London: Scotland Yard is to set up a foundation to identify and combat Islamist extremists within communities across Britain, it has emerged.
The brainchild of the country's seniormost Muslim police officer, the body will encourage greater "self-reporting" of potential terrorists to police.
Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur said it would act as a think tank examining disaffection and could be set up within six months.
The foundation would address "vulnerabilities" of some mosques, such as Finsbury Park, in their handling of extremism. It would ask countries such as Pakistan to monitor young British Muslims travelling in groups for theological education and "debrief" some on their return.
Shared responsibility
"There has to be a sense of shared responsibility where the communities have got to grasp hold of some of these issues and deal with them," Ghaffur said.
In evidence to an all-party parliamentary inquiry into the causes of terrorism, he said the foundation would give British Muslims a chance to face up to their responsibilities.
"It is identifying the leadership that is prepared to do that ... and if it means visiting particular towns and having face-to-face meetings, I can talk hard ... tough talking needs to take place," he said.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has spoken of the need to tackle extremism by winning "hearts and minds" and has pledged £70 million (Dh519 million) over three years for local councils and Muslim groups.
The parliamentary panel, chaired by Labour MP Khalid Mahmood, has been told there is a "frightening aggression" among some young Muslims, motivated by factors including anger at British foreign policy.
Ghaffur estimated that less than one per cent of the Muslim population was prey to extremism but warned that it could take 10 years to secure integration and, alarmingly, that at least one generation was "basically not changeable".
