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Fri 24/09/2010 16:51

Dear colleague,

Please find attached this week‟s News Summary. The weekly summary is intended to provide
background information to topical news stories and issues that may resonate in communities. The
weekly summary also includes links to interesting news articles that people may wish to circulate
further.

This week‟s summary includes:

 UN Human Rights council report into the raid on Gaza aid flotilla
 Six men arrested over suspected Koran burning
 Stop and search figures
 Home secretary speech at Eid reception
 Change to threat level in Northern Ireland

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As ever we would appreciate your feedback on the format, content and timing of the News
Summary as well as suggestions on issues you would like it to cover. Please email
ricu@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk with comments or if you would like to subscribe.

Kind regards,

Naomi

Naomi Line
Strategic Communications Advisor, News Co-ordination Team
RICU (Research, Information and Communications Unit)
Office for Security and Counter Terrorism
Home Office, 2 Marsham Street, London, SW1P 4DF
Tel: 0207 035 0236

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Weekly News Summary
Friday 24th September 2010

Key Issues
United Nations Human Rights Council says Israel broke internal law by storming flotilla

Yesterday a report by the UN Human Rights Council into the raid on a Gaza bound aid flotilla on 31st May
2010 said that Israel had broken the law, stating the action was “disproportionate” and “betrayed an
unacceptable level of brutality”. Nine people died, and many others were injured in the raid. Israeli officials
say the military was acting in self-defence and have rejected the report as biased. Israeli commandoes
boarded the convoy of six ships as it tried to breach an Israeli naval blockade of Gaza. The convoy's
passengers were detained and later deported by Israel.

Key Points
At the time of the incident, the Foreign Secretary made clear that the Government deeply deplored
the loss of life. The Government‟s goal remains ensuring full accountability for the events which
occurred.
The Human Rights Council (HRC) report raises a number of allegations about Israeli conduct. The
Government is taking these extremely seriously. The report is also one of a number of ongoing
investigations including the Israeli national commission (Turkel) and the separate UN inquiry
(Palmer). The Government will consider the HRC's conclusions when the fullest possible picture of
what happened is available.

Associated articles:

BBC – Israel‟s military broke the law

The Telegraph – Israel used incredible violence

Six Men arrested over suspected Koran burning

Six men from Gateshead have been arrested after filming themselves apparently burning copies of the
Koran on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The video was then placed on the internet. The men were
arrested on suspicion of inciting racial hatred and released on bail whilst further enquiries are carried out.

On Thursday, Northumbria Police and Gateshead Council said:

"The kind of behaviour displayed in this video is not representative of our community as a whole.
Our community is one of mutual respect and we continue to work together with community leaders,
residents and people of all faiths and beliefs to maintain good community relations."

Key Points
The government condemns attempts to create divisions between communities, and are committed
to ensuring that everyone has the freedom to live their lives free from fear of targeted hostility or
harassment on the grounds of a particular characteristic, such as religion.

Associated articles:

BBC – Men arrested in Gateshead

Stop and search figures released for UK airports

Figures supplied by the Home Office show that the number of people stopped and questioned
under schedule 7 had doubled in the last four years. The Independent
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with comments or if you would like to subscribe
suggested this includes a rise in the number of British Muslims stopped, despite the Home Office not
holding statistics on ethnicity or religion.

Key Points
Stopping people at airports is sometimes necessary to protect public safety.
Schedule 7 provides the police at ports, airports and international railway stations powers to
examine – stop, question, search, and if necessary, detain – individuals to reduce the risk to the
UK from those who travel for terrorist purposes.
The powers contained in Schedule 7 are only used to identify those who may be involved in the
commission, preparation and instigation of terrorism and for no other purpose.
These figures cover the period from 2004 to mid 2009.
The „new‟ figures in the Independent were supplied by the Home Office in response to a Freedom of
Information request. The figures had previously been supplied to parliament in response to
Parliamentary Questions over the last 18 months.

Associated articles:

The Independent - Figures double over 4 years

Home Secretary speaks of balance between safety and liberty

On Tuesday, the Home Secretary spoke at an Eid reception, hosted by the Foreign Office. She spoke of
the need to stop talking to Muslim communities only about counter-terrorism and that it was important to
value them as a “mature and fundamental part of our society”, adding that the Government must aim to
achieve "a better balance between public safety and civil liberties”. More on the speech can be found here.

Change to the threat level in Northern Ireland

The Security Service has raised the threat level from moderate to substantial. This means an Irish-related
terrorist attack is a strong possibility. This is the first time an Irish-related threat assessment has been
published.

On Friday, Home Secretary Theresa May said:

“The director-general of the Security Service has informed me that he has raised the threat to Great Britain
from Irish-related terrorism from moderate to substantial, meaning that an attack is a strong possibility.
Judgments are based on a broad range of factors, including the intent and capabilities of terrorist groups.

This is the first time we have published the Irish-related threat assessment to Great Britain. This is in the
interests of transparency and to encourage people to remain vigilant.

The first and most important duty of government is the protection and security of the British people. We
have been consistent in stating that the threat to the UK from terrorism is real and serious. The balance we
aim to strike is keeping people alert but not alarmed. I would urge the public to report any suspicious
activity to the police and security services in their continuing efforts to discover, track and disrupt terrorist
activity.” More information about the threat level can be found on the Home Office website.

Other News Stories from this Week

The following are interesting news items that we think people may want to circulate further:

Not In My Game (NIMG) cricket campaign

A cricket tournament was held in Tower Hamlets on Saturday. Close to 180 young people from across
London including Waltham Forest, Redbridge and Tower Hamlets competed in support of NIMG. Pakistani
rock star, Salman Ahmad (Junoon), attended to lend his support for the campaign which takes a stand
against Terrorism in sport.

Please email ricu@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

with comments or if you would like to subscribe