UK Foreign Policy and Intelligence in the Post-Truth Era: Radical Violent Extremism and “Blow-Back”

Jeremy H Keenan

doi:10.13169/statecrime.6.2.0190

Abstract

Recent terrorist attacks in the UK have raised questions over the relationship between Britain's foreign policy and terrorist attacks in the UK. The main arguments made by Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, his critics and the views of those charged with defending the UK from terrorism are summarized. The article argues that the UK government's reasons for denying a relationship between foreign policy and terrorist attacks are because of (1) evidence that Britain's foreign policies have contributed to violent radical extremism and (2) links between some “terrorists”, designated jihadist groups and Britain's intelligence services.

Highlights

Queen Mary University of LondonState Crime 6.2 Autumn 2017 sight of the army on Britain’s streets after the Manchester suicide bomb attack was a clear sign that the UK’s foreign policy and approach to fighting terrorism was not working
The article explains why British foreign policy is frequently both opaque and misguided
The reason why Abedi, who had travelled to Libya and returned to the UK shortly before he carried out the Manchester atrocity, was not apprehended may have much to do with his membership of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG) and the latter’s murky relationship with British intelligence services over the last 20 or so years

Summary

Queen Mary University of London

State Crime 6.2 Autumn 2017 sight of the army on Britain’s streets after the Manchester suicide bomb attack was a clear sign that the UK’s foreign policy and approach to fighting terrorism was not working. Corbyn has long held the view that British foreign policy, including the involvement of troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, which he opposed, has exacerbated the risk of terrorist attacks at home by destabilizing the Middle East and fuelling suspicion of the West. In his Westminster speech of 26 May, Corbyn did not even mention Iraq. The Prime Minister, Theresa May, launched the strongest attack on Corbyn, accusing him of providing an “excuse for terrorism” She accused him of suggesting that the Manchester suicide bombing and other terrorist attacks “are our own fault” by linking terrorism to British foreign policy (Maidment 2017). Did 80% of Labour supporters and 79% of people who voted for the Liberal Democrats in 2015 (Grice 2017)

The Views of Those Charged With Defending the UK From Terrorism

The Libyan Intervention

Why UK Foreign Policy Is Opaque and Misguided

Findings

The Danger of Reliance on Proxy Intelligence Sources