Discernment in Counter-Terrorism

The indisputable fact remains that terrorism continues to pose the biggest security threat worldwide. However, the counter-terrorism strategy of many states was often guided by misinformed intelligence and/or misconstrued policies based on knee-jerk reactions. This succeeded in furthering the aim of organisations like the Al Qaeda and other affiliated groups, thus perpetuating the cycle of recruitments. Though reports of a much weaker Al Qaeda may be encouraging, the fact that the group far from being a central, cohesive entity has diffused into hundreds of autonomous cells and sub groups remains a worrisome factor. An indiscriminate targeting of Muslim communities has only served to perpetuate Muslim grievances and turn moderates to extremists, thus the security threat posed by “self-starting militants” is likely to continue. The publication of Britain’s new anti-terrorism strategy that was intended to reassure the public, could, on the contrary, lead to paranoia and much controversy. While the lengthy report “reassures” the British public that Al Qaeda is a weaker entity at present, it warns of a growing threat from “self-starting” militants and attacks using chemical, biological or atomic weapons. Intelligence estimates that the next big terror attack will come from (a) group/s in Europe is likely to be true considering the pattern of attacks, both attempted and enacted. An attempt to justify Britain’s paranoia, manifest in its anti-terror laws and its investigations of terror suspects in rendition, can be made in view of its past experiences of the 7/7 London bombings and subsequent failed attacks in London and Glasgow. Though one may credit intelligence behind the latest anti-terrorism strategy, it is based on a worst-case scenario and an attempt to warn the public of an extreme threat perception the country faces.
The improvements in technology according to the report, makes it possible for terrorist groups or self-starting individual cells to use such extreme weapons in terror attacks, by acquiring them by theft or smuggling. The question, however, is why was it deemed necessary to release a usually highly classified category estimate for public consumption? Is it not likely to create paranoia bordering on hysteria, especially when interior ministry officials have noted that the greatest threat is likely to come from Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia and countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The connection with groups within Pakistan, that are allegedly involved in training recruits abroad continues to pose a big dilemma for Britain. Britain has, in the past been blamed for its foreign policy that was held responsible for fuelling extremism among its Muslim citizens, as well as its failure to integrate its Islamic communities. In other instances, a misunderstanding or disagreement with certain individual’s beliefs or positions in an organisation has led to ostracism. It is hoped that a different interpretation of the latest anti-terrorism strategy may not fall in the same trap.
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