NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED

Fri 12/11/2010 14:28

Dear colleague,

Please find attached this week’s News Summary. The weekly summary is intended to provide
background information to topical news stories and issues that may resonate in communities. The
weekly summary also includes links to interesting news articles that people may wish to circulate
further.

This week’s summary includes:

 Home Secretary announces the Prevent Review

 Publication of George Bush’s memoires and his references to Waterboarding

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As ever we would appreciate your feedback on the format, content and timing of the News
Summary as well as suggestions on issues you would like it to cover. Please email
ricu@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk with comments or if you would like to subscribe.

Regards,

Naomi

Naomi Line
Strategic Communications Advisor, News Co-ordination Team
RICU (Research, Information and Communications Unit)
Office for Security and Counter Terrorism
Home Office, 2 Marsham Street, London, SW1P 4DF
Tel: 0207 035 0236

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Weekly News Summary
Friday 12th November 2010

Key Issues
Home Secretary announces review of the Prevent strategy and appoints new independent
Reviewer of Terrorism

A review of the Government’s strategy for preventing violent extremism was announced to Parliament by
Home Secretary Theresa May on Wednesday. The review of Prevent will assess how the Government’s
counter-terrorism programme can work more effectively.

The review will:

consider the purpose and scope of the Prevent strategy, its overlap and links with other areas of
government policy and its delivery at local level examine the role of institutions – such as prisons,
higher and further education bodies, schools and mosques
evaluate the role of other Prevent delivery partners, including the police and other statutory bodies
consider how activity on Prevent in the UK can be joined up with work overseas
examine monitoring and evaluation structures to ensure effectiveness and;
make recommendations for a revised Prevent strategy.

On Wednesday the Home Secretary said:

'Stopping radicalisation depends on an integrated society. We can all play a part in defeating
extremism by defending British values and speaking out against the false ideologies of the
extremists.

'Preventing terrorism is not a substitute for investigating and arresting terrorists - police and security
agencies will continue to do that. But we have to look at how we stop people getting to that stage in
the first place.

'I believe the Prevent programme isn't working as effectively as it could and that is why we are
reviewing it. I want a strategy that is effective and properly focused — and I am determined it should
confront extremism more generally and not just violent extremism.'

In conjunction with the review launch, the Home Secretary extended Lord Carlile of Berriew QC’s tenure to
provide expert, independent supervision of the review until his tenure ends on 31 December.

He will be succeeded in his role as independent reviewer of counter terrorism powers by David Anderson
QC. Mr Anderson is a specialist in EU and public law and human rights. He has been a QC for more than
ten years and is also a visiting professor of law at King’s College, London.

The Home Secretary will report back on the findings of the Prevent review early next year.
Associated articles:
Home Office Website – Click here for more information

“No evidence for Bush’s claims that torture helped foil terror plots, say
Please email ricu@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
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British officials”

This week has seen the publication of claims made by George Bush the former US President in his newly
published memoirs. President George Bush said that information extracted by "waterboarding" saved
British lives by foiling attacks. The Former President’s comments have prompted a media debate over the
use of secret intelligence that may have been obtained by the torture of suspects.
A Government Spokesperson said:
―The British Government stands firmly against torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment
or punishment. The Government does not condone it, nor does it ask others to do it on our behalf.
The Government considers waterboarding to be torture.
Where UK personnel believe we have received intelligence that may have derived from
mistreatment, Ministers are consulted and appropriate action will be taken to ensure that the other
country in question knows that we find the use of mistreatment totally unacceptable.‖
Speaking at the G20 summit, the Prime Minister David Cameron said:
"I think there is both a moral reason for being opposed to torture – and Britain doesn't sanction
torture – but secondly I think there's also an effectiveness thing ... if you look at the effect of
Guantánamo Bay and other things like that, long-term that has actually helped to radicalise people
and make our country and our world less safe.."
Key points
The Prime Minister announced on 6 July a package aimed at addressing the allegations of UK
complicity in the mistreatment of detainees in third countries.
This package included: mediation of the Guantanamo Civil Cases; the setting up of the Gibson
Inquiry; the announcement of a Green Paper on use of sensitive material in judicial proceedings;
and the publication of the Consolidated Guidance.
There are no circumstances where the UK would take action in the knowledge or belief that torture
would occur at the hands of a third party. If such a case were to arise we would do everything we
could to prevent the torture occurring.
It is absolutely essential that our security and intelligence services are able to work with foreign
partners to counter the threat from international terrorism and protect national security. We, and in
particular our personnel on the ground, work very hard to reduce the risks of detainees being
subjected to mistreatment when they are held by other countries.
Associated articles
The Telegraph – Waterboarding does not save lives says David Cameron
The Pakistan Daily Times – Waterboarding is torture British Government confirms
Other News Stories from this Week:
The following are interesting news items that we think people may want to circulate further:
New survey shows Afghanistan people think that Afghanistan is moving in the right direction
A new survey shows that for the second year in a row an increasing number of Afghans believe the country
is moving in the right direction. The survey, conducted by The Asia Foundation and funded by the US
Agency for International Development, found that 47 percent of Afghans say their country is going in the
right direction, compared with 42 % in 2009 and 38 % in 2008. Good security and reconstruction were
among the main reasons cited by respondents as the source of their optimism. Among the 27 percent who
said they did not think that Afghanistan was going in a good direction, insecurity and corruption were the
main cause of their pessimism.
Theresa May seeks judicial review of July 7 terror inquest ruling
The Home Office is seeking a judicial review of the Coroner's ruling that she, the Coroner, is not legally
allowed to consider secret material in private (i.e. without the public, press and families of the victims being
there). The Home Office is appealing the decision because it is essential to protect national security and
holding closed evidence sessions will allow the Coroner to be able to consider as much information as
possible.

Please email ricu@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

with comments or if you would like to subscribe