Exclusive - Trump to focus counter-extremism programme solely on Islam

[webfact]

Exclusive - Trump to focus counter-extremism programme solely on Islam

By Julia Edwards Ainsley, Dustin Volz and Kristina Cooke

REUTERS

 

People participate in the annual Muslim Day Parade in the Manhattan borough of New York City, September 25, 2016. REUTERS/Stephanie Keith

 

WASHINGTON/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The Trump administration wants to revamp and rename a U.S. government programme designed to counter all violent ideologies so that it focuses solely on Islamist extremism, five people briefed on the matter told Reuters.

 

The programme, "Countering Violent Extremism," or CVE, would be changed to "Countering Islamic Extremism" or "Countering Radical Islamic Extremism," the sources said, and would no longer target groups such as white supremacists who have also carried out bombings and shootings in the United States.

 

Such a change would reflect Trump's election campaign rhetoric and criticism of former President Barack Obama for being weak in the fight against Islamic State and for refusing to use the phrase "radical Islam" in describing it. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for attacks on civilians in several countries.

 

The CVE programme aims to deter groups or potential lone attackers through community partnerships and educational programmes or counter-messaging campaigns in cooperation with companies such as Google and Facebook.

 

Some proponents of the programme fear that rebranding it could make it more difficult for the government to work with Muslims already hesitant to trust the new administration, particularly after Trump issued an executive order last Friday temporarily blocking travel to the United States from seven predominantly Muslim countries.

 

Still, the CVE programme, which focuses on U.S. residents and is separate from a military effort to fight extremism online, has been criticized even by some supporters as ineffective.

 

A source who has worked closely with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on the programme said Trump transition team members first met with a CVE task force in December and floated the idea of changing the name and focus. 

 

In a meeting last Thursday attended by senior staff for DHS Secretary John Kelly, government employees were asked to defend why they chose certain community organizations as recipients of CVE programme grants, said the source, who requested anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the discussions.

 

Although CVE funding has been appropriated by Congress and the grant recipients were notified in the final days of the Obama administration, the money still may not go out the door, the source said, adding that Kelly is reviewing the matter.

 

The department declined comment. The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

 

PROGRAMME CRITICIZED

 

Some Republicans in Congress have long assailed the programme as politically correct and ineffective, asserting that singling out and using the term "radical Islam" as the trigger for many violent attacks would help focus deterrence efforts.

 

Others counter that branding the problem as "radical Islam" would only serve to alienate more than three million Americans who practice Islam peacefully.

 

Many community groups, meanwhile, had already been cautious about the programme, partly over concerns that it could double as a surveillance tool for law enforcement.

 

    Hoda Hawa, director of policy for the Muslim Public Affairs Council, said she was told last week by people within DHS that there was a push to refocus the CVE effort from tackling all violent ideology to only Islamist extremism.

 

"That is concerning for us because they are targeting a faith group and casting it under a net of suspicion," she said.

 

Another source familiar with the matter was told last week by a DHS official that a name change would take place. Three other sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said such plans had been discussed but were unable to attest whether they had been finalised.

 

The Obama administration sought to foster relationships with community groups to engage them in the counterterrorism effort. In 2016, Congress appropriated $10 million in grants for CVE efforts and DHS awarded the first round of grants on Jan. 13, a week before Trump was inaugurated.

 

Among those approved were local governments, city police departments, universities and non-profit organizations. In addition to organizations dedicated to combating Islamic State's recruitment in the United States, grants also went to Life After Hate, which rehabilitates former neo-Nazis and other domestic extremists.

 

Just in the past two years, authorities blamed radical and violent ideologies as the motives for a white supremacist's shooting rampage inside a historic African-American church in Charleston, South Carolina and Islamist militants for shootings and bombings in California, Florida and New York.

 

One grant recipient, Leaders Advancing & Helping Communities, a Michigan-based group led by Lebanese-Americans, has declined a $500,000 (£425,103) DHS grant it had sought, according to an email the group sent that was seen by Reuters. A representative for the group confirmed the grant had been rejected but declined further comment. 

 

"Given the current political climate and cause for concern, LAHC has chosen to decline the award," said the email, which was sent last Thursday, a day before Trump issued his immigration order, which was condemned at home and abroad as discriminating against Muslims while the White House said it was to "to protect the American people from terrorist attacks by foreign nationals."

 

(Reporting by Julia Edwards and Dustin Volz in Washington, Kristina Cooke in San Francisco; Additional reporting by Mark Hosenball in Washington; editing by Jonathan Weber and Grant McCool)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-02-02

[Ulysses G.]

Might make sense. Radical Islam should probably be the main focus and let other programs concentrate on other types of hateful ideologies.

[PremiumLane]

Here is a novel idea, stop bombing, supporting ISIS and creating trouble in the Middle East.

[simple1]

36 minutes ago, Ulysses G. said:

Might make sense. Radical Islam should probably be the main focus and let other programs concentrate on other types of hateful ideologies.

If the report is factually accurate "no longer target groups such as white supremacists" which I cannot believe is reality, it sounds like the height of stupidity. Have to wait and see what policies the  Trump Administration announces  to address the threat of violent extremism within the USA from all groups.

[Ulysses G.]

17 minutes ago, simple1 said:

If the report is factually accurate "no longer target groups such as white supremacists" which I cannot believe is reality, it sounds like the height of stupidity. Have to wait and see what policies the  Trump Administration announces  to address the threat of violent extremism within the USA from all groups.

 

If I understand correctly, white supremacists would still be targeted, but by a different agency. This one would focus on radical Islam.

[ddavidovsky]

Pointless and inflammatory. There's only one counter-terrorism measure that will do any good: solve the issue that is damaging Muslim self-esteem worldwide. I seem to be one of the few people who understand what that is.

[Usernames]

10 minutes ago, ddavidovsky said:

There's only one counter-terrorism measure that will do any good: solve the issue that is damaging Muslim self-esteem worldwide.

What's that? Make everyone in the world convert to Islam?

[geriatrickid]

1 hour ago, PremiumLane said:

Here is a novel idea, stop bombing, supporting ISIS and creating trouble in the Middle East.

The USA is not supporting ISIL. Tossing out hyperbole doesn't support your position. 

[geriatrickid]

21 minutes ago, ddavidovsky said:

Pointless and inflammatory. There's only one counter-terrorism measure that will do any good: solve the issue that is damaging Muslim self-esteem worldwide. I seem to be one of the few people who understand what that is.

 

Really? Didn't  the last  group of crazies who inspired that school of destruction take the coward's way out with cyanide tablets in 1945?

[Enoon]

38 minutes ago, geriatrickid said:

 

Really? Didn't  the last  group of crazies who inspired that school of destruction take the coward's way out with cyanide tablets in 1945?

 

The US handed itself a poison chalice 70 years ago, and has been filling and drinking from it ever since.

 

Stop taking the poison.

 

Nothing personal, it's just business.

 

 

Edited February 2, 2017 by Enoon

[kamahele]

33 minutes ago, geriatrickid said:

The USA is not supporting ISIL. Tossing out hyperbole doesn't support your position. 

Actually Trump's rhetoric and his election is in reality a boon for ISIL/ ISIS and other extremist organizations as an organizing and recruiting tool. They have succeeded in making this an "us against them" fight instead of good versus evil.

[bangon04]

12 minutes ago, Enoon said:

 

The US handed itself a poison chalice 60 years ago, and has been filling and drinking from it ever since.

 

Stop taking the poison.

 

Nothing personal, it's just business.

 

 

and Trump sees himself as all "Business"

[Ulysses G.]

15 minutes ago, kamahele said:

Actually Trump's rhetoric and his election is in reality a boon for ISIL/ ISIS and other extremist organizations as an organizing and recruiting tool. They have succeeded in making this an "us against them" fight instead of good versus evil.

 

The tenets of Islam were already providing plenty of recruits. The whole world is ideally supposed to be Infidel free, so it already was "us against them". The difference now is that Trump is willing to point it out.

[wirat69]

Seems to me that he is CRIEing in spilt milk!!!

[Grouse]

To me, it clearly makes sense to concentrate on the greatest risk and that is islamic terrorism.

 

I have no problem with profiling either.

 

What IS a problem is shouting it from the roof tops. Do it discretely.

 

I think GCHQ have been doing great work in their typically quiet way.

 

The idea should be to achieve results not "likes". 

 

Does Mr Trump understand discretion do you think?

[Grouse]

10 minutes ago, nottocus said:

Good on them. Persecute and execute radical islamic terrorist swine wherever they may be.

 

Good to see an administration with balls…unlike the previous joke who did as much as he could to support the enemy.

You meen like the Harley rider who rides around with no silencer and makes a lot of noise to prove that he has "balls"?

[hansnl]

3 hours ago, Ulysses G. said:

Might make sense. Radical Islam should probably be the main focus and let other programs concentrate on other types of hateful ideologies.

Not every muslim is a terrorist.

But most terrorists are muslim

And nearly all muslims are silent.

And how many silently agree?

[craigt3365]

16 minutes ago, hansnl said:

Not every muslim is a terrorist.

But most terrorists are muslim

And nearly all muslims are silent.

And how many silently agree?

Well put.

[siamike]

Facts:

- Not one person from any of the 7 travel ban countries  has ever committed a terrorist act on American soil.

- All 9-11 terrorists came from Saudi Arabia & UAE.

- Osama bin Laden was a Saudi Arabia citizen. 

- Saudi Arabia & UAE are not on Trump's travel ban list.

- Trump has extensive, profitable business dealings with both Saudi Arabia & UAE.

Obvious & glaring conclusion: Trump has little interest in preventing the next terrorist attack on American soil.  His temporary travel ban on the 7 islamic countries is all a PR stunt to appease his supporters.  Trump is conning his supporters,...again.  

[PremiumLane]

4 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

The USA is not supporting ISIL. Tossing out hyperbole doesn't support your position. 

Actually, indirectly they are - and they created the environment for them to thrive, and not just the US, other countries too.

[thaihome]

Interesting article in NYT on Trump's hero Putin and his avoiding identification of Islam and terrorism. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/01/world/europe/vladimir-putin-donald-trump-terrorism.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=b-lede-package-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

TH 

[PremiumLane]

2 hours ago, hansnl said:

Not every muslim is a terrorist.

But most terrorists are muslim

And nearly all muslims are silent.

And how many silently agree?

 

absolute rubbish - for a start what about our own state terrorism? 

[i claudius]

 
absolute rubbish - for a start what about our own state terrorism? 

Sorry this is not rubbish ,most of the fighting and killing around the world is done by followers of this faith. They just seem to want to kill, not only us but far more of their own faith ,if that's what you can call it,its as barbaric now as Christianity was 1000 years ago ,they have not moved forward ,in fact when you look at places like Iran that 50 years ago were coming into the modern world ,they have just reverted back

Sent from my ASUS_T00J using Tapatalk

[Grouse]

7 minutes ago, i claudius said:

Sorry this is not rubbish ,most of the fighting and killing around the world is done by followers of this faith. They just seem to want to kill, not only us but far more of their own faith ,if that's what you can call it,its as barbaric now as Christianity was 1000 years ago ,they have not moved forward ,in fact when you look at places like Iran that 50 years ago were coming into the modern world ,they have just reverted back

Sent from my ASUS_T00J using Tapatalk
 

You brought up Iran specifically...

 

I think you should read up a little about Iran's history over the last century. Who's fault was the Shah? Who's fault was the rise of fundamentalist Islam? Who backed Iraq attacking Iran?

 

P5+1 just got the trucks back on the track. Iran could be a bastion of stability in the Middle East and a counter balance to the Wahhabist extremists in SA.

 

Preventing terrorism also involves NOT nurturing terrorist sympathies.

[thaihome]

3 hours ago, hansnl said:

Not every muslim is a terrorist.

But most terrorists are muslim

And nearly all muslims are silent.

And how many silently agree?

A typical fallacy based on a basic falsehood.  Muslim terrorists kill far more Muslims then any other group. Most countries that are actually fighting Muslim terrorists are Muslim majority countries. To say that nearly all Muslims are silent is a wrong. The truth is most Muslims are not silent.

TH  

[DriveByTrucker]

45 minutes ago, i claudius said:

Sorry this is not rubbish ,most of the fighting and killing around the world is done by followers of this faith. They just seem to want to kill, not only us but far more of their own faith ,if that's what you can call it,its as barbaric now as Christianity was 1000 years ago ,they have not moved forward ,in fact when you look at places like Iran that 50 years ago were coming into the modern world ,they have just reverted back

Sent from my ASUS_T00J using Tapatalk
 

I think everyone here agrees that islamic terrorism needs to be eradicated, and fast, but why are you conveniently forgetting that the US military has killed an estimated 210,000 civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan alone since 9/11? US military are largely followers of the Christian faith btw! My guess is that this number might actually be more casualties than the number of civilians killed by terrorists over the same period!

When you mention Iran in one breath with wanting to kill, please share with us your knowledge on when the last terrorist act was done by an Iranian? And dont come with Iranian support of Hezbollah or Hamas, because there is plenty of support of dodgy terrorist groups by the US as well, most notably their support to militias in Syria.......

[Redline]

4 hours ago, Ulysses G. said:

 

The tenets of Islam were already providing plenty of recruits. The whole world is ideally supposed to be Infidel free, so it already was "us against them". The difference now is that Trump is willing to point it out.

America will soon be alone and obsolete.  Russia is not going to stand up for America, unless they are allowed access to US government agencies.

Start your garden boys

[simple1]

1 hour ago, thaihome said:

Interesting article in NYT on Trump's hero Putin and his avoiding identification of Islam and terrorism. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/01/world/europe/vladimir-putin-donald-trump-terrorism.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=b-lede-package-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

TH 

Yes, an interesting article and some good measures in countering Islamic extremist ideology within Russia - should be read by anyone following these matters, including Trump.

[Redline]

The worldview, which Bannon laid out in interviews and speeches over the past several years, hinges largely on Bannon’s belief in American “sovereignty.” Bannon said that countries should protect their citizens and their essence by reducing immigration, legal and illegal, and pulling back from multinational agreements.

 

In other words, abandoning the Constitution, and the labor, both skilled and unskilled, that America needs for its workforce.  This strategy also assumes that going back on decades of agreements, and discarding your allies, is going to bring safety and prosperity.  Sorry everyone, on this path America is going down.  It will need a military 5 times the current size with no formidable allies.  Unfortunately,  that's impossible, and also assumes that millions of Americans are going to risk their lives for this losing strategy.

 

Oh yes, Russia can help.  Oh yea they will.  No Americans will be complaining about Thailand, and the wall with Mexico will be keeping people in the US that want out.  Just a passport with a bunch of Russia stamps.  Oh beautiful Crimea!

 

[ourmanflint]

3 hours ago, siamike said:

Facts:

- Not one person from any of the 7 travel ban countries  has ever committed a terrorist act on American soil.

- All 9-11 terrorists came from Saudi Arabia & UAE.

- Osama bin Laden was a Saudi Arabia citizen. 

- Saudi Arabia & UAE are not on Trump's travel ban list.

- Trump has extensive, profitable business dealings with both Saudi Arabia & UAE.

Obvious & glaring conclusion: Trump has little interest in preventing the next terrorist attack on American soil.  His temporary travel ban on the 7 islamic countries is all a PR stunt to appease his supporters.  Trump is conning his supporters,...again.  

Now, is that true when you add in Europe? Or do you think POTUS just wants to avoid what has happened in Europe?