Western Engagement with Muslims: Europe’s Lessons Learned in Counterterrorism since 7/7

After the 7/7 bombings in Britain, the need to understand Muslims in the U.K. and in Europe heightened. Modern Europe and its Muslim communities were analyzed by Dr. H.A. Hellyer, a Visiting Fellow on the Brookings Project on U.S. Relations with the Islamic World at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy. He discussed Europe’s Muslim communities and the British mainstream’s engagement with them after the 7/7 bombings.

Hellyer stressed the need for capacity building in the Muslim communities, and the breaking down of obstacles from the mainstream that hindered integration. He emphasized that extremism is not the sole issue. The Muslim communities need role models for the younger generations that will move further integration. Moreover, the British mainstream has not yet fully reconciled itself to the Muslim presence.