Muslim leaders must speak out against radicalisation

These people remain at the forefront of the effort to stamp out violent rhetoric. They must be motivated and supported in reducing any community tolerance for violent radicalism. Permissiveness doesn't automatically generate violence, but it's where any de-radicalisation intervention must start.

Calculating the number of individuals plotting terrorist attacks is difficult, partly because the radicalisation and de-radicalisation processes are fluid and ongoing. If were going to speculate on how many violent Australian Islamists there are, let's be clear who were talking about.

Identifying at-risk segments of the population is useful for designing positive interventions, but don't conflate them with the enemy. There's a big difference between alienated youth and those already radicalised, who may be choosing targets and attempting to recruit others.

An effective strategy would distinguish between these groups. Don't broaden the enemy's coalition. Arrest jihadists and disrupt their plans but engage positively with those 2,000 or 3,000.

That means encouraging Australian Muslims to participate in Australian society and politics, such as by highlighting Muslim success stories. It means emphasising the destructiveness of violent, isolationist ideologies and promoting inclusion over exclusion. Those at risk of radicalisation are unlikely to respond to government authority. That's why we need Muslim community leaders to speak out clearly against anyone spreading hatred.