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winning hearts and minds in Birmingham

534 views · Published 31 January 2008 · 5:43 · Indexed 20 September 2026

Channel: Mohammed Saleem - Mr Halal · 2008 · News & Politics

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A PIONEERING raft of new measures designed to prevent violent extremism from taking hold in Birmingham was b launched 12th sept 2007.

City equalities chief, Coun Alan Rudge, said the three-pronged plan was designed to halt those hijacking Islam to spread extremist views.

Council chiefs have spent the past six months working with the city's Muslim community on the blueprint which was started in the wake of the arrest of a number of terrorist suspects in the city earlier this year.

City leaders now have more than £500,000 in Government cash to push forward a host of new ideas aimed at preventing extremism.

Among the 11 projects is a programme to develop a training scheme for Imams. Another will work to reduce the risks of mosques being infiltrated by extremists while there will also be work with Islamic schools and madrassahs to promote community integration.

In addition, youth projects will be run to educate and empower them to reject those who try to prey on them to peddle hatred. 

There will also be workshops designed to encourage greater responsibility in reporting issuing affecting the Muslim community.

Coun Rudge said: "The true tenants of the Islamic faith are peace and goodwill. 

"This is about tackling the small number who wrongly using religion to support their own ends. They misrepresent religion and they misrepresent the community.

He added: "I think everywhere has the potential for people to come under the influence of extremists. We have to make sure vulnerable people aren't drawn to them.

"This is about helping them to feel involved in the community they are living in and feel they have a stake in it."

Coun Rudge said the community played an integral part in designing the projects which they felt would best tackle areas that concerned them.
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