Government policy could demonise Islamic students. University academics and the government are at loggerheads over plans to spy on religious extremists at British universities.
Last week, Universities Secretary John Denham attacked the University and College Union (UCU) over what he considers to be unhelpful opposition by staff, singling out possible terrorists in higher education institutions.
The UCU have branded plans to spy on Islamic students as a ‘quasisecret police’ and staff unanimously voted down a proposal to engage in surveillance on their own students. Previously the government has published guidelines on spotting supposedly suspect activities, speakers and literature within universities.
Critics of the government position say that the plans would essentially demonise Islamic students by labelling every one as a potential extremist.
Humaa Jamil is a Muslim and a fourth year student at the University of Edinburgh who doubts the benefits of government policy. “To me it sounds like a blatant exploitation of the student-teacher relationship. It is another example of how it is acceptable to victimise Muslims purely on the grounds of faith.”
Fourth year Arabic student Rusha El-Nashar was equally critical of the idea. “The foundations of racism are there if students are being asked to view Muslims, or any kind of different person for that matter, with suspicion.”
Last year Student covered the conflict between colleges and the Home Office which developed after the government revealed plans to spy on Islamic and ‘Asian-looking’ students. After much pressure from student groups, such as the NUS, this was toned down but a number of attempted terrorist attacks in the past year have reignited the government’s determination to expand its web of security.
The debate is particularly relevant following the conviction of 21 year-old Glasgow-based student Mohammed Atif Siddique on charges of terrorism. Mr Siddique had been a student at Glasgow’s Central College of Commerce before his house was stormed by anti-terrorism police.
During his trial, the prosecution claimed that he had shown students at Glasgow Metropolitan College images of suicide bombers and the beheading of hostages by extremist groups in the middle east.
The government has shifted its focus toward educated individuals after it was revealed that the failed attack on Glasgow airport in June was led by medical professionals and university graduates.
Mr Denham maintains that the UCU have misunderstood the aims of the government plans.
“The opposition from the University and College Union was misplaced. Everybody understands the nature of the threat that we face, which is a threat to people involved in higher education as much as anyone else.
“What we want is to have institutions in which there is lively debate and engagement on all current issues from all students.
“All we are trying to do is to make sure that everybody has the strength to ensure that people are not recruited to the sort of organisations which are promoting and organising violence of whatever sort.”
The UCU meanwhile claim that the government shows a fundamental misunderstanding of the role of lecturers to students.
In response to Mr Denham’s comments a spokesperson said: “campus harmony is achieved by openness, tolerance and dialogue and not focusing on any particular group of students.”
UCU general secretary Sally Hunt made the point that lecturers were not the same as school teachers. “Lecturers want to teach students. If they wanted to police them, they would have joined the force.”
Dominic Hinde
Source: Student newspaper