Use intelligence and not raids on mosques in terrorism fight

The dawn raids on mosques in Mombasa by security forces have raised tensions in the port city and the potential for a serious confrontation between militant youths and the police remains real.

In such a volatile situation, sober minds on all sides need to take urgent steps to de-escalate the tension.

There may be a need for serious consideration on whether these periodic crackdowns are effective in dealing with youth radicalisation at the Coast.

They inflame Muslim passions and provide the lighting rod to further aggravate the crisis.

Even more serious, this creates disincentives for many moderate Muslims, who, it must not be forgotten, constitute the majority, and are willing to cooperate with the government to stabilise the city.

Security raids on mosques, whatever the justification, alienate many Muslims for whom sacred places of worship must never be violated.

What the government needs is a well-thought-out strategy to address the root causes and not just the symptoms.

Operations ought to be precisely targeted and based on actionable intelligence.

Mass arrests and indiscriminate security operations have proven counter-productive.

There are many countries bedevilled by Islamist militancy and experience has shown that a less heavy-handed security approach, one based on partnership with local communities, is the best route to tackling the problem.

It is true that criminal elements have in recent weeks stepped up their destabilisation of Mombasa.

A number of local imams and leaders cooperating with the State have been killed in what looks like a tit-for-tat war of attrition pitting the jihadists against the moderates.

The intra-Muslim ideological wrangles have taken on a disturbingly violent turn in the last six months and it now risks triggering wider conflagration.

To be fair to the security forces, they are confronted with a serious problem.

So what is to be done?

• Investing in a good intelligence-gathering system: Recruiting more Muslims into the security forces is key to unlocking some of the intelligence deficiencies that impede effective counter-terrorism.
• Youth empowerment and rehabilitation: Unemployment and despair is driving many young and bright teenagers into the arms of the jihadists. Creating a meaningful and rewarding future for these youngsters through innovative schemes is key to stemming the problem.
• Partnership with the Muslim leadership, community: Time has come for all sides to invest in better relations. President Kenyatta ought to personally lead these efforts instead of leaving it to bureaucrats and securocrats.
• Muslim reform: Muslim leaders ought to seek ways of creating a more representative leadership sensitive to the needs of young people.