RESIDENTS could be “manipulated by ideology” as a result of perceived racism and prejudice, an expert has warned.

Fiyaz Mughal, from the group Faith Matters, issued the warning at a special community safety forum meeting of Brighton and Hove City Council.

Mr Mughal was invited to work in the city and with the local authority after three local teenagers were killed fighting alongside Islamic rebels in Syria.

He has been meeting with a group of about 50 people, of different ages and from different communities, since November, to discuss how best to tackle extremist influences and improve community relations.

He told councillors and activists on at Hove Town Hall on Monday how some members of the group said racism had “affected the perception of their young sons and daughters about whether they had a stake in the future of the local area”.

He added: “That is pretty important; it goes back to this issue of where we know that research shows that if people do not feel comfortable, they do not feel part of the process, part of where they are, that vulnerability can be exacerbated, can be manipulated by ideology.”

It is believed social alienation in the form of bullying at school played a part in terrorist Mohammed Emwazi, otherwise known as Jihadi John, running off to join Islamic State.

The former London is believed to be behind a number of beheadings of hostages in the last few months.

The extensive work of Mr Mughal’s One Voice project in Brighton also includes arranging for a member of Brighton’s Muslim community to be represented on the national Prevent committee, which oversees the Government’s counter-terrorism strategy.

He added that young people in the city need better role models, including young white men.

He said: “One particular risk for example is the far right, they seem to always want to turn up in an area and agitate and cogitate and create trouble.

“But the reality is I think through bringing communities together, sending out that positive message that there are different communities standing together against hate, intolerance and bigotry we can actually push back the narratives against extremist groups.”

TRAGIC HISTORY

Three teenagers – including two brothers – have been killed after going to fight alongside IS or sympathisers in Syria.

Abdullah Deghayes, 18, was killed in April last year after travelling to fight in Syria.

His brother, Jaffar Deghayes, 17, was killed in November last year Their uncle is Omar Deghayes, who was detained at Guantanamo prison camp between 2002 and 2007.

Ibrahim Kamara, died in a US air strike on the Syrian capital, Aleppo, in September after travelling to join the Deghayes brothers At the time of Jaffar Deghayes’ death, their father, Abubaker Deghayes, of Saltdean, told The Argus: “My message is still the same all young Muslims whoever young and naive thinks to go to Syria out of kindness out of pride, to make a difference, do not go.”