Islamist scare not serious for west, says former MI6 chief

Holding both the government and media responsible, Sir Richard Dearlove, former chief of MI6 said that the Islamist threat to the west has been blown out of proportion.

Dearlove who headed the British intelligence agency during the Iraq invasion, reportedly made this statement while addressing a London-based security and defence thinktank, the Royal United Services Institute on Monday.

According to The Guardian, the former MI6 chief observed that the nature of Islamic extremism has changed over the years. While he admitted that the threat was real before and after the 9/11 attack, he said that it has reduced in the recent years and has affected Britain only marginally.

The report quoted Dearlove as saying that the war is now largely limited to the Shia-Sunni communities and will bear only ripple effects on Britain. He also said that the spine-chilling messages being circulated by the Britons on the internet about the Islamic extremism should not be taken seriously.

Dearlove termed the media attention given to the Islamist scare unnecessary and one that will have a negative impact on the problem of Islamic extremism, the report added.