The former chief crown prosecutor and one of UK's most prominent Muslim lawyer Nazir Afzal has said that the British Islamic groups are undermining fight against terror by peddling 'myths' about the Prevent campaign. The Times reported that he has claimed an 'industry', of Muslim groups was spreading misinformation about the Prevent strategy, according to The Times.
The scheme was developed by the Home Office in 2003 as part of the Government's counter-terrorism strategy. It aims to ask the community to identify people who are at risk of being radicalised and stop them from becoming terrorists or endorse terrorism or report them, the Daily Mail reported.
Mr Afzal, who recently stepped down from his position as chief executive of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, slammed the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), who he says did not address radicalisation nor the threat of people going to Syria in the agenda for the annual general meeting last year.
He reportedly said: 'We all have a responsibility to stand up for British values and the rule of law.'
When discussing the positives of the Prevent strategy, he said: 'It's stopped at least 150 people from going to Syria, 50 of them children.
'It's grassroots — it's not about criminalising and it has an impact but it's constantly undermined by myths that urgently need to be challenged.'
However, over the years the strategy has been slammed by critics for stigmatising Muslims.
The MCB said it was "dismayed" by Mr Afzal's remarks. A MCB spokesperson said: "If the issue of people travelling to Syria was an issue for him at that time then he could have made the point at the AGM when he spoke (in 2015).
"To raise this now in the aftermath of the Manchester attack is simply opportunistic and disingenuous.
"In addition to our long held opposition to terrorism, since 2014 we have facilitated grassroots conversations to see what Muslim communities themselves should do to help the fight against terrorism."
The spokesperson also added that any criticism of Prevent was in the spirit of enabling the country to tackle the "scourge" of terrorism, The Independent reported.
The Archbishop of canterbury, the Most Rev Justin however has said that religious leaders must face upto justification their faith provides for atrocities committed in their name.
