SHAFAQNA – British Prime Minister David Cameron is to announce new counter-extremism measures aimed at countering Takfiri ideology and stopping young Britons from joining the Daesh terrorists in Syria.
“We know that extremism is really a symptom; ideology is the root cause – but the stakes are rising and that demands a new approach. So we have a choice – do we choose to turn a blind eye or do we choose to get out there and make the case for our British values,” Cameron will say in his remarks, an excerpt of which was released by the British media before the scheduled announcement on Monday.
Among the main highlights of the new measures are plans to grant parents the right to cancel the passports of their 16- and 17-year-children and the prohibition of those with convictions related to extremism and terrorism from working in positions that bring them into contact with children or people who require special attention.
“The government’s new counter-extremism strategy is a clear signal of the choice we have made to take on this poisonous ideology with resolve, determination and the goal of building a greater Britain,” the statement adds.
The British premier is also expected to label religious extremism as one of the UK’s worst social problems and “the struggle of our generation.”
According to Cameron’s office, at least 338 people, including 56 under the age of 20, have been arrested over terrorism-related charges since the beginning of the year, 157 of whom had links to Syria, where Takfirism has led to extreme violence.