Counter-Terror Police Running Secret Prevent Database

London: Counter-terror police across the UK have been running a secret database containing details of thousands of individuals referred to the government’s controversial anti-radicalisation Prevent programme; the Guardian can reveal. The National Police Prevent Case Management (PCM) database is managed centrally by national counter-terrorism policing headquarters. It is accessible to all police forces across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and the Home Office are able to request data from it, according to documents sent to the human rights group Liberty and seen by the Guardian.

 

The stated aim of Prevent, a voluntary programme, is to divert people from terrorism before they offend and crucially deals with individuals who have yet to cross the criminality threshold. Each Prevent referral received is added to the PCM database by individual police forces, including personal details and reasons for the referral, but the person is not notified, responses to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests submitted by Liberty showed. Other agencies are able to request information held on the database.

 

The revelations about the existence of the database come at a time when Prevent is facing renewed scrutiny as an independent review begins, sparked by years of accusations that the programme had become a toxic brand that disproportionately targeted Muslims. Police chiefs said recording referrals ensured accountability and allowed forces to understand when vulnerabilities are increasing. Gracie Bradley, Liberty policy and campaigns manager, said: “This secret database is not about keeping us safe. It is about keeping tabs on and controlling people – particularly minority communities and political activists.

 

Jamie Grierson, Guardian, https://is.gd/mGEuvO