US Should Back Moderate Muslims to Deter Homegrown Extremism

The president of the Muslims for Progressive Values (MPV), Ani Zonneveld said that , although church and state were always separated in the United States preventing any direct funding, there were "a few American Muslim institutions who propagate intolerant and Islamic supremacist theology."

MOSCOW (Sputnik), Alexander Mosesov — Washington should eliminate bureaucratic inefficiencies and focus on supporting moderate Muslim groups to deter religious extremism at home, the president of the Muslims for Progressive Values (MPV), a nonprofit organization involved in building inclusive Muslim communities, told Sputnik on Monday.

A key congressional panel passed a counter-extremism bill last week, urging the US Homeland Security Department to adopt a bill that will create an office to deter terrorist acts within the United States. It will receive $10 million annually over four years.

"Rather than spending $10 million on yet more bureaucracy, it would have been better to funnel that money into Muslim organizations that have concrete counter radicalism messages i.e. offering an inclusive theologically perspective, youth outreach, music, arts, sports and cultural centers," MPV founder and president Ani Zonneveld said.

Zonneveld added that, although church and state were always separated in the United States preventing any direct funding, there were "a few American Muslim institutions who propagate intolerant and Islamic supremacist theology."

The bill, dubbed the Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) Act, was initiated by Republican Representative Michael McCaul, the chairman of the House Homeland Security panel. It was passed unanimously last Wednesday.

The move comes amid a rising number of foreigners joining Sunni militant organizations in the Middle East, in particular Islamic State (ISIL). The jihadist group is notorious for using social media to recruit new members and propagate its numerous human rights atrocities.