.... There is a further problem. Earlier this year Baroness Warsi thoughtfully outlined the dangers of dividing Muslims into "moderates" and "extremists" based on their religious beliefs, as opposed to their attitudes towards violence. The obvious implication of this division is that, in the eyes of society, the less devout a Muslim is, the better. This risks stigmatising not only extremist Islam, but Islam itself.
There are also dangers in treating British Muslims as a "terrorist" problem. This is liable to result in further alienation of sections of the community. Research conducted over the past decade suggests that terrorism arises where alienated individuals come together with a legitimising ideology and an enabling community.
The danger is that the confrontational approach now favoured by the Coalition will not drain the swamps of extremism, but help to fill them. [Leading Article, The Independent] Read more
