Sajid Javid speech: Home secretary says Islamist terrorists are twisting Muslim faith

The Home Secretary said those who commit terror attacks and self-identify as Muslims are “twisting their faith”
PA
Kate Proctor4 June 2018

Home Secretary Sajid Javid said today that Islamist terrorists were falsely invoking the religion of his parents and grandparents.

Mr Javid, who is Britain’s first Muslim-heritage Home Secretary, said those who commit terror attacks and self-identify as Muslims are “twisting their faith”.

In a highly personal speech in which he outlined his new anti-terror strategy, Contest, he praised British Muslims leading the fight against extremists by “throwing them out of their mosques and countering their poison online”.

His new counter-terrorism Contest strategy could see MI5 intelligence on individuals of concern shared more widely across government, local authorities and police.

It could lead to swifter alerts to police when large quantities of chemicals are bought online by those known to authorities. There will also be an increase in maximum sentences for some offences. The strategy will outline a new approach to managing the rising threat from extreme Right-wing violence.

Mr Javid said that after the attack on French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris in 2015, he had a heart-breaking conversation with his 11-year-old daughter trying to explain what had happened.

“I had to explain that these murderers called themselves Muslims. That they were invoking the religion of my parents, and my grandparents, and countless generations of Javids before them.

“Of course, I know they are not true Muslims, but there’s no avoiding the face that these people self-identify as Muslims.”

Mr Javid’s family came to the UK from Pakistan in the Sixties. He does not practise Islam personally but acknowledges his family’s heritage.

“I want to say to all those who stand up against all forms of extremism that this Government stands with you. I stand with you,” he said.

Today’s speech was his first on terrorism since taking over the role from Amber Rudd in April.

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