The scourge of terrorism has been increasingly commonplace in the modern world for more than 50 years. Yet a new debate has been raging at the top of the UK political agenda in the past week over how to define terrorism. The underlying question facing those now engaged in the argument is how to tackle threats to the public.
What triggered the push to discuss the most fundamental reforms of terrorism policy and counter-extremism was the recent sentencing of a teenager of Rwandan heritage Axel Rudakubana, who killed three young girls in Southport last summer. He was sentenced to at least 52 years for a rampage that included the murders, as well as attacks on eight other children and two adults.
Rudakubana had a direct family connection to the 1990s genocide in Rwanda, and his online history showed a deep obsession with mass killings. The whole episode was described as pure evil. But prosecutors said he could not be linked to any specific terrorist cause that sought to use force to influence the government. The judge overruled this submission to say the motivation behind the atrocity was not the point, what mattered was the “shock and revulsion” it caused.
When it comes to terrorism there is both the international basis of the crime, largely situated in UN resolutions, as well as particular national designations that vary from state to state. For some, it is a matter of “one man’s terrorist is another’s freedom fighter”, while others draw fine and entirely partial distinctions between terrorists and militants.
In these divides, there is friction and the differing interpretations are sources of divisions in themselves. Now we must factor in the impact of extreme violence, too. What is clear from the latest issues raised in London is that much is at stake in how these arguments play out.
A leaked version of internal deliberations by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper’s staff was circulated by Policy Exchange, a think tank, on Monday. It said that counter extremism reviews into individuals reported as concerning could no longer be based on “ideologies of concern” but instead cover a range of behavioural patterns. Some of the further discussion of how this would work looks like a hit parade of some of the ugliest aspects of social media, covering extreme misogyny, men’s rights activists, environmental anarchists and single-issue grievances. The last groupings now have their own acronym, Lasi ( Left-Wing, Anarchist and Single-Issue).
The 2024 review of the UK terrorism threat from PoolRe, the UK government backed terrorism reinsurance body, warns that global terrorism remains the greatest identifiable danger posed by extremists to the country.
“It is highly likely that the predominant threat currently posed by global terrorist actors is from their ability to radicalise vulnerable UK-based individuals online and subsequently inspire those individuals to conduct low sophistication attacks in the UK,” the recently published document said. “It is highly likely that overt and covert online media provides a global network through which UK individuals can be radicalised and inspired to conduct attacks. It is highly likely that this applies to all terrorism ideologies in the UK, but particularly Extreme Right-Wing and Islamist terrorism ideologies."
PoolRe’s boss Tom Clementi acknowledges the need to look at the definition because terrorism does not stand still and in recent years we have seen a trend towards terrorism acts becoming increasingly unsophisticated, detaching from the view these acts are carried out by “highly organised groups with a clear political or ideological intent”. He also says that in the current threat environment there is an increased risk of state involvement in attacks. Where states orchestrate atrocities or fund them they have the potential to cause much more damage but these events, unless the state involvement is relatively minimal, should be seen as acts of war not terrorism.
That is not to say that Lasi-style drivers should be diminished but the whole question of whether the terrorism definition should be stretched to its broadest points is opened.
In publishing the internal deliberations of the government, Policy Exchange warns the new government is taking a radically different approach from that of the last review carried out into the country’s flagship counter-extremism policy, Prevent.
Rudakubana had been referred to Prevent three times and had slipped through the cracks. Ms Cooper has already told MPs she is looking beyond that review, carried out by William Shawcross, having adopted all but one of its more than 30 recommendations.
“I will gently point out, however, that the approach that the Shawcross review took was to say that the Prevent programme should be narrowed and should focus particularly on the cases around terrorism,” she told her Conservative shadow spokesman last week. “That could have risked including fewer cases like this one, where ideology is less clear.”
Much is at stake in how these arguments play out
The Shawcross call for Prevent to focus on stopping people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism is “implicitly rejected” in the briefing papers for Ms Cooper. Former policeman Neil Basu, who headed counter-terrorism operations for the Metropolitan Police, is quoted by Policy Exchange calling for a “non-extremist” version of Prevent that tackles these problems outside the core or leading ideological issues.
There is a resources concern for many British officials on the frontline of the terrorism threat. Jonathan Hall, the reviewer of terrorism legislation and the man leading the Ms Cooper’s inquiry, said he worried that following every attack that terrorised people was the wrong approach. While the difference in impacts of various attacks could be wafer thin, the upstream diversion of resources could serve to increase dangers in some areas. He worried specialist law and order agencies and security services would be overwhelmed by a change, especially at time when the threats from states like Iran has grown rapidly.
Terrorism needs a clearcut distinction, while in the social media age the volume of deadly grievances that can spill over into atrocity is equally a terrible danger to society. The danger is the focus on tackling the spread of ideological drivers will now be wrongly relegated to a secondary role.
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Reading List
Practitioners of mindful eating recommend the following books to get you started:
Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life by Thich Nhat Hanh and Dr Lilian Cheung
How to Eat by Thich Nhat Hanh
The Mindful Diet by Dr Ruth Wolever
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How to Raise a Mindful Eaterby Maryann Jacobsen
The years Ramadan fell in May
At Everton Appearances: 77; Goals: 17
At Manchester United Appearances: 559; Goals: 253
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Ten10 Cricket League
Venue and schedule Sharjah Cricket Stadium, December 14 to 17
Teams
Maratha Arabians Leading player: Virender Sehwag; Top picks: Mohammed Amir, Imad Wasim; UAE players: Shaiman Anwar, Zahoor Khan
Bengal Lions Leading player: Sarfraz Ahmed; Top picks: Sunil Narine, Mustafizur Rahman; UAE players: Mohammed Naveed, Rameez Shahzad
Kerala Kings Leading player: Eoin Morgan; Top picks: Kieron Pollard, Sohail Tanvir; UAE players: Rohan Mustafa, Imran Haider
Pakhtoons Leading player: Shahid Afridi; Top picks: Fakhar Zaman, Tamim Iqbal; UAE players: Amjad Javed, Saqlain Haider
Punjabi Legends Leading player: Shoaib Malik; Top picks: Hasan Ali, Chris Jordan; UAE players: Ghulam Shabber, Shareef Asadullah
Team Sri Lanka Cricket Will be made up of Colombo players who won island’s domestic limited-overs competition
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
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What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
The specs: 2017 Maserati Quattroporte
Price, base / as tested Dh389,000 / Dh559,000
Engine 3.0L twin-turbo V8
Transmission Eight-speed automatic
Power 530hp @ 6,800rpm
Torque 650Nm @ 2,000 rpm
Fuel economy, combined 10.7L / 100km
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6.30pm: Baniyas Group 2 (PA) Dh 97,500 (Dirt) 1,400m.
7.05pm Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 1,200m
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8.15pm Handicap (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 1,400m
8.50pm Rated Conditions (TB) Dh 120,000 (D) 1,600m
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10pm Handicap (TB) Dh 85,000 (D) 2,000m
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
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Points tally
1. Australia 52; 2. New Zealand 44; 3. South Africa 36; 4. Sri Lanka 35; 5. UAE 27; 6. India 27; 7. England 26; 8. Singapore 8; 9. Malaysia 3
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WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
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Who is Mohammed Al Halbousi?
The new speaker of Iraq’s parliament Mohammed Al Halbousi is the youngest person ever to serve in the role.
The 37-year-old was born in Al Garmah in Anbar and studied civil engineering in Baghdad before going into business. His development company Al Hadeed undertook reconstruction contracts rebuilding parts of Fallujah’s infrastructure.
He entered parliament in 2014 and served as a member of the human rights and finance committees until 2017. In August last year he was appointed governor of Anbar, a role in which he has struggled to secure funding to provide services in the war-damaged province and to secure the withdrawal of Shia militias. He relinquished the post when he was sworn in as a member of parliament on September 3.
He is a member of the Al Hal Sunni-based political party and the Sunni-led Coalition of Iraqi Forces, which is Iraq’s largest Sunni alliance with 37 seats from the May 12 election.
He maintains good relations with former Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki’s State of Law Coaliton, Hadi Al Amiri’s Badr Organisation and Iranian officials.
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
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Top financial tips for graduates
Araminta Robertson, of the Financially Mint blog, shares her financial advice for university leavers:
1. Build digital or technical skills: After graduation, people can find it extremely hard to find jobs. From programming to digital marketing, your early twenties are for building skills. Future employers will want people with tech skills.
2. Side hustle: At 16, I lived in a village and started teaching online, as well as doing work as a virtual assistant and marketer. There are six skills you can use online: translation; teaching; programming; digital marketing; design and writing. If you master two, you’ll always be able to make money.
3. Networking: Knowing how to make connections is extremely useful. Use LinkedIn to find people who have the job you want, connect and ask to meet for coffee. Ask how they did it and if they know anyone who can help you. I secured quite a few clients this way.
4. Pay yourself first: The minute you receive any income, put about 15 per cent aside into a savings account you won’t touch, to go towards your emergency fund or to start investing. I do 20 per cent. It helped me start saving immediately.
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Poland Statement
All people fleeing from Ukraine before the armed conflict are allowed to enter Poland. Our country shelters every person whose life is in danger - regardless of their nationality.
The dominant group of refugees in Poland are citizens of Ukraine, but among the people checked by the Border Guard are also citizens of the USA, Nigeria, India, Georgia and other countries.
All persons admitted to Poland are verified by the Border Guard. In relation to those who are in doubt, e.g. do not have documents, Border Guard officers apply appropriate checking procedures.
No person who has received refuge in Poland will be sent back to a country torn by war.
Key developments in maritime dispute
2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon after nearly 30 years without an officially demarcated border. The UN establishes the Blue Line to act as the frontier.
2007: Lebanon and Cyprus define their respective exclusive economic zones to facilitate oil and gas exploration. Israel uses this to define its EEZ with Cyprus
2011: Lebanon disputes Israeli-proposed line and submits documents to UN showing different EEZ. Cyprus offers to mediate without much progress.
2018: Lebanon signs first offshore oil and gas licencing deal with consortium of France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Novatek.
2018-2019: US seeks to mediate between Israel and Lebanon to prevent clashes over oil and gas resources.
