Event

How can we best tackle radicalisation and radical preachers?

28.06.2016

On June 28, the European Foundation for Democracy and the Counter Extremism Project hosted a policy briefing entitled "How can we best tackle radicalisation and radical preachers? " with Imam Manwar Ali.

Mr. Ali is one of the few scholars in the UK who has directly been involved in Jihad. For 20 years, he recruited and trained fighters and fought, himself, in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bosnia, Chechnya, Kashmir, the Philippines and Sri Lanka. He quit jihadism in 2000, after a long reflection and the loss of 20 friends in combat. During the discussion, he explained why he thinks that the spread of an effective counter-narrative is the only way to fight radical Islamism and why, in his opinion, it is the political ideology that lies behind jihad that must be fought above all.

Throughout the discussion, Mr. Ali pointed out that whether militant or not, in favour of violence or not, the people involved in jihadist groups are looking at imposing an Islamic State. He explained that while these people pretend to understand global affairs,  they are merely simplifying and manipulating narratives. This prevents them from progressing progress in their faith and from assuming responsibilities in a way which could allow peace to flourish.