Britain must back Gulf’s battle against extremism, think tank reports
Greater co-operation with Gulf countries to counter violent extremism and tackle radicalisation of Muslims would improve British security one year on from a spate of mass casualty terrorist attacks, the Henry Jackson Society think tank said in a new report.
“Western countries such as the US and the UK are the Gulf countries’ main allies and providers of training, intelligence, personnel and other resources to combat extremism,” the report said. “The UK should seek to deepen its engagement with Gulf nations beyond intelligence co-operation.”
Najah Al Otaibi, Henry Jackson Society researcher and author of the report, told The National that British involvement in centres that specialise in deradicalisation would also create a more effective local response to a problem that meant an estimated 5,500 residents joined terrorist outfits from the region in 2015 alone.
“There are lots of initiatives in the Gulf and UK expertise would be welcomed,” she said. “The power of online radicalisation is such that it is not something only one country can fight.”
Welcoming the appointment of a Commission for Counter-Extremism in Britain, Ms Al Otaibi said that its chairwoman, Sara Khan, was an “excellent choice” well placed to use the body to create international linkages.
The report highlights the work of two organisations in the UAE, Hedayah and the Sawab Centre, as well as several in Saudi Arabia that have strong potential to counter extremism worldwide.
Hedayah has been a pioneer in the field since 2012, while Sawab has pursued a very effective online campaign against ISIL since 2015. The #Inhersto- ry hashtag was cited as a model of a very successful social media intervention against the online reputation of the group.
Backing the modernisation programme of Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is a key theme of the report.
The country placed great emphasis on rehabilitation centres and international faith-based dialogue is now moving on to a new focus in its approach.
The signature reform programme Vision 2030 stressed the need to include religious affairs in its ambitions. Prince Mohammed said Saudi Arabia would not “spend 30 years” de-
stroying extremist ideologies, but do so immediately.
It operates the Al Sakinah Campaign, which targets extremist activity online.
The Etidal global centre, launched by King Salman and US President Donald Trump in May, gives British influence a chance to be involved with an emerging institution.
The report, Terror Overseas: Understanding the GCC Counter Extremism and Counter Extremism Trends, makes four core recommendations:
The UK must provide backing for modernisation taking place in the Gulf, such as Vision 2030, encouraging development of a moderate Islamic narrative.
The West should consider funding civil society initiatives in Gulf states, going beyond surface-level intelligence sharing and tackling the fundamental problems that cause extremism and terrorism.
The UK should consider the creation of international centres of excellence to counter extremism.
Technology companies must address the use of their platforms to spread extremist messages and engage on this with the Gulf States.