Vulnerable Whitechapel youths recruited for jihad in Somalia
In a rundown flat in Whitechapel, East London, the Somali chewed qat as he pondered the issue of radicals within the community. Throwing his arms in the air he declared: "Its true, everyone knows."
But as for the people co-ordinating? "No one knows."
The capital's large Somali community is beset by rumours about the recruitment of vulnerable youth, fuelled by media reports and the internet. However, members said that it was difficult to establish exactly where people were being recruited or who was doing it.
Along an East London strip sometimes known as Somaal town because of its ethnic shops and restaurants, Somalis told The Times that the majority of the community abhorred the radical elements. However, they said that the problems of the community — overcrowded housing, high school dropout rates and unemployment — had led to a proliferation of angry and vulnerable teenagers who could be preyed upon.
Abdi Razzaq, a restaurant owner, said: "I've heard that people have gone to join, there are lots of rumours. But there is nothing concrete. It is the influence of the internet and what they call jihad. If anyone goes, their family are traumatised."
Osman Abdi, 40, said: "It makes me very angry. I've got kiddies myself, I don't want to see people going back and killing people or getting themselves killed."
Omar Yusuf, a community leader in Camden, North London, said that there were elements of truth to the rumours. "Nobody knows how many [recruiters] there are or the numbers they are attracting. Those kind of people don't advertise it.
"I've never known anyone going. But I'm sure that there are some people."
Ahmed Mohammed, a qat dealer in East London, said that most Somalis were more worried about a lack of jobs and the problem youths than radicalisation. It was impossible that people were being recruited. "There are plenty of fights to have here. No one needs to go back to Somalia," he said
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6345911.ece
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