How to spot a terrorist

A badge of courage.......or of extremism?

It is reassuring, in one sense, to find that the British Government, for all its faults, has set in place a programme of training for public sector workers, to enable them to be aware of the terrorism threat and, more importantly, identify potential terrorists.

It has been in place since 2011 and it is called PREVENT.

PREVENT is a nice, non alarmist sort of a word that one might use to describe a deterrent to stop cats or dogs from entering the garden.

If I was in charge of such initiatives I might have called it 'SPOTAKILLER' or, 'ISLAMOWATCH' and that brings me to the point.

The official blurb covering PREVENT (you may read it HERE) mentions Northern Ireland Terrorism, International Terrorism, Extreme Right Wing Terrorism and so on but, coyly, fails to make any mention of the main threat, that of Islamic Fundamentalist Terrorism.

But, according to my source, those who are on the receiving end of such courses, namely, doctors, nurses, teachers, immigration officers and so on, are being given very specific directions with regard to identifying Muslim extremists.

Quite how that works I don't know but I am assured that it's a bit more sophisticated than looking out for anybody with a spade beard and a crochet cap.

But how long will it be before we see a target group listed as 'Christian right wing' or 'Christian anti gay 'marriage/abortion?'

Not too long, I suspect.

And how will they spot us?

Well......they might make a start by arresting those found wearing symbols of extremism....like a crucifix or a scapular.