Combating radicalization and terrorism raises various challenging issues, such as:
governmental dispositions and policing strategies dealing with Muslims; the threat
posed by Islamic terrorism; the multi-faceted and elusive dimensions of modern terrorist
organizations; the complex nature of Muslim identities and communities; and the
full integration of Muslim values within Western societies. All these issues will be
explored within the socio-political framework of late modernity and will fit within the
main argument, which is itself supportive of strategies aimed at addressing socio-political
grievances, combating terrorist ideologies, and partnering with and empowering
communities.
The British multi-pronged counterterrorism
strategy will be explored in order to demonstrate that some soft measures
aimed at de-radicalizing vulnerable individuals, marginalizing extremists, removing
the human capital and support for terrorist organizations and improving both
the dialogue with and the integration of Muslim communities within wider society
should be among the top priorities. Such measures would be essential in order to
achieve durable results in fighting Islamic terrorism at the grassroots level. In following
such an approach, Britain will also have to face the challenges posed by both
plural Muslim identities and communities and the differing Islamic and Western
values and aim at achieving full social integration of Muslims within the wider
society.
Introduction