Deradicalisation and the London Bridge attack

The horrific terrorist attack on London Bridge on 29 November 2019 raise two central questions: how, if at all, could it have been prevented? And how, if at all, could other similar incidents be averted? The core element in effectively tackling domestic terrorism of all kinds is responsible and adequately-informed and funded risk management. But while incidents involving those who have undergone some form of deradicalisation can never be entirely eliminated, if and when they occur, they don’t necessarily prove that deradicalisation and rehabilitation are doomed projects nor that relevant schemes are seriously deficient. It is, nevertheless, vital that much more information is made publicly available about how relevant programmes operate, how they are resourced and how their effectiveness might be assessed. They also need to be properly explained and justified and pervasive myths about them effectively countered.