A GLASGOW-based charity supporting minority ethnic communities is leading the fight against the radicalisation of young people across the UK.

 

Roshni is in talks to launch a support line for people who are thinking of leaving the country to join Islamic State (IS) in the Middle East.

The helpline is just one of the measures the organisation is planning to carry out in a bid to stop young Muslims from becoming radicalised and travelling abroad.

It comes after Aqsa Mahmood, from Glasgow's Pollokshields, left Scotland for Syria in 2013 to become a so-called 'Jihadi bride' at the age of 19.

It is estimated that around 700 Britons have travelled to Syria, with many thought to have joined IS.

Hundreds of young people were brought together by Roshni to discuss issues at the Exploiting, Exploited conference at Glasgow City Chambers last week.

Ali Khan, executive chairman of Roshni, said IS presented a "lure" for young people that needed to be addressed.

He said: "The idea was to try and bring together multi ethnic communities and to give young people a voice.

"We were trying to examine the reasons why young people would even be looking towards joining or even going off to Syria.

"A lot of it is that they're disengaged from their families or communities.

"Is there a lure of going abroad and fighting in a war, or being a kind of hero?

"I think our national advisors put it very succinctly - men want to be them and girls want to be with them."

At the conference the group heard from young women in Glasgow who felt victimised because of the way they dressed.

Mr Khan said: "A lot of young people feel marginalised here, perhaps as second class citizens.

"We heard from a few young females who felt because of the way they dress - the hijabs - perhaps it wasn't overt but they felt they were perhaps being spoken about or they would get second glances."

Mr Khan is working with Nazir Afzal , former chief crown prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service for north-west England, to look at setting up a contact line which would allow young people ask questions about IS and the Middle East.

They hope a pilot can go ahead later this year before is is rolled out.

Mr Khan said: "It wouldn't be a helpline, it's a stage before asking for help.

"It's not only about young people saying: 'I think I'm going abroad or my friend's going abroad.'

"It's about young people saying: I'm feeling a little interested in this, could I talk to somebody or get some more information?

"It's more proactive than reactive.

"There's nowhere now in the UK for them to have those conversations. We'd like to train up young people to speak to be involved in it."

Mr Khan believes the project will be an "effective method" of reducing the risk of young people going abroad but recognised there was no "short term fix".

He added: "We are looking at carrying out other grassroots work and that's what's needed.

"We've got to look at our young people and the next generation."