Federal Govt’s anti-extremism booklet links alt music to radicalisation

The Federal Government’s anti-radicalisation kit to help teachers, links alternative music to terrorism.

The 32-page Radicalisation Awareness Kit booklet was launched on Monday by Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Terrorism, Michael Keenan.

In the 'Violent Extremism' sectiona case study of a girl named ‘Karen’ is used to convey the radicalisation process and offer an insight into the types of people at risk of joining Islamist movements such as Islamic State.

“Karen grew up in a loving family who never participated in activism of any sort,” it reads. “When she moved out of home to attend university Karen became involved in the alternative music scene, student politics and left-wing activism.”

‘Karen’ eventually drops out of university to become an environmental activist. At the forest camp where she lived, she sabotaged logging machinery. “Karen was arrested on numerous occasions for trespass, damaging property, assault and obstructing police,” read the case study. “She said at the time she felt like she was a 'soldier for the environment so breaking the law didn’t matter'.”

The hashtag #freekaren is currently trending in Australia.

The booklet also has sections named ‘Violent extremism and the internet’, ‘Understanding the signs of radicalisation’, ‘Violent extremism and the law’ and ‘Myths about radicalisation and violent extremism’, which states it is a myth that ASIO has unrestrained power to arrest those they believe may be radicalising.

The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) and the New South Wales Teachers' Federation have already voiced their concerns over the booklet.

Jonathan La Nauze from theACF told the ABC: "To link standing up for the places that we love, standing up for the future of our children, to violence and extremism and terrorism, does nothing to combat a real threat to the safety of people or to respect the very peaceful and very meaningful protests that people engage in from all walks of life to ensure that we have a safe future in this country."

Maurie Mulheron, President of the NSW Teachers' Federation told the ABC: "I'm very doubtful that the Federal Government has pure motives in this area.They've got a track record now of trying to engender division within the community on these issues and I don't think that what they're proposing will make one iota of difference."

However, Michael Keenan said the booklet is designed to educate teachers on how to respond if they felt a student was susceptible to being radicalised.

"Of course radicalisation can take different forms but certainly their radicalisation that comes from contact with ISIL (Islamic State) – who make an enormous effort to groom people, particularly young people to commit violent acts here in Australia – is of primary concern to the government at the moment," said Keenan.

The ABC has said assessment of the kit will continue after NSW school holidays on Tuesday October 6.