The radicalisation process

The radicalisation process

The radicalisation process
From the Newspaper
By M. Zaidi
(20 hours ago) Today



MUCH has been written about radicalisation in Pakistan without emphasis on the conceptual grounding of what radicalisation really is. The Oxford dictionary, till 2006, did not provide a definition of `radicalisation`, `radicalism`, or even `radicalise`, which clearly shows the recent evolution of the term.

It does, however, list these terms as derivatives of `radical`, which means to relate to or affect the fundamental nature of something, or advocate thorough complete political or social reform which may be politically extreme. As is evident, these terms do not necessarily have negative connotations which are associated with the term today. However, negative connotations arise from the threat of extremism, labelled as radicalisation, which is usually defined as a process whereby an originally moderate individuals or groups of individuals become progressively more extreme in their thinking — and possibly their behaviour — over time.

This process is often associated with youth, adversity, alienation, social exclusion, poverty or the perception of injustice to self or others. The terms `radicalisation` and `Talibanisation` are being employed to refer to the increasing tendency to use a peculiar brand of religion as the justification for conquest and control over territory, populations and resources, and the establishment of specific forms of judicial and social systems by the use of force.

Some analysts like American author and counter-terrorism practitioner Marc Sageman reject the notion that radicalisation can aptly be described in terms of a fixed sequence of stages, while others view terrorism as the final stop along a path of radicalisation characterised by a fairly orderly series of stages.

A four-stage model has been proposed. This includes pre-radicalisation, self-identification, indoctrination and extremism stages, respectively. According to this model, in the pre-radicalisation stage the individual lives an ordinary life and has not yet accepted the radical ideology that will later provide the motivation for becoming an extremist. In the self-identification stage, the individual begins to explore that ideology and that change tends to be triggered by a cognitive opening, or crisis, which shakes one`s certitude in previously held beliefs.

In the indoctrination stage, adherence to a radical worldview is intensified, usually with support from likeminded group members under the direction of an ideological leader. Finally, in the extremism stage, individuals willingly accept their duties and commit to carrying out assigned acts of terrorism, or adhering rigidly to extremist views. Stage models essentially represent radicalisation as key transition points along a time course, leading from the normal life of individuals to their adherence to extremist ideologies or paradigms.

Such models, however, leave much to explain in terms of the psychological, organisational and social processes and drivers that lead people into the radicalisation process in the first place, and then reinforce their continued radicalisation to the point of committing acts of terrorism.

One pertinent analysis framework would be the degree to which ideologues and instigators of extremist movements rely on `black or white` or `all or none` thinking. Another set of cognitive factors that support extremism revolve around the extremist`s social perceptions of out-group members, namely people outside one`s own social and ideological group or `in-group`.

Violence towards a group is facilitated by the thinking of its members as being justifiably excluded from the moral considerations one would apply to members of one`s own group. Perceiving a social category of others as being morally excluded can free individuals to become morally disengaged in their behavioural interactions with members of the `out-group` social category.

Notwithstanding the attention paid to radicalisation as a precursor to terrorism — perhaps even a `root cause` of terrorism and socio-political violence — it is widely agreed that although radicalisation increases the potential for such forms of violence, it does not necessitate any of them. For instance, according to a recent Global Futures Forum report, radicalisation is a process, not an end unto itself, and it does not necessarily lead to violence. Simply put, radicalisation cannot be a sufficient cause of terrorism because most radicals are not terrorists.

This may be why the term `violent radicalisation` is often encountered in discourses on terrorism. If violence were indeed necessitated by radicalisation, the qualified term would simply be redundant. Prevalent usage of terms such as violent radicalisation or militant radicalisation would thus suggest that many theorists do not view radicalisation as a sufficient cause of terrorism or other forms of violence.

There is a commonly observed tendency to conceive of radicalisation in terms solely of ideology. Religious zealotry, extremism and militancy — or whatever one prefers to call them — are often regarded as signs of backwardness, lack of education, absence of a civilised mindset and a reflection of a barbaric or savage worldview. Recourse to colonial binaries such as backward versus modern, savage versus civilised, or illiterate versus enlightened serves to obscure the issues rather than clarify them.

These categories fail as explanations since they become tautologies, i.e. they committed the act because they are barbaric, they are barbaric because they committed the act. The reliance upon psychological and ideological categories, which refer to some kind of assumed inherent proclivity among certain people to commit heinous acts, becomes essentialist.

Such explanations become redundant for they obliterate history as well as the material reality that forms part of the dynamics of radicalism. The use of overarching ideological categories seems to rely on some form of biological determinism, thereby rendering such categories deeply racist, i.e. Fata was always a radicalisation-prone area.

Instead of characterising perceived extremism and violence as some kind of inherent flaw within a particular people, religion, culture or belief system, it is more fruitful to explore the political economy of radicalisation in order to lay bare the material basis that may have generated it. It seems to be more useful to examine the conflicts between competing social classes attempting to establish their hegemony and deploying religion, or a specific form of it, to justify their position in the social and economic hierarchies.

The writer is a security analyst.

Iran unveils missiles, satellites as warning to foes

Iran unveils missiles, satellites as warning to foes

TEHRAN: Iran showed off new missile and satellite technology on Monday, and told its enemies it had “complete domination” of the entrance to the oil-rich Gulf.

As part of Iran’s annual revolution celebrations, a time traditionally marked by new technological and military advances, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad unveiled locally-made satellites while a senior commander showed off mass produced missiles.

“We should reach a point where we will be able to provide our knowledge and technology in the aerospace field to other countries,” Ahmadinejad said in a speech, unveiling the satellites he said were for scientific purposes, and showing film of a satellite-carrier rocket.

Although Iran is not engaged in any military conflict, it is on constant alert against possible attacks from the United States and Israel which have not ruled out possible pre-emptive strikes to stop Tehran getting nuclear weapons.

Iran says it has no intention of making nuclear bombs and that its atomic programme, which is the subject of US, European and UN sanctions, is entirely peaceful.

In 2009, Iran launched a domestically-made satellite into orbit for the first time, a step that increased the West’s fear that the Islamic Republic is seeking to build a nuclear bomb and missile delivery systems.

The chief commander of the Revolutionary Guards, Mohammad Ali Jafari, said the new mass-produced missile would be able to target enemies at sea.

“Its speed is three times greater than the speed of sound and it cannot be traced and deactivated by enemies,” official news agency IRNA quoted Jafari as saying.

Another Guards commander, Ali Fadavi reiterated Iran’s threat to close the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow channel through which 40 per cent of the world’s seaborne oil trade passes.

“The Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz are under the complete domination of the Revolutionary Guards … and it would be blocked in case of a threat,” he said, according to the semi-official Mehr news agency.

Foreign analysts say Iran would be reluctant to take such a drastic step as it would cut off its own oil exports.

Audit of ISRO deal on: CAG - Hindustan Times

Audit of ISRO deal on: CAG - Hindustan Times

The Comptroller and Auditor General on Monday said that audit of certain activities of the department of space (DoS) were under way but made it clear that media reports on alleged scam in a deal between

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Left alleges 'new scam' in allotment of spectrum by ISRO
ISRO and a private firm cannot be concluded as its "findings". In a statement, the CAG said that

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Left alleges 'new scam' in allotment of spectrum by ISROits
attention has been drawn to reports appearing in media regarding audit being undertaken by Audit and Accounts Department of DoS.


"The news item gives the impression as if our audit has been finalised. This office clarifies that audit of certain activities of DoS is under way.

"Very preliminary queries have been raised which are yet to be replied by that department. Since the audit is at very preliminary stage, it can by no stretch of imagination, be concluded that information as given in the media reports are findings of this department," the CAG statement said.

The Hindu today reported that the CAG has started enquiries into a 2005 agreement between the ISRO's commercial arm Antrix Corporation Ltd and Devas Multimedia Pvt Ltd over ISRO launching two satellites for Devas.

The daily said Devas was to allegedly benefit unbridled use of 70 Mhz of the scarce S-Band spectrum over a 20 year period from which the CAG has made preliminary estimate of a loss of Rs 2,00,000 crore to the exchequer.

Left alleges 'new scam' in allotment of spectrum by ISRO - Hindustan Times

Left alleges 'new scam' in allotment of spectrum by ISRO - Hindustan Times

Left parties on Monday demanded a thorough probe into a "new scam" involving ISRO which according to media reports alotted scarce S-band spectrum without a bidding process to a private firm. "This is a new

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Audit of ISRO deal on: CAG
issue. The ISRO is under the Department of Space which is under Prime Minister (Manmohan

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Audit of ISRO deal on: CAGSingh).
This is also a new scam," CPI(M) Politburo member Sitaram Yechury told reporters here.


CPI national secretary D Raja said the new revelations were "very serious", a view echoed by senior RSP leader Abani Roy who demanded a JPC into the matter.

Media reports claimed that the Comptroller and Auditor General has initiated inquiries into ISRO's agreement with a Bangalore-based firm for launch of two satellites besides allegedly providing 70 MHz of S-band spectrum for a period of 20 years without going through a bidding process.

The report quoted the preliminary CAG estimates that the spectrum allocation could have caused the exchequer a loss in excess of Rs two lakh crore.

"The revelations have added a new dimension to the 2G spectrum scam. The ISRO is directly under the control of Department of Space headed by the Prime Minister. It is very serious as ISRO deals with space and it has implications on our security," Raja said.

He said the issue will be discussed among the four Left parties.

Roy said the Left will "definitely" demand inclusion of the "new scam" in the ambit of JPC.

"Whether it should be a separate JPC or it should be incorporated in the 2G spectrum issue has to be studied," he said.

Another scam: auditor probes ISRO's S-Band spectrum deal - Hindustan Times

Another scam: auditor probes ISRO's S-Band spectrum deal - Hindustan Times

New Delhi, Feb 7 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Monday demanded a comprehensive probe into the Comptroller and Auditor General's (CAG) estimates of a Rs.2 lakh crore loss to the exchequer due to an agreement between Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) commercial wing and a private company in 2005. They also sought an immediate clarification from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the government's position.

'The Department of Space is directly under the prime minister. It is a very serious scandal... There should be a comprehensive inquiry to establish criminality,' BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said here.


Seeking cancellation of the 2005 agreement, she alleged that 70 MHz of scarce S-band spectrum had been given to a private agency and said the whole affair had been vitiated by fraud.


'It is not just a loss but frittering away of natural resources. The agreement should be revoked. Any loss of revenue should be recovered. We demand an immediate statement from the prime minister,' she said.


Sitharaman said that Antrix Corporation Limited, which is commercial arm of ISRO, signed an agreement with Devas Multimedia Private Limited for launching two satellites and added that the managing director of the private entity was a former scientific secretary of ISRO.


Equating the S-band spectrum with 5G telephony, she said that it was unique.


She said that government-owned telecom companies had been allotted 20 Mhz of the unique spectrum for Rs.12,487 crore. 'But the private company had only been charged Rs.1,000 crore for 70 Mhz of this spectrum,' she said.


'It has been done quietly to a private operator. It was objected to by the Space Commission. The commercial use by the private operator is going to start in mid-2011. Various process have been violated. The estimated loss to the exchequer is Rs.2 lakh crore,' she said, adding that the loss estimated by CAG in the 2G spectrum scam was Rs.1.76 lakh crore.


According to a report in The Hindu newspaper, the agreement relates to ISRO's launching of two satellites for Devas and bestows on the company a large hidden benefit of unbridled use of 70 MHz of the scarce S-band spectrum over 20 years.


Under the deal, Devas Multimedia is to get the broadband spectrum in the 2500 Mhz band. The report said that in 2010, the union government got nearly Rs.67,719 crore from the auction of just 15 MHz of similar airwaves for 3G mobile services.


According to preliminary CAG estimates, the spectrum largesse to a private player could have caused the exchequer a loss in excess of Rs.2 lakh crore, the report said, adding that the CAG had started inquiries into the 2005 agreement between Antrix Corporation and the private company.

Swamy seeks Governor's nod to prosecute TN CM - Hindustan Times

Swamy seeks Governor's nod to prosecute TN CM - Hindustan Times

Swamy seeks Governor's nod to prosecute TN CM
HT Correspondent
Chennai, February 07, 2011

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Swamy-seeks-Governor-s-nod-to-prosecute-TN-CM/H1-Article1-659488.aspx#disqus_thread



The news about the transfer of funds from DB Realty, a Mumbai-based real estate firm and one of the beneficiaries of the 2G Spectrum scam, to the Chennai-based Kalaignar TV, in which Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi's second wife Dayalu holds 60% shares and Kanimozhi, his daughter by his third wife holds 20% shares, does not come as a surprise. After all, Dayalu is one who reportedly, according to Nira Radia, received Rs. 600 Crores from her husband's grand nephew, Dayanidhi Maran, to ensure him a berth in the Union Cabinet.
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The staunch defence put up by Karunanidhi of former Union Telecom Minister Andimuthu Raja's murky deals is itself a clear indication that he was one of the biggest beneficiaries of the Spectrum scam, through which the Nation has lost an estimated Rs 1,76,000 Crores. I fully back Dr Subramanian Swamy's demand in Court that Karunanidhi should be named as a co-accused in the case. The reasons and basis for this demand are listed out below :


Kanimozhi, whose claim to fame and riches begins and ends with being Karunanidhi's daughter, is today worth several thousand crore rupees. Westgate Logistics, a shipping company jointly owned by her and her mother Rajathi, several educational institutions purchased under benami names, a Rs. 4,000 Crore five-star hotel chain that is coming up all over South India, again under benami names, are all newly accumulated assets that have accrued after the Spectrum deals were pushed through by her close friend, Raja.


Thamizh Maiyam, an event management firm jointly promoted by Kanimozhi and another close associate, Jagat Gaspar, which had been entrusted by the State Government with the task of promoting Tamil culture in Chennai by organising an annual cultural festival called Chennai Sangamam, has been receiving huge funds in the name of sponsorship from companies that had been given mobile phone operation licences by Raja. Gaspar, a frequent traveller abroad, is reportedly handling the parking of funds belonging to Kanimozhi and her mother in various tax havens abroad.


To learn about Kanimozhi's mother Rajathi's financial status, a cursory look at the financial status of some of her domestic servants would suffice. Saravanan, a sweeper in Royal Enterprises, a furniture showroom in Chennai owned by Rajathi, later went on to become her manager. He hit the headlines recently when he brokered the controversial Voltas land deal wherein a prime property on the arterial Anna Salai in Chennai worth over Rs 300 Crores, was reportedly sold by him for Rs 25 Crores to one Shanmughanathan of Malaysia. Interestingly, Rajathi, who publicly claimed lack of knowledge about this particular land deal, was full of concern about the deal in her widely telecast conversation with corporate lobbyist Niira Radia. Equally interestingly, the Malaysian, Shanmughanathan, who got the Voltas property for a song, also has purchased a 500 acre tea estate in Kothagiri for a mere Rs 2.5 Crores!


Daniel Samuel, an AC mechanic, who was servicing the airconditioners in Rajathi's new home in CIT Colony in Chennai, is today the proud owner of a fleet of BMW cars. He is also believed to be keeping money in sacks in his Little Mount office and is buying up properties in Munnar, Kottayam and several other parts of Kerala for the "Second Lady" of Tamil Nadu. When his daughter's wedding was celebrated in Cochin, planeloads of Chennai's VVIPs were flown over to bless the couple, including ruling party politicians and top IAS and IPS officers.


Genex Exim, a Chennai-based company registered with a share-capital of just Rs 1 lakh, had 5.7% shares worth Rs 380 crores in Swan Telecom (now Etisalat DB), one of the beneficiaries of Raja's telecom largesse. Genex belongs to the son of Syed Salahuddin of the ETA Group of companies, Dubai. Salahuddin has been a close associate of Karunanidhi right from the early 1970s and had earned dubious mention in the Sarkaria Commission Report, which chronicled Karunanidhi's propensity for scientific corruption. It is his ETA Group that has been entrusted with the construction of most road bridges and flyovers initiated by Karunanidhi as well as the new Library Building in Kotturpuram and the new State Secretariat building. Interestingly, the new Secretariat was originally budgeted at Rs 450 crores. During the Pennagaram by-election, Karunanidhi referred to it as a Rs 750 Crore construction. In the Governor's Address presented in the State Assembly last month, the construction cost was mentioned as Rs 910 Crores. In his interim budget presented just two days ago, the State Finance Minister showed the construction expenditure as Rs 1,100 Crores. The construction is still not complete though the building was inaugurated more than a year ago. And the final cost, like the Spectrum loss, could be much higher.


It is the same ETA Group that has benefited from all these projects and which is believed to be the conduit for parking the Karunanidhi family's funds abroad that is also handling the infamous State Health Insurance Scheme under the name of Star Insurance Company. Through this scheme, an estimated Rs 2000 Crores of state funds have been siphoned out over a period of four years, ostensibly to provide health insurance cover to the people of the State. With the same money, 20 medical colleges with state-of-the-art general hospitals could have been set up in 20 districts in the State. This would have churned out over 2000 new doctors each year in addition to providing free treatment for all ailments to over 20,000 people every day!


If the CBI, the Enforcement Directorate and the Income Tax Department, all of whom are involved in the Spectrum Scam investigation do their duty without fear or favour, then the entire Karunanidhi family including Kanimozhi, Rajathi and Karunanidhi himself will have to cool their heels behind bars, for a large chunk of the spectrum kickbacks has landed in their kitty. The issue is all the more grave, as a number of foreign players based in hostile countries inimical to India, including China and Pakistan, have been given entry into our Telecom Sector opening up very serious concerns about the Nation's sovereignty, security and territorial integrity.


Raja is only a pawn. The kingpins have to be brought to book. With the Supreme Court monitoring every turn of the investigations, I trust justice will prevail and the money looted will be recovered in full and the culprits brought to book. The only question is, does the CBI and do the other investigating agencies have this type of an umbrella mandate? It is under these circumstances that I, along with all other opposition leaders, cutting across the political spectrum, have been insisting on a Joint Parliamentary Committee Probe. If the Congress leadership has nothing to hide, it should give in to this eminently reasonable demand.




Unfazed by Karunanidhi’s legal notice against him, Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy on Monday sought prosecution of Tamil Nadu CM M Karunanidhi for his alleged misuse of office in the

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Karunanidhi sends notice to Swamy
allotment of residential properties to ineligible and influential people. Speaking to media people after

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Swamy set to include Karuna as accused
Karunanidhi sends notice to Swamy
submitting a memorandum, complete with the proof of irregularities in the allotment of land under the discretionary quota by the chief minister, Swamy said rules were flouted with impunity and as such it amounted to corrupt practice, just like what happened in Karnataka where chief minister BS Yedurrappa favoured his own children to allot land.


“The governor of Karnataka did not waste any time in sanctioning prosecution of the chief minister there. Likewise, I hope governor Barnala too would promptly give sanction to prosecute Karunanidhi,” Swamy said and threatened that he would move the court if the sanction did not come within the prescribed three months time.

Swamy, who had sought time from the governor, however could not meet him in person as “he was unwell. I submitted the memorandum to an official of the governor, his ADC along with proof of the irregularities,” he said.

The rules of the Tamil Nadu Housing Board (TNHB) are clear on allotment of land. The applicant should not possess any land or house or flat in the city. But the chief minister exceeded his authority and committed a corrupt act, the Janata Party president said demanding his immediate resignation on this count.

“For Karunanidhi’s prosecution in the 2G Spectrum scam, I do not need any permission as it was a private arrangement between former telecom minister A Raja and the chief minister,” he said and dismissed the legal notice sent by Karunanidhi as one that exposed his utter lack of understanding of the criminal law.

“I have not received any notice. And even if I get it, I will throw it into the dustbin,” Swamy said daring Karunanidhi to meet him in the court. “He will get defeated like he did in 2005 in the courts,” Swamy boasted saying that he had every proof with him and would not have ventured out to prosecute him without proof.

“I am not a journalist like you to say anything just like that. I will be held accountable. So , I do not proceed unless I have proof for what I am alleging,” Swamy told Hindustan Times in response to a question.

“The TNHB rules clearly state that land cannot be allotted to well to do persons and to those already owing a plot, apartment or a house. Here the land has been allotted to IAS officials and others,” Swamy said.

When pointed out that the discretionary quota has already been abolished in Tamil Nadu, Swamy quipped that it did not take away the criminal element of misuse of official position and even if the lands are returned now, the chief minister would be liable to prosecution.

Swamy said he had readied some 23 documents relating to Karunanidhi and the housing scam petition was the first one.
The housing scam allegation is the second one Swamy fired at Karunanidhi after petitioning the CBI court in Delhi to implicate Karunanidhi in the 2G Spectrum case. On Saturday, Swamy named Karunanidhi as a co-accused along with former telecom minister A Raja in the 2G Spectrum scam in his complaint to a CBI court. "I had named DMK chief Karunanidhi as a co-accused along with Raja in the matter and many more names will be added," Swamy told press persons.

On Sunday, the chief minister hit back sending a legal notice to Swamy asking him to retract his statement within 24 hours, failing which to face criminal proceedings.

Far from retracting, Swamy rubbished the notice saying that he would throw it into the dustbin if and when he received. Denying that he had received any notice so far, Swamy boasted that he would “teach Karunanidhi a lesson like the one I taught him in 2005”.

“Let him take me to court. He will be beaten like he was in 2005 and he knows it too,” Swamy replied when asked about the legal notice.

Meanwhile, AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa on Monday extended her full support to Swamy in his crusade against Karunanidhi on the 2G Scam.

In a statement, the AIDMK supremo alleged that the chief minister’s family was a beneficiary of the 2G Spectrum scam funds.
When asked about Jayalalithaa's support, Swamy said he thanked her. "She is an intelligent lady and knows the truth."

Jayalalithaa, in her statement on Monday said "the staunch defence putup by Karunanidhi of former union telecom minister Andimuthu Raja’s murky deals itself is a clear indication that he was one of the biggest beneficiaries of the Spectrum scam, through which the nation as lost an estimated Rs 1,76,000 crore,” Jayalalithaa said in a statement adding that Karunanidhi should be named as a co-accused in the scam as demanded by Swamy in a Delhi court.

“The news about the transfer of funds from DB Realty, a Mumbai-based real estate firm and one of the beneficiaries of the 2G Spectrum scam, to the Chennai-based Kalaignar TV, in which Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi's second wife Dayalu holds 60% shares and Kanimozhi, his daughter by his third wife holds 20% shares, does not come as a surprise. After all, Dayalu is one who reportedly, a according to Nira Radia, received Rs. 600 Crores from her husband's grand nephew, Dayanidhi Maran, to ensure him a berth in the Union Cabinet,” Jayalalithaa said in support of Swamy.

“If the CBI, the Enforcement Directorate and the Income Tax Department, all of whom are involved in the Spectrum Scam investigation do their duty without fear or favour, then the entire Karunanidhi family including Kanimozhi, Rajathi and Karunanidhi himself will have to cool their heels behind bars, for a large chunk of the spectrum kickbacks has landed in their kitty,” the AIDMK leader said.

Home-grown terror threat increasing: cables

Home-grown terror threat increasing: cables

LONDON: Britain faces a growing threat from home-grown jihadists who are beyond the "radar screen" of intelligence authorities, leaked cables seen by the Telegraph newspaper revealed Thursday.

In the memos, leaked to the newspaper by the WikiLeaks website, intelligence officials admitted they would be "hard-pressed" to prevent attacks from British-born radicals who undergo training to become "suicide operatives."

According to one cable, a senior official from MI6 told visiting US congressmen that "the internal threat in the UK is growing more dangerous."

The counter-terrorism official claimed this was because extremists could conduct training within Britain and if they "should turn operational" authorities "would be hard pressed to find them on any 'radar screen'."

The unnamed MI6 officer added that it was "wholly or largely dependent" on help from the CIA and other US agencies when it came to monitoring the terror threat.

Fifty-two people were killed in July 2005 when four home-grown suicide bombers blew themselves up on London's transport network.

The documents also exposed US concern that "a certain amount of so-called 'jihadi tourism' to southern Somalia by UK citizens of Somali ethnicity," had been occurring.

Details of a 2009 meeting between British government officials and a senior US State Department representative showed that London was also concerned about Somalia's role as a breeding ground for terrorism.

The British officials noted an increased threat from "home-grown jihadists and radicalized British Somalis..., particularly those who have traveled to Somalia or Pakistan for indoctrination and training," the memo said.

Britain's ability to tackle terrorism was to be further hampered by budget cuts, which meant the Foreign Office (FCO) would have to do "more with less," and by a surge in lawsuits from terror suspects, another document revealed.

"The FCO is among the ministries experiencing severe budget shortfalls," the memo, sent from the US embassy in Nairobi in December 2009, said.

"Exchange rate fluctuations in particular are causing severe cuts to FCO programs, causing a loss of about £13 million from an initial allotment of £39 million just from the FCO?s counter-terrorism budget," it added.

US diplomats noted that Britain faced "new challenges" in fighting terrorism following "a wave of litigation related to actions taken after 9/11...including...compensation claims from Guantanamo Bay detainees."

"Legal actions by suspects in terrorist cases are having a severe effect on what counter-terrorism tools are available to the UK authorities," the cable concluded.

Alex Carlile, Britain's independent reviewer of counter-terrorism laws, said Thursday that European human rights legislation had made Britain a "safe haven for some individuals whose determination is to damage the UK."