Right-wing extremism is the most likely terrorist threat in Swindon, a new report to councillors says.

The report written by the Swindon Prevent Board will be given to members of Swindon Borough Council’s adults’ health care and housing overview and scrutiny committee at its meeting next week. 

It will detail progress under the government’s Prevent programme – designed to curb radicalisation and stop people, especially the young, from engaging in political violence and terrorism.

The report says the most likely threat in Swindon would come from right-wing radicals and while the Covid-19 lockdowns have slowed suspicious activity, it could also give an opportunity to increase radicalisation.

It says: “Extreme right-wing terrorism remains the highest risk in Swindon. 

“The Covid-19 pandemic has presented additional opportunities for extreme right-wing terrorists to spread hate and disinformation online. Prevent referral data across the region suggests that the young and vulnerable continue to be exposed to concerning extreme right-wing terrorist material online. 

"It is likely that increased awareness of online security encourages the use of encrypted platforms. 

“Once travel restrictions ease,there is the realistic possibility that some individuals within the UK and Europe may travel to attend extreme right-wing influenced events. 

"Encouragement of more extreme views and dissemination of concerning material could occur at these events when multiple groups and individuals of similar mindsets are in close proximity.”

The report says 13 cases were referred to the Prevent team in Swindon in 2020-21 as being of concern, with 85 per cent of the people involved being men.
More worryingly 38 per cent of the individuals involved were under 18.

Although this is a reduction from previous years the Prevent Board says that’s probably down to the pandemic and resources in health and education being diverted to more pressing matters. 

It adds: “This presented a risk that some vulnerable individuals were unsighted by Prevent with a limited number of alternative reporting opportunities available.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted on people’s mental health, education, employment and financial status. 

"It is likely that more people are suffering mental health problems due to the pandemic. It is a realistic possibility that the impact of this could leave persons vulnerable to radicalisation.”

The report says work on the Prevent agenda in Swindon over the last 18 months has been recognised at national level –  the Homeland Security Department at the Home Office commended the strong partnership between the council and its partners and the risk assessment and action plan produced by the team.

Education has been identified by the Prevent Board as being key.

A Prevent in Education online event was put on by the council, Wiltshire Council and Counter Terrorism Policing South West for all schools in Wiltshire and Swindon. 

It was received well with 96 per cent of attendees saying they were very satisfied or satisfied by the training.

An education sub-group has been set up to continue work with schools  to identify those at risk of radicalisation and to nip issues in the bud, and the council will look at the way it works to make sure publicly-owned venues and resources do not “provide a platform for extremists and are not used to disseminate extremist views. “

The committee meets at 6pm on Thursday at Euclid Street.