Anti-terror education taking to the stage

Anti-terror officers have been deployed across the West Midlands to steer youngsters away from religious extremism, it was revealed today.

The 21 police officers have been given the title "security and partnership officers" and their role involves organising plays in colleges about growing up as a Muslim. They have been stationed at all the major police stations in the Black Country and further afield.

The uniformed officers are from the Midland Counter Terrorism Unit and their latest task is to try to stop young people being drawn in by extremists.

In Wolverhampton, they arranged for a play called Hearts and Minds to be performed for students at the city college's Wellington Road campus.

Police describe it as a "thought-provoking" production that "explores what it means to be a young Muslim through the eyes of a teenage boy growing up in urban Britain".

Sgt Lisa Bird, security and partnership officer based at Bilston Street police station, said: "Our approach to counter terrorism policing has changed dramatically.

"Like many other areas of crime, we recognise the benefits of education and are working hard to warn young people about getting involved with violent extremists."

She said the Hearts and Minds play had been "very well received" and officers were now hoping to arrange for more performances.

West Midlands Police press officer Lorraine Hennessey said: "The uniformed officers work closely with partner agencies and community organisations to help reduce the threat from terrorism."

The West Midlands has been at the centre of a number of anti-terror investigations.

Last year, a man was jailed for life for an al Qaeda plot to kidnap and murder a British Muslim soldier. Parviz Khan, of Birmingham, talked of snatching the victim from the city's Broad Street district and beheading him "like a pig".

And in December last year, two British Muslims who were convicted of being members al Qaeda and trying to brainwash students at the University of Wolverhampton.