London, August 30 (ANI): British authorities have ordered Universities across the country to inform the police about Muslim students, who are depressed or isolated.
The move comes as part of a new guidance for countering Islamist radicalism.
According to the new directive, University staffs including lecturers, chaplains and porters have been asked to inform the police if they find actions by any Muslim student to be 'suspicious'.
University lecturers and student union officials have been miffed by the move. They say, the new strategy is an infringement of students' civil liberties, The Guardian reports.
"We were appalled to have Prevent officers asking us to effectively spy on our Muslim students. To pass on details of a student who the police consider vulnerable is not only morally repugnant but is against the confidential nature of pastoral support," James Haywood, president of Goldsmiths college students' union was quoted, as saying.
"After the rise of hate groups such as the English Defence League, and the recent massacre in Norway, why are Prevent not also telling us to refer on students who have an irrational hatred of Islam," he added.
Universities that agree to the renewed version of the scheme will have to refer 'at risk' students. The students will then monitored by a panel, including a detective from Scotland Yard, who will assess any potential terror threat. The students will not made aware at any stage that they are under investigation.
The Prevent strategy was first launched in 2007 and sought to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. It was relaunched in June and focused on universities after it was revealed in January that 'underpants bomber' Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab had studied at University College London. (ANI)
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