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UK News

Authorities sending potential religious extremists to deradicalisation classes

by Hannah Tooley

Between June and August 2015, 796 individuals were reported to the Channel programme for possible intervention.

The statistics obtained by the Press Association reveal that more than 300 of those referred to the government scheme were children.

Government guidance states that the programme is "about ensuring that vulnerable children and adults of any faith, ethnicity or background receive support before their vulnerabilities are exploited by those that would want them to embrace terrorism".

The figures are released after new measures were introduced placing a legal requirement on public bodies, including schools and councils, to stop people being drawn into terrorism.

The data comes from a Freedom of Information request to the National Police Chiefs' Council and it suggests authorities are identifying potential extremists at an increasing rate.

In his speech to the Conservative Party Conference, David Cameron said: "If an institution is teaching children intensively then whatever it's religion, we will, like any other school, make it register so it can be inspected - and be in no doubt, if you're teaching intolerance, we will shut you down.

"These children should be having their minds opened, their horizons broadened, not having their heads filled with poison and their hearts filled with hate."

The Channel scheme was trialed in 2007, but was heavily criticised last week after a 14-year-old, thought to be Britain's youngest terrorist - was accused of plotting a terror attack in Melbourne, Australia.

Full details of the Channel scheme are not public, but it is thought it is aimed at stopping all sorts of terrorism including faith-based and far-right ideologies.

Father Nadim Nassar, Director of the Awareness Foundation, told Premier it is a multi-layered issue: "We have the schools, we have the media, we have the social media, we have the internet websites which are very available to everybody to look at materials that are spreading worldwide without any censorship, without any control."

Listen to Premier's Hannah Tooley speak to Father Nadim Nassar here:

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