Anti-terror scheme ‘is part of keeping UK safe’

SAJID JAVID has delivered a staunch defence of the Prevent anti-terror scheme, insisting it plays a part in keeping Britain safe.

Hitting back at “propaganda” and “false information” about the programme, the Home Secretary said it helps stop young people being preyed on by extremists and turns round hundreds of lives.

Prevent aims to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism.

While police and ministers say it forms a crucial plank of antiterror efforts, the initiative has repeatedly come under fire, with critics labelling it heavy-handed and “toxic”.

Mr Javid said there was a need to “bust myths” about Prevent.

“What we have found is that when you sit down with communities and explain what Prevent is – to turn young people away from extremism, whether that’s some kind of warped Islamist ideology or extreme right-wing ideology – very quickly people absolutely understand it, they support it,” he said.

“Sadly though there are people out there that support the extremists.

“There are organisations out there that are trying to find ways to warp young people’s minds and they put out what you might call propaganda or false information to try and turn people away from it. “We have to fight against that.” There have been suggestions that the Government should change the name of the programme.

But Mr Javid said: “The thing about the name is that if you didn’t call it Prevent, whatever other name we chose I’m sure there would be people trying to attack it because they actually are on the side of extremists.”

Questions were raised about the scheme after a wave of terror attacks hit Britain last year.

The Home Secretary was speaking after discussing Prevent’s work with community leaders in east London.