‘terrorist’ in your mind you have preceded it with ‘Muslim’.
“The truth of the matter is Muslims are no more exempt from acts of terror than anyone else.
“In fact, more Muslims have been killed in this war perpetrated by those who call themselves Muslim than any other group.
“We will make no advances if we constantly use the word ‘terrorism’ with regards to Islam and Muslims. Acts of violence and terror are perpetrated by those who have faith and those that don’t.
“When people perpetrate them who are not Muslim or are perhaps not Asian, then we find excuses. We talk about lone wolves, mental health problems, we talk about deprived upbringings, disadvantaged communities and histories of violence.
“The fact is all of those apply just as well to every single Muslim or socalled Muslim who has bombed people or stabbed people.
“They have histories of partner violence, of disadvantage and feeling unsettled.
“So it is really important not to constantly feed this rhetoric.
“Any event can be politicised if we so choose. This is no more evident than in Trump’s America with the Muslim ban, which is banning people from countries which have never had anything to do with any act of terror on American soil.
“Saudi Arabia, which is apparently behind 9/11: no ban. In fact, they get curtsies, they get handshakes, they get Golden Globes and they get arms deals. Last week alone, more white Americans killed people than refugees have done in 40 years – so the ban on refugees makes no sense.”