Mohammed Merah - Lone Wolf or Al-Qa'ida Operative?

 After a siege lasting almost thirty-two hours in the French city of Toulouse, Mohammed Merah finally met his fate. Merah confessed to the cold-blooded killing, on three separate occasions, of seven people including three young children. Whilst the life of this complex young French male of Algerian descent has ended, the investigation into his radicalisation has merely begun. This case is considered in certain counter-terrorism circles to be part of a new phenomenon of 'lone 'wolf' attacks. However, on many occasions this is not as clear-cut. There needs to be, as with the case of Mohammed Merah, a consideration of the complexities that are already emerging.

Suraj Lakhani writes for RUSI.org.

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(Direct link: http://www.rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C4F6C9350E3EE5/)

Suraj Lakhani interviewed by BBC RADIO WALES on Mohammed Merah Analysis

UPSI PhD Student Suraj Lakhani speaks on BBC Radio Wales on 22nd March 2012

Drawing on parallels with his own particular research, Suraj Lakhani provides an analysis on the radicalisation of Toulouse terrorist, Mohammed Merah.

UPSI's report for ACPO on Prevent and counter-terrorism policing in the UK released today

In the most comprehensive study of Prevent policing yet conducted, UPSI has conducted a detailed and evidence-led assessments of key developments in the delivery model and the effects that this is having within and across communities in the UK.

Click here to Download the report from ACPO

Read coverage of the report in the media:

Sunday Times: 'Police Turn 1000 Muslims Away From Terrorism'

The Telegraph: MI5 adopts new tactics to 'front up' terrorism suspects

Sunday Times: Police turn 1,000 Muslims away from terrorism

Deradicalisation programme 'the Channel Project' was set up to prevent young Muslims being groomed by Al-Qaeda

Sir Norman Bettison said the project had a rocky start (Bethany Clarke)

More than 1,000 Muslims, including teenagers and children as young as seven, have been identified as being “at risk” of becoming Islamist terrorists in Britain, police have revealed.

The youngsters include a boy who told classmates he wanted “to go to Iraq and kill Americans” and another child who wrote in an exercise book: “I want to be a suicide bomber.” A 15-year-old white boy who converted to Islam said he was prepared to die for his religion.

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