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With Tunisia, David Cameron faces his first real test on terror With Tunisia, David Cameron faces his first real test on terror
(35 minutes later)
Braced as he was to make a significant statement to the Commons this week, the prime minister had expected it to be a report on the EU summit in Brussels: on his renegotiation of Britain’s membership or, as that issue was eclipsed by Greece, on the prospect of Grexit.Braced as he was to make a significant statement to the Commons this week, the prime minister had expected it to be a report on the EU summit in Brussels: on his renegotiation of Britain’s membership or, as that issue was eclipsed by Greece, on the prospect of Grexit.
Instead, his sombre task on Monday is to deliver an account to MPs of the Tunisian atrocity, in which 38 people died, many of them Britons. Sheer coincidence or not – jihadists love to mark the dates they have made their own in blood – the proximity of the attack to the 10th anniversary of 7/7 adds a cruel symmetry to the horror.Instead, his sombre task on Monday is to deliver an account to MPs of the Tunisian atrocity, in which 38 people died, many of them Britons. Sheer coincidence or not – jihadists love to mark the dates they have made their own in blood – the proximity of the attack to the 10th anniversary of 7/7 adds a cruel symmetry to the horror.
Related: Tunisia beach attack killer’s stunned neighbours blame ‘brainwashing’Related: Tunisia beach attack killer’s stunned neighbours blame ‘brainwashing’
Officially, politics is suspended at these times. In reality, such moments fizz and hiss with a political energy that feeds into Westminster, Whitehall and the media. Throughout the coalition years, Tories could (and did) blame their Lib Dem partners for the frustrations of counterterrorist strategy. But no longer. This is the first real test of Cameron’s convictions, undiluted. Officially, politics is suspended at these times. In reality, such moments fizz and hiss with a political energy that feeds into Westminster, Whitehall and the media. Throughout the coalition years, Tories could (and did) blame their Lib Dem partners for the frustrations of counter-terrorist strategy. But no longer. This is the first real test of Cameron’s convictions, undiluted.
Little is yet known about the psychological path that led the 23-year-old Tunisian student Seifeddine Rezgui to open fire at holidaymakers near Sousse at noon on Friday. But all those engaged in counterterrorist operations in this country agree it could happen here. This they know from the high volume of plots that have been thwarted recently. With good reason, the UK threat level is still severe – meaning that an attack is “highly likely”. Little is yet known about the psychological path that led the 23-year-old Tunisian student Seifeddine Rezgui to open fire at holidaymakers near Sousse at noon on Friday. But all those engaged in counter-terrorist operations in this country agree it could happen here. This they know from the high volume of plots that have been thwarted recently. With good reason, the UK threat level is still severe – meaning that an attack is “highly likely”.
Meanwhile, the flag is flying at half-mast over Downing Street; senior sources promise a “full-spectrum” response that will involve saying “difficult things” to the Muslim community, to other nations, to Labour leadership candidates and to libertarian Tories, who see many counterterrorist measures as needlessly authoritarian. Meanwhile, the flag is flying at half-mast over Downing Street; senior sources promise a “full-spectrum” response that will involve saying “difficult things” to the Muslim community, to other nations, to Labour leadership candidates and to libertarian Tories, who see many counter-terrorist measures as needlessly authoritarian.
Ambition never sleeps, and Theresa May’s solid performance on Sunday’s Andrew Marr Show will have reassured those Tories who see her as the natural stop-Boris candidate in the succession contest that must be held before the 2020 election. More specifically, Rezgui’s busy use of Facebook has raised once more the fate of May’s draft communications data bill, or snooper’s charter as its foes describe it. Thwarted by Nick Clegg, Cameron vowed to bring the proposals back if he won a majority. The question now is whether he can persuade the liberty-loving “Runnymede Tories”, notably David Davis, that compulsory bulk data collection and retention is justified by the jihadis’ nimble use of technology.Ambition never sleeps, and Theresa May’s solid performance on Sunday’s Andrew Marr Show will have reassured those Tories who see her as the natural stop-Boris candidate in the succession contest that must be held before the 2020 election. More specifically, Rezgui’s busy use of Facebook has raised once more the fate of May’s draft communications data bill, or snooper’s charter as its foes describe it. Thwarted by Nick Clegg, Cameron vowed to bring the proposals back if he won a majority. The question now is whether he can persuade the liberty-loving “Runnymede Tories”, notably David Davis, that compulsory bulk data collection and retention is justified by the jihadis’ nimble use of technology.
It is, of course, easier to think ill of wicked ministers and sinister spooks than it is to confront global jihadism. To help us through the post-9/11 battlefield, we have invented a series of coping mechanisms. It is all a response to western “foreign policy” – even though the World Trade Center attacks reflected the explicit belief that America was growing soft, and retreating. It is a series of “crimes” and nothing more – as if ideology, the cult of martyrdom and eschatological belief played no part in forming Rezgui or Yassin Salhi (the chief suspect in the beheading near Lyon) or Chérif and Said Kouachi (who attacked Charlie Hebdo and the kosher supermarket). It is, of course, easier to think ill of wicked ministers and sinister spooks than it is to confront global jihadism. To help us through the post-9/11 battlefield, we have invented a series of coping mechanisms. It is all a response to western “foreign policy” – even though the World Trade Center attacks reflected the explicit belief that America was growing soft and retreating. It is a series of “crimes” and nothing more – as if ideology, the cult of martyrdom and eschatological belief played no part in forming Rezgui or Yassin Salhi (the chief suspect in the beheading near Lyon) or Chérif and Said Kouachi (who attacked Charlie Hebdo and the kosher supermarket).
To detach these acts from their ideological context seems to me as ludicrous as trying to extract the Charleston massacre from the history of the Confederate south, the modern role of white supremacist groups and the horrific ideology to which Dylann Roof enthusiastically subscribed. To detach these acts from their ideological context seems to me as ludicrous as trying to extract the Charleston massacre from the history of the Confederate south, the modern role of white supremacist groups and the horrific ideology to which Dylann Roof enthusiastically subscribed.
Worst of all in this whirl of denial is the narrative of the “lone wolf”. It is true that many of the foot soldiers in this conflict take solitary action. How tempting, then, to dismiss them as misfits, losers, maniacs and no-marks who with a single murderous act make a bogus claim on posterity. Worst of all in this whirl of denial is the narrative of the “lone wolf”. It is true that many of the foot soldiers in this conflict take solitary action. How tempting, then, to dismiss them as misfits, losers, maniacs and no-marks who with a single murderous act make a bogus claim on posterity.
The patron saint of lone wolves is Lee Harvey Oswald, though at his side stands Mark David Chapman, the lone killer of John Lennon who believed, insanely, that he was Salinger’s Holden Caulfield. At a time of mourning, we comfort ourselves that the Tunisian killer was in this category.The patron saint of lone wolves is Lee Harvey Oswald, though at his side stands Mark David Chapman, the lone killer of John Lennon who believed, insanely, that he was Salinger’s Holden Caulfield. At a time of mourning, we comfort ourselves that the Tunisian killer was in this category.
But the consolation is false, as is the supposed dichotomy between terrorist groups and individual perpetrators such as Rezgui. It may emerge that he was radicalised in person by fellow extremists, perhaps a cell at his university. But modern jihadism does not require even that. Though Isis is now providing a supranational umbrella and the prospect of a jihadi homeland, there is no Islamist equivalent of the Comintern. This murderous fundamentalism is a franchise, downloadable software (literally, in some cases) that prospers as a post-institutional network of affinity.But the consolation is false, as is the supposed dichotomy between terrorist groups and individual perpetrators such as Rezgui. It may emerge that he was radicalised in person by fellow extremists, perhaps a cell at his university. But modern jihadism does not require even that. Though Isis is now providing a supranational umbrella and the prospect of a jihadi homeland, there is no Islamist equivalent of the Comintern. This murderous fundamentalism is a franchise, downloadable software (literally, in some cases) that prospers as a post-institutional network of affinity.
The most sensitive question of the lot will be addressed in the government’s forthcoming counter-extremism strategy, and lies at the heart of the debate about British citizenship originally launched by Gordon Brown. Ten days ago, at the Global Security Forum, in Bratislava, Cameron addressed the issue head on. The most sensitive question of the lot will be addressed in the government’s forthcoming counter-extremism strategy, and lies at the heart of the debate about British citizenship originally launched by Gordon Brown. Ten days ago, at the Global Security Forum, in Bratislava, Cameron addressed the issue head on.
Not surprisingly, British Muslims bristle when told they are not doing enough to identify proto-jihadi activityNot surprisingly, British Muslims bristle when told they are not doing enough to identify proto-jihadi activity
“I am clear,” he declared, “that one of the reasons [for young Muslims in the west turning to terrorism] is that there are people who hold some of these views who don’t go as far as advocating violence but who do buy into some of these prejudices, giving the extreme Islamist narrative weight and telling fellow Muslims: ‘You are part of this.’ This paves the way for young people to turn simmering prejudice into murderous intent.” “I am clear,” he declared, “that one of the reasons [for young Muslims in the west turning to terrorism] is that there are people who hold some of these views who don’t go as far as advocating violence but who do buy into some of these prejudices, giving the extreme Islamist narrative weight and telling fellow Muslims: ‘You are part of this.’ This paves the way for young people to turn simmering prejudice into murderous intent.”
Writing in the Guardian, Sayeeda Warsi, a former member of Cameron’s cabinet, argued that “this call to Muslims to do more, without an understanding of what they already do now, will demoralise the very people who will continue to lead this fight”. Writing in the Guardian, Sayeeda Warsi, a former member of Cameron’s cabinet, argued that “this call to Muslims to do more, without an understanding of what they already do now, will demoralise the very people who will continue to lead this fight”.
It is hard to overstate the delicacy of this issue. Not surprisingly, British Muslims do indeed bristle when told that they are not doing enough to identify and report proto-jihadi activity, or that they tolerate extremists who do not break the law themselves but steer the young in a lethal direction.It is hard to overstate the delicacy of this issue. Not surprisingly, British Muslims do indeed bristle when told that they are not doing enough to identify and report proto-jihadi activity, or that they tolerate extremists who do not break the law themselves but steer the young in a lethal direction.
This was always a deeply contentious issue around the coalition cabinet table, and it was not only Lib Dem ministers who urged May to exercise caution. Senior Conservatives, including Nicky Morgan, Sajid Javid and Greg Clark, were also said to have reservations about May’s counter-extremist plan. Her defenders are unimpressed. “This will be a call for collaboration not a purge. Pluralism only works if there is active support for its core values,” says one.This was always a deeply contentious issue around the coalition cabinet table, and it was not only Lib Dem ministers who urged May to exercise caution. Senior Conservatives, including Nicky Morgan, Sajid Javid and Greg Clark, were also said to have reservations about May’s counter-extremist plan. Her defenders are unimpressed. “This will be a call for collaboration not a purge. Pluralism only works if there is active support for its core values,” says one.
True enough. But we shall get precisely nowhere until we have the collective honesty to recognise something even more basic: that this conflict amounts to more than weaponised paranoia; that these killers are not lone wolves at all, but proud members of a resilient global pack.True enough. But we shall get precisely nowhere until we have the collective honesty to recognise something even more basic: that this conflict amounts to more than weaponised paranoia; that these killers are not lone wolves at all, but proud members of a resilient global pack.