MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The number of Britons joining the Islamic State (IS) and other extremist groups is growing in part because government efforts to prevent radicalization are not sufficient, a UK parliamentary report revealed Thursday.
"The number of cases being brought to public attention should ring alarm bells," the report by the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee reads, noting that Islamists are successfully "preying" on young British citizens.
Communication between the police, schools and parents is in need of vast improvement, the report stressed.
The report recommends that social media should be fully engaged as a government resource to counter extremism.
The paper's authors also suggested that authorities develop partnerships with mosques and other community groups to teach peaceful conflict resolution to aid in the prevention of home-grown terrorism.
On Monday, British Home Secretary Theresa May suggested toughening visa legislation and using online censorship to counter Islamist extremists. According to May, the government must refuse or cancel visas for anyone promoting extremist views. She also announced that high-profile religious figures trying to enter Britain will be subject to scrutiny.
According to the UK-based ICSR think tank, about 500 British nationals have traveled to Iraq and Syria, where the IS and other militants are fighting government forces.
