British ministers urged to rethink 'preventing violent extremism' campaign

London, Mar 9 (ANI): A new report by a think tank has urged British ministers to re-think their Preventing Violent Extremism campaign.

"Not only is it failing to achieve its stated objectives, in many places it is actually making the situation worse. A new generation is being radicalised, sometimes with the very funds that are supposed to be countering radicalism," the report said.

A 90 million pound government campaign against Islamic extremism has ended up bankrolling fanatics, the report claimed on Sunday. Ministers said the fund would help stop Muslims being brainwashed by hate preachers, The Sun reported.

But some cash has been handed to hardline groups, according to the Policy Exchange think tank's report. It said ministers and police wrongly believed only non-violent radicals could win over angry Muslims.

That meant less radical voices were sidelined - leaving a generation as prey for terror groups.

The report told how police worked with an extremist preacher in the West Midlands, hoping he would be a "safety valve". But a TV investigation found he was violently anti-Western, anti-women and anti-gay.

Scotland Yard chose a Muslim adviser who wanted an Islamic state and was the subject of an Interpol alert. And officials worked with hardline radicals from Brixton Mosque in Lambeth, South London.

The report called for firmer guidelines to stop cash going to groups that condone violence. (ANI)