In Context: 5 Web Perspectives On A Story In The News

Islamic extremism on British campuses

(The Telegraph) British universities have come under attack in recent weeks, being described as hotbeds for Islamic extremists. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the young man who tried to blow up a plane over Detroit on Christmas Day, was the president of the University College of London's Islamic society before graduating in 2008. With the announcement last week by Yemen's Deputy Prime Minister that Abdulmutallab had become radicalized while studying in London, British universities are facing the heat. Stephen Pollard, editor of the Jewish Chronicle, weighed in on December 31st , saying British universities were safe havens for Islamic extremism.  The Telegraph has argued for closer surveillance of university Islamic societies, while The Guardian has defended the extreme nature of campus life.  With the debate still raging, here's your chance to see who's saying what.

1.

Islamic societies helping to integrate, not radicalize

Federation of Student Islamic Societies
This is the larger organization of which individual British universities' Islamic societies are all members. Faisal Hanjra, the federation's president, wrote this letter responding to the media's assertion that universities, and Islamic student societies in particular, were breeding grounds for extremism. In the letter, Hanjra vigorously defends the Islamic societies. He argues that Islamic societies provide a haven from Britain's binge-drinking youth culture, and engages Muslim students with mainstream society. Most interestingly, Hanjra also argues that conservative religious ideology should not be confused with violent extremism. Throughout the letter, Hanjra maintains that practicing Muslims are opposed to any form of violent extremism and that there are too many unknowns surrounding Abdulmutallab's road to radicalism to point fingers at British universities.

2.

An interview with Faisai Hanjra, the president of the Federation of Student Islamic Societies

Al-Jazeera
In this interview, Hanjra discusses many of the issues that have been brought forth by the media regarding Islamic societies and extremism among Islamic students in Britain. He discusses the assertion that the Muslim community needs to do more to challenge the radicalised minority. He argues that this is impossible because the "radicalised" people who are committing terrorist acts are so few that the vast majority of the 2 million Muslims in Britain will never meet them. He also discusses the fact that universities are meant to be places where controversial and radical discussions can take place, so it is no surprise that there is a degree of radical religious thought that is openly discussed on campus.

3.

Islamic Radicalism in Britain: Getting to the Root Causes

The Turkish Journal of International Relations
An academic paper examining the marginalization of young Muslims in British society. The paper looks at the social issues confronting young Muslims, and how this leaves young students particularly vulnerable to extremist sentiment. It is suggested that the rise of Islamophobia and the popular perception that the "war on terror" is actually "the war on Islam" have forced Muslims to the margins of British society and encouraged them to find comfort in radicalized groups.

4.

Vice-chancellors of British Universities to examine extremism on campus

Universities UK
Universities UK is an organization of vice-chancellors, and represents universities and colleges in the United Kingdom. While the organization declared there was no connection between Abdulmutallab's extremist behaviour and his time at the University College of London, they say they will create a working group to study how to protect academic freedom while preventing violent extremism. Here, the organization details the working group's goals and links to some of their guidelines.

5.

Extremism in British Universities is not a new phenomenon

The Assyrian International News Network
The Assyrian International News Agency provides relevant news to Assyrians, a middle-Eastern ethnic group. This article examines the rise of Islamic extremism in British universities and looks at how the decision to shut down the branch of MI5 that kept surveillance over Islamic radicals in 1994 gave rise to extremism on campuses. It also details how many of those people involved in both the planning and implementation of major acts of terrorism over the past 20 years have had connections with British universities.