27 January 2022
An 11-year-old boy from a Muslim family was referred to a UK government anti-extremism program, called Prevent, after telling a friend that he hoped his school would burn down.
His mother told The Guardian newspaper: “Being a brown, Muslim, Asian boy does not make you a terrorist.”
She admitted that her son’s comments were unacceptable but added that they were “isolated” and the result of stress. The child is said to suffer from anxiety.
An investigation by the boy’s school into the incident found no evidence of any links to extremist groups or prior instances of radical rhetoric.
“Prevent guidance places clear emphasis on appropriateness and proportionality,” his mother said.
“I was told by the Prevent officer that the matter would not be taken any further as it looked like a matter related to an 11-year-old boy struggling with school,” she said. “My son had become so unhappy and stressed about the demands placed on him relating to homework.”
She added that she had to fight to have her son’s name removed from the counterterrorism database, she added.
“I’ve achieved a partial victory because the police have agreed to remove his name from their database but I am seeking further information from his files, which are held by the UK Home Office,” she said.
Source ArabNews
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