White House holds multi-day summit on extreme violence

World Today

The White House is set to host a meeting over three days to turn a sharp focus on violent extremism in the U.S. and abroad. The summit will aim to stop the radicalization of Muslim youths who may be tempted to fight with ISIL or similar extremist groups in the Middle East. CCTV’s Nathan King filed this report from Washington D.C.

From the mid February attacks in Copenhagen, Denmark to the Boston marathon bombings in the U.S. in April of 2013, or the January Charlie Hebdo newsroom attacks in Paris; the West is searching for a way to block the radicalization of Muslim youths and combat the threat of homegrown terror attacks. The agenda at a summit put on by the White House looked at what the U.S. is doing and what more it can do to stop attacks before they happen.

“Given the complexities of the challenge and the nature of the enemy which is not a traditional army, this work takes time,” U.S. President Barack Obama said.

Part of that strategy is countering the slick social media influence of groups like ISIL with more outreach to Muslim youths and their communities. There are also initiatives in the U.S. that seek to de-radicalize young people tempted by extremist ideologies. Instead of prison, authorities offer counseling and education from Muslim scholars.

“We believe in the right of all people to live in peace and security. Muslim Imams have condemned and continue to denounce anyone who tries to use the religion of Islam to support terrorism,” Imam Abdisalam Adam, Islamic Civic Society of America said.

The Muslim community is worried U.S. police programs could be used to spy on Muslims as they have in the past and they want the surveillance stopped.

The White House stresses violent extremism is not just a problem among Muslims but a variety of religions. The U.S. has launched a hate crime investigation following the shooting death of three Muslim students allegedly by a white neighbor in North Carolina.