What does this “programme to wean them away from radicalism” consist of? Once again, we’re not given even the smallest hint.
“Children aged 13 groomed for terror,” by David Leppard for the Sunday Times, June 8 (thanks to all who sent this in):
SCHOOLCHILDREN as young as 13 are being “groomed” for terrorism by Islamic extremists in the heartland of the 7/7 suicide bombers, according to Britain’s most senior police officer charged with countering radicalisation.
Sir Norman Bettison, chief constable of West Yorkshire, said some bright children entering secondary school were picking up extremist messages from internet chat rooms and people who wanted to turn them into terrorists.
His force has now identified at least 10 youngsters — including two 13-year-olds — as “vulnerable” and formally referred them to a programme to wean them away from radicalism.
Bettison’s officers, who cover the areas where Mohammad Sidique Khan and his three fellow bombers grew up, approached their parents to offer them help and the chance to put them through the voluntary programme after becoming increasingly worried by the direction they were taking.
Bettison, responsible for developing a national strategy aimed at preventing Islamic radicalisation, said: “We are talking about children who have just entered senior school.
“They are not picking up the message of violent extremism from the mosques but from individuals who are seeking to radicalise them. It’s the bright kids who are the ones that might be most vulnerable.”…
Hey, wait a minute. I thought it was only the uneducated and easily manipulated who fell for this.