The “anti-extremism campaigner” Adam Deen has joined the Quilliam Foundation.
In a statement on its website Quilliam described Deen as a “former senior member of the proscribed Islamist extremist group Al-Muhajiroun, founded by Omar Bakri and subsequently led by Anjem Choudary.”
The statement continued: “Since leaving Al-Muhajiroun over a decade ago, Adam has continued his gradual journey away from extremism and subsequently founded The Deen Institute in 2011. He has totally recanted his commitment to the Islamist ideology, and now entirely distances himself from extremism of all kinds. He will play a major part in the expansion of Quilliam’s outreach and theological studies department.”
On joining Quilliam, Adam Deen said: “Merely condemning ISIS is insufficient. We must strike at the heart of the toxic ideology that gives rise to such entities in the first place. I have joined Quilliam to contribute to this vital work and look forward to the challenges ahead.”
Quilliam’s Managing Director Haras Rafiq, welcomed the news.
He said: “Adam has undergone an extraordinary journey and will be a great asset in helping Quilliam counter the ideology that foments Islamist extremism as well as playing a leading role in helping build a stronger civil society coalition against extremism of all kinds.
“Alongside some of our other staff members, he has been through the radicalisation process and has now deradicalised. I am certain that he will play a pivotal role at Quilliam and I look forward to working with him.”
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In recent years Deen has angered many in the Muslim community by appearing to support the government’s controversial counter-extremism measures which many argue target the community as a whole. He has also appeared to support the reformation of Islam.
Quilliam, meanwhile, is widely reviled by a diverse cross-section of the Muslim community for backing the government’s narrative on radicalisation and for giving fuel to Islamophobia.
It argues that it is simply fighting bigotry and extremism.
