A high-profile online campaign encouraging Muslim women to “make a stand against terrorism” was covertly produced by the Home Office’s communications unit, the Middle East Eye website has reported.
The #MakingAStand online and social media campaign was launched by Inspire, a women’s counter-extremism organisation, in September 2014, and described by founder Sara Khan as a “jihad against violence”.
Home Secretary Theresa May attended a launch event in support of the campaign, but Inspire has always maintained that it is independent of government.
But an internal government document seen by MEE lists #MakingAStand as a “RICU Product”, the Home Office’s strategic communications unit responsible since 2011 for disseminating counter-extremism narratives as part of the government’s Prevent strategy.
The document was included in evidence submitted last week to the Home Affairs Select Committee by David Miller, a professor of sociology at the University of Bath, and Narzanin Massoumi, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Liverpool.
They say that the document raises fresh questions about the independence of Inspire and Sara Khan, one of the UK’s most influential counter-extremism voices, following reports last month that RICU was running a “covert propaganda campaign” to project counter-extremism messages to British Muslims through ostensibly “grassroots” organisations.
Many of the campaigns were orchestrated via a media company, Breakthrough Media, with close links to the Home Office. A forthcoming book by Khan is also co-authored by Tony McMahon, a consultant working with Breakthrough Media, suggesting links also between Inspire and Breakthrough.
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Miller and Massoumi also reiterated concerns about a possible conflict of interest raised by Inspire’s work with the Home Office where Sara Khan’s sister, Sabin Khan, is the deputy head of RICU.
Inspire states on its #MakingAStand web page that the campaign was supported by the Home Office.
“We are thankful to the Home Office for supporting our #MakingAStand campaign. The funding received to deliver projects into communities has helped provide women with an opportunity to better understand how they can protect their children from radicalisation and extremism,” it said.
Reports of government involvement in orchestrated “grassroots” counter-extremism campaigns have alarmed many within Muslim organisations amid widespread concerns that its Prevent strategy is discriminatory.
MEE asked Inspire to clarify details about RICU’s role in producing #MakingAStand, about its relationship with, and funding from, the Home Office.
In reply, Inspire told MEE in a statement it was proud of the campaign which it said had directly benefited hundreds of Muslim women across the country.
It also said that Sunday’s attack on a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, in which the gunman had reportedly claimed prior allegiance to IS, highlighted the urgency of counter-extremism work.
Security Minister John Hayes told MEE: “Challenging hatred and extremism is a job for all of us and we continue to work in partnership with communities to challenge those who spread hatred and intolerance.
“Since 2014 RICU has provided Inspire with support on their campaigns. They have provided media training, advice on website builder and design techniques, and communications support to help them in their work of creating online campaigns to counter extremism, and empowering women and families in safeguarding their children from radicalisation.
“We are very proud of the support RICU has provided to organisations working on the frontline to challenge the warped ideology of groups such as Daesh [IS], and to protect communities.”
