Attitudes to Islamic terrorism 'increases racism'

BRUSSELS - Racism, xenophobia and far-right extremism is on the rise across Europe, according to a comprehensive survey which says that Muslim communities face mounting discrimination and prejudice.

The report, conducted by non-governmental organisations in 20 countries across the EU, slams Governments for losing interest in the battle against racism, and says that the political reaction to terrorism has made life harder for minorities.

The document, compiled by the European Network Against Racism, says that 2005 saw "an increase in manifestations of racism and a notable increase in far-right and extremist expressions of racism."

The document also highlights a trend towards "increased tolerance for discriminatory behaviour, particularly against immigrants and Muslims," adding that "a lack of political will to address racism is sometimes evident and disturbing".

The section on the UK, compiled by the Runnymede Trust, concluded that new, tougher, immigration and security policies after the July 7, 2005, attacks have helped a situation in which racism has flourished.

The report on France describes its immigration policies as being "at the heart of institutional racism".

In Germany almost 15,000 refugees had their asylum claims revoked compared with 577 in 1998.

Anti-terror crackdowns have led to racial profiling which, by the nature of stereotyping, impacts on the wider ethnic minority groups. The document says: "Since January 2005 police in the Netherlands can ask for proof of identity.

"The UK also reports an increase in the disproportionate use of 'stop and search' against ethnic and religious minority groups."

Across the continent researchers find evidence that police forces have failed in their duty to investigate and prevent racist crime.

"Sometimes racially motivated crime is simply not taken seriously," says the document, adding that police are reportedly "reluctant to record a crime as such, as highlighted for instance in the reports on Hungary and Lithuania".

Even more worrying is the growth of extremist political forces. The document notes: "A rise of right-wing extremism is evident in a number of countries, such as Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Latvia, Malta and the Slovak Republic.

"The use of the internet as a tool for the dissemination of racist sentiment, crime and propaganda is particularly worrying given that internet crime is not often recorded and the legal difficulties that have been experienced in challenging internet-based criminal activity." Victims of racism extends to many groups, ranging from Europe's Jewish communities to its Roma minorities. But a separate document on Islamophobia reports a dramatic increase in incidents against Muslims in France in recent years.

It says: "The rise of intolerance towards Muslims has risen in the last year and the underlying tones of Islamophobia have infiltrated all forms of public and private lives for Muslims in Europe."

For British Muslims, problems worsened after the July 7 bombings and the implementation of new anti-terror laws permitting greater police powers of stop and search.

The document quotes a study by the Institute of Race Relations suggesting that the anti-terrorism statutes have been used overwhelmingly against Muslim defendants.

It says: "Of the hundreds of arrests only a few have to this date led to convictions. The increase in the number of Asians stopped and searched has also been disproportionately high at 28 per cent in England and Wales." Asians are now 2.5 times more likely to be stopped than whites, the report noted.

- INDEPENDENT