Anti-terror police insist they are ‘not spying’ on nurseries
ANTI-terror police insist that they are not “spying” on children as young as four who may have been radicalised by Islamist extremists.
The force revealed yesterday that it had asked local community groups to monitor nursery-age children for signs of brainwashing by extremists.
Today, the man who leads the team of 21 officers responsible for delivering the government’s Prevent anti-extremism strategy in the West Midlands, said the email was sent for everybody to see and was not a secret document.
Chief Insp Richard Moore, who heads the Prevent unit, added: “The first thing I want to make clear is that we don’t work in or visit nurseries.
“The email in question was sent to contacts and was not about spying on children, it was about working with communities.
“We recognise that some communities have a great deal of concern about anti-terrorism work. The perception still is that it’s a remote and secretive group.
“This work is about changing that perception and promoting absolute openness and engagement.
“The aftermath of the high profile anti terrorism operations that have taken place have had a big impact.
“Some communities told us that they felt like everybody was under suspicion.
“The work of anti terrorism police officers is not just about executing high profile dawn raids. The officers in the Prevent unit are visible, accountable and working face-to-face in neighbourhood teams across the city.
“We have been trying to bring counter terrorism work out of the shadows and are working hard to gain the trust and the confidence of the communities.
“I am very pleased with the way that community relations have been improving. We have worked in schools, mainly with children aged between 14 and 16 on theatre and computer projects.”
The email that was sent by an anti terrorism officer to community groups and schools said: “I do hope that you will tell me about persons, of whatever age, you think may have been radicalised or be vulnerable to radicalisation.
“Evidence suggests that radicalisation can take place from the age of four.”
Birmingham Perry Barr MP, Khalid Mahmood, said: “We should clamp down on anybody that is trying to divert young children towards any form of extremism.
“The security services and police are doing a phenomenal job at protecting us but communities need to come forward too.”
