'Counter-Terrorism: The London Debate' - Metropolitan Police Authority hears from faith communities

52/06
01 September 2006

‘Counter-Terrorism: The London Debate’ is the MPA's programme of community engagement to counter terrorism. The third hearing in the programme will be held on Thursday 7 September 2006, when invited representatives from faith groups will be able to recount their experiences of terrorism and counter-terrorism to the MPA.

Toby Harris, chair of the MPA panel and member with special responsibility for counter-terrorism, said:

“During the past year public attention in London, and nationally, has focused on issues of faith and any possible links between religion and terrorism.

“The MPA is concerned to find out how terrorist activity and counter-terrorism policing is affecting Londoners of different faiths in their day-to-day life. Therefore, for our third hearing we have invited representatives from all religious communities to hear first hand how this has impacted on these groups.

“Our invited speakers from the Christian, Muslim and Hindu traditions preach regularly to London congregations and they all have direct experience of how their communities react to terrorism and counter-terrorism policing and cope with media and public attention. A cross-section of faiths will be represented in our invited audience and Deputy Assistant Commissioner Rose Fitzpatrick, head of the MPS Diversity and Citizen Focus Directorate, has been invited to respond to the issues raised. The guest panellist will be Professor Tariq Ramadan of Oxford University.

“The MPA believes that communities need to work together with their police service, to help prevent future terrorist attacks. We need to build up an accurate picture of community experience to underpin a strong integrated approach to counter-terrorism, based on a foundation of communities united in their goal to make London as safe as possible for everyone.”

Six hearings have been organised by the MPA to give specifically invited London communities the opportunity to express their views about counter-terrorism policing to a panel of MPA members. The first hearing on Thursday 29 June 2006 enabled young Londoners to put their views to the MPA’s guest, the Commissioner of the Met, Sir Ian Blair. On July 6 at the second hearing representatives from business, tourism and local government expressed their views to the MPA’s guest Assistant Commissioner Steve House.

Notes to editors

1. Press are invited to attend but we request no filming or audio recording

2. Toby Harris, MPA member with special responsibility for counter-terrorism, Cindy Butts and Reshard Auladin, both deputy chairs of the MPA, form the MPA panel that hears evidence presented by invited communities.

3. There will also be external guest panellists at each hearing. For the hearing on 7 September the guest panellist will be Professor Tariq Ramadan of Oxford University.

4. A senior MPS officer will be invited to each session to provide an initial response to the communities’ issues and then take questions from the group. The first hearing on 29 June 2006 was attended by the Commissioner. The hearing on 7 September will be attended by Deputy Assistant Commissioner Rose Fitzpatrick.

5. The programme for the six hearings is:

• Thursday 29 June - young people
• Thursday 6 July – councillors, business and tourism representatives
• Thursday 7 September - faith groups
• Thursday 5 October - women
• Thursday 16 November - Asian men
• Thursday 7 December - police and government

6. Following on from these hearings the work will include:

• six confidential focus groups with students in London universities and colleges, to discuss extremist recruitment and radicalisation on campus
• thirty-two local consultations - one in every London borough
• analysis of qualitative data received through the MPA website
• a publication, featuring contributions from practitioners, commentators and community representatives

7. Attendance at this programme of events is by invitation only.

8. Further information about the MPA’s programme of events can be found at:
www.mpa.gov.uk/issues/counterterrorism/default.htm

9. Confidential anti-terrorist hotline: 0800 789 321

10. Crimestoppers: 0800 555 111

11. Communities Together helpline: 0800 028 2390

Further media information

For further information, please contact the MPA press office

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