(NewsInsights.org) – Terrorism concerns have become highlighted issues in many countries globally. Several governments have focussed on recognizing and trying to prevent radicalization to prevent homegrown terrorists when possible. However, one United Kingdom (UK) organization is raising concerns about the British Home Department’s suggestion that anti-abortion proponents might somehow become terrorists.
The Home Office offers “Prevent training” to individuals working in education, criminal justice, health, law enforcement, and social work sectors. It aims to help them identify ideological root causes of terrorism, intervene to support radicalization-susceptible people, and encourage anyone already engaging in terroristic behavior to stop and seek help.
The training consists of three courses covering awareness, referrals, and the Prevent Multi-Agency Panel (PMAP). In a nutshell, it aims to stop at-risk individuals from becoming or supporting terrorists.
Many of the issues that the Prevent program deals with stem from extremist religious sects or ultra-far-right political organizations. Yet, the training also addresses left-wing, anarchist, and single-issue organizations that prompt concerns.
According to Right to Life UK, which published a claim on Thursday, March 21, the course identified anti-abortion sympathies as one of those single-issue gateway ideologies of concern. It grouped animal rights and anti-fascism in the same category, calling them “politically agnostic,” meaning the issues aren’t aligned exclusively with the left or the right.
Catherine Robinson, a spokesperson for Right to Life UK, called foul on the British government’s “explicit” belief that “being pro-life is a potential ideology leading to terrorism.” She highlighted the absence of even “a single instance of anti-abortion terrorism in British history.” Instead, she called the guidance provided by the Prevent training “a grave insult and sign of deep intolerance.”
Robinson concluded by calling the training “somewhat unclear” because it seemed to assume people adopting and supporting an ideology would automatically progress to violent action to achieve their worldview. She also argued that the course’s definition of extremism lacked clarity.
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