British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer places a floral tribute to the child victims of a knife attack in Southport, England. Getty Images
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer places a floral tribute to the child victims of a knife attack in Southport, England. Getty Images
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer places a floral tribute to the child victims of a knife attack in Southport, England. Getty Images
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer places a floral tribute to the child victims of a knife attack in Southport, England. Getty Images

Boss of UK Prevent anti-extremism unit quits over Taylor Swift dance class murders


Thomas Harding
  • English
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The head of Britain’s Prevent antiterrorism programme has resigned following the agency’s failings over the Southport stabbing spree last year.

Michael Stewart left his post after a report commissioned soon after Axel Rudakubana killed three girls and injured eight others at a Taylor Swift-inspired dance class found that Prevent had “prematurely” dismissed the threat posed by him on each of the three occasions he was referred by teachers to the programme between 2019 and 2021.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer highlighted systematic failures over the handling of Rudakubana’s Prevent referral for concerns about his obsession with violence but was never recommended for further intervention.

He made clear that the failure of state institutions “frankly leaps off the page”.

The Prevent team had further been criticised over allegations it had underplayed the threats posed by Islamic extremists.

Rudakubana, 18, who was born in Wales to Rwandan parents, was jailed for 52 years after admitting three murders, 10 attempted murders and possessing the poison ricin and a terrorist manual.

Axel Rudakubana killed three young girls in a stabbing spree last year that sparked the UK's most violent riots in a decade. AFP
Axel Rudakubana killed three young girls in a stabbing spree last year that sparked the UK's most violent riots in a decade. AFP

His guilty pleas prompted the government to announce a public inquiry into the events leading up to the killings in the north-west town of Southport on July 29 last year.

Experts have also told The National that much of the government's approach to deradicalisation in its Prevent programme needs to rapidly change to deal with the rise of the new extremism.

The organisation was “underfunded and likely out of date”, and, along with the law, had to be “brought into the 21st century,” said Gareth Westwood, of the Sibylline intelligence company.

Furthermore, Jonathan Hall, the UK government’s independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, stated that Prevent was too focused on people with extreme ideologies, rather than those “obsessed by violence”.

Two decades ago the threat was “Islamist terrorism coming from Al Qaeda” with preachers and a radicalising ideology that could be targeted usually with deradicalisation, he wrote in a report.

“But we’re living in a different world now, which is the internet world, where people don’t go to individuals, they’re not part of groups,” he said. “They just become obsessed by violence."

The Prevent system was not designed for those individuals so the public inquiry need to look at “how do you pick up these people”.

A Home Office source said the department did not comment on internal matters.

Islamophobia definition

A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.

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Trade between the UAE and Russia reached Dh12.5 bn in 2018

More than 3,000 Russian companies are registered in the UAE

Around 40,000 Russians live in the UAE

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The verdict One year ago, when Pakistan played their first day-night Test at this ground, they held a 222-run lead over West Indies on first innings. The away side still pushed their hosts relatively close on the final night. With the opposite almost exactly the case this time around, Pakistan still have to hope they can salvage a win from somewhere.

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Key figures in the life of the fort

Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.

Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.

Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.

Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae

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Jordan cabinet changes

In

  • Raed Mozafar Abu Al Saoud, Minister of Water and Irrigation
  • Dr Bassam Samir Al Talhouni, Minister of Justice
  • Majd Mohamed Shoueikeh, State Minister of Development of Foundation Performance
  • Azmi Mahmud Mohafaza, Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research
  • Falah Abdalla Al Ammoush, Minister of Public Works and Housing
  • Basma Moussa Ishakat, Minister of Social Development
  • Dr Ghazi Monawar Al Zein, Minister of Health
  • Ibrahim Sobhi Alshahahede, Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Environment
  • Dr Mohamed Suleiman Aburamman, Minister of Culture and Minister of Youth

Out

  • Dr Adel Issa Al Tawissi, Minister of High Education and Scientific Research
  • Hala Noaman “Basiso Lattouf”, Minister of Social Development
  • Dr Mahmud Yassin Al Sheyab, Minister of Health
  • Yahya Moussa Kasbi, Minister of Public Works and Housing
  • Nayef Hamidi Al Fayez, Minister of Environment
  • Majd Mohamed Shoueika, Minister of Public Sector Development
  • Khalid Moussa Al Huneifat, Minister of Agriculture
  • Dr Awad Abu Jarad Al Mushakiba, Minister of Justice
  • Mounir Moussa Ouwais, Minister of Water and Agriculture
  • Dr Azmi Mahmud Mohafaza, Minister of Education
  • Mokarram Mustafa Al Kaysi, Minister of Youth
  • Basma Mohamed Al Nousour, Minister of Culture
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