Joint efforts to fight extremism

27 June 2014, 17:03 | Updated: 27 June 2014, 17:10

Welsh politicians and the Muslim community are telling Heart they'll work together to fight extremism.

A statement has been issued - asking for people to come together to stop more young people turning to extremism.

It's after two men from Cardiff joined rebels in Syria and featured in a video for the militant group ISIS.

The cross-party, cross-denominational statement, co-ordinated by Cardiff South MP Stephen Doughty and Saleem Kidwai, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Wales, follows media reports of young men from the city joining extremists fighting in Syria and Iraq.

It already has the backing of Police and Crime Commissioner Alun Michael and the leaders of local mosques, as well as Christian and Jewish leaders; and cross-party support from Cardiff’s MPs, Assembly Members, and local councillors.

The statement is open for others to sign in support over the coming days.

Haris Malik from the Ahmediyya Muslim Association in Cardiff says:

'I think it’s about educating youngsters getting them in the mainstream of education, employment and obviously it’s down to communities including parents that they teach their children the best values of Islam and what is the real Islam.

I think if all the communities follow fundamental principles such as peace, love, equality and freedom...I see no reason why we can't progress in society as a whole.'