AN Oxford Imam has stressed the importance of helping young Muslims to understand their religion in the fight against radicalisation.

Imam Monawar Hussain, who runs The Oxford Foundation, said ‘religious literacy’ was a key part of the fight against extremism.

The foundation works to empower young people through education.

Mr Hussain said: “It is about sitting down with young people and showing them that extremism is a ploy using Islamic texts.

“When you start to look at the text it doesn’t say what the extremists claim.

“It is important to make young people more religiously literate about the core texts and get them to understand that this is a wide area and what the extremists do is cherry pick.”

Mr Hussain has worked with young people who have been radicalised online, but said some people were also drawn into extremism by individuals or communities who would never carry out extremist acts themselves but want to make others do so.

He also stressed the importance of good role models.

Mr Hussain said: “We get British Muslims in the armed forces to show lots of the good the armed forces do.

“All they hear is one aspect and they forget about the humanitarian work the armed forces do, such as building bridges.”

“Getting them to meet real Muslims in the armed forces is important.”