What is Prevent? The anti-terror unit that Golders Green attack suspect was referred to

Police have confirmed that the man suspected of carrying out a knife attack in north London had previously been referred to Prevent, the government’s counter-extremism programme.

The 45-year-old was born in Somalia and came to the UK legally as a child in the 1990s, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said in a statement earlier on Thursday.

In a statement on Thursday afternoon, police said: “Given that the investigation is ongoing, we will not be releasing any further information regarding this matter at this time and will continue to focus on achieving justice for the victims of this attack.”

Met commissioner Sir Mark Rowley added that the suspect had a history of violence and mental health problems.

Authorities across the country began increasing patrols in response to a double stabbing that left two Jewish men – 34-year-old Shloime Rand and 76-year-old Moshe Ben Baila, locally called Moshe Shine – hospitalized.

The suspect was detained and arrested by police in Golders Green following the suspected terrorist attack. Police said he was a British citizen.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the criminal justice response to the attack in north London must be “swift, agile and visible” as extra funding was announced to improve the safety of Jewish communities.

The government has confirmed a further £25m will be invested to boost police protection around synagogues, schools and community centres, taking the total commitment this year to £58m.

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The Metropolitan Police confirmed the suspect was known as Prevent and was referred in 2020 and closed the same year.

Here’s everything you need to know about the UK’s counter-terrorism programme:

What is Prevention?

The prevention program is a central part of the Home Office’s counter-terrorism strategy. Its main purpose is to prevent people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism through early intervention. It also includes supporting the rehabilitation and disconnection of those currently involved in terrorism.

Its three main goals are:

The program involves a multi-institutional approach where tasks span many bodies. Legislation that came into force in 2015 introduced the ‘Prevention Tax’, which requires certain sectors to comply with anti-protection policies as required by law. This includes schools, colleges, universities, health, local authorities, police and various private authorities such as prisons.

Local authorities control the local delivery of the Prevent programme. Anyone concerned that they may be vulnerable to radicalization or at risk of engaging in or supporting terrorism can refer themselves or someone they know to Prevent.

Referrals can be made to various agencies with a Prevent mandate but will be carried out by specialist officers within the local police force. If a referred individual is found to pose a security threat, they should be investigated further in accordance with existing guidance. By March 2024, 6,922 referrals were made to Prevent.

The prevention program is the first of four steps in the government’s counter-terrorism strategy COMPETITION. The strategy, which has been revised over the years, was first created in 2003 as an emergency response to September 11. The strategy consists of the ‘four P’s’ and as well as Prevention there are also: