Counter extremism measures are a 'missed opportunity to engage with Muslims'

We can agree that the threat from ISIL is real and a minority of our citizens have left the comfort of the UK to live under a barbaric organisation.

These bloodthirsty terrorists have no regard for human life and must be confronted and the threat eradicated. Most of these people have been radicalised by the the internet and this is why it is important for internet companies to take responsibility to tackle the threat seriously. The Prevent strategy has failed, we have told the Government that continuing to push ahead when there is such little support from the muslim community means this latest PR exercise will fail.

What we require now is for British Muslims to be engaged without prejudice and a new approach adopted that will see Muslims as equal citizens and not some sort of aliens to be bashed from time to time for political gains.

The Conservative Government as the previous Labour Government surrounded itself with organisations that took their line, sadly this means they failed to engage with the mainstream Muslim community and address the real issues.

At a time of rising Islamaphobia in our towns and cities, the best the government has announced is to commit to recording anti muslim crimes, without setting out how they will defeat with the Far right beyond shouting slogans.

The Prime Minister and the Government have a real chance to enact real change in tackling extremism if there are prepared to listen to the voices of young Muslims.

Criminalising sections of the Muslim community, attacks on freedom of speech regardless of how much we disagree with what has been said is what this Conservative Government is known for. Civil Liberties do not mean anything to them.

We reject terrorism and its ideology, we stand together against these evil groups and will never shy away whatever the personal risks from confronting these evil terrorists.