WHEN a teenage boy is reported to have become Britain's youngest suicide bomber, and three Bradford mothers are feared to have taken their children to join Islamic extremists, we have to wonder what drives seemingly ordinary people to take such chilling actions.

Fears are growing for sisters Khadija Dawood, 30, Sugra Dawood, 34, and Zohra Dawood, 33, thought to have travelled to Syria with their nine children, aged between three and 15.

And the family of 17-year-old Talha Asmal, alleged to have left his Dewsbury home to join Islamic State, claim he was groomed over the internet. He reportedly detonated a vehicle while fighting for IS in Iraq.

In the wake of the reports, Prime Minister David Cameron said British Muslim communities should take more responsibility for countering the threat of radicalisation, and he highlighted the role of families and communities in tackling the problem.

He warned of the dangers posed by people who "quietly condone" Islamic State's extremist ideology.

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Speaking at a security conference in Slovakian capital Bratislava, Mr Cameron said the case of the Great Horton sisters feared to be in Syria highlighted how young people from Britain are in danger of sliding into violent extremism, encouraged by online propaganda and people who support some of Islamic State's extreme views.

"I am clear that one of the reasons is that there are people who hold some of these views who don't go as far as advocating violence, but do buy into some of these prejudices, giving the extreme Islamist narrative weight and telling fellow Muslims 'you are part of this'," said Mr Cameron.

"This paves the way for young people to turn simmering prejudice into murderous intent. To go from listening to firebrand preachers online to boarding a plane to Istanbul and travelling onward to join the jihadis."

Mr Cameron accepted that the police and intelligence agencies have a role in preventing people from travelling to Syria, but stressed the importance of tackling factors that led people to attempt to join IS.

"We need to treat the causes, not just the symptoms. Of course, we will do everything we can to help the police and intelligence agencies to stop people travelling to Syria. But we mustn't miss the point: they are not responsible for the fact that people have decided they want to go," he said.

But the Bradford-based Muslim Women's Council believes it's a case of collective responsibility.

Last month the organisation held a conference focusing on Islamic extremism. The event brought women from across the UK to the district to discuss, among other things, the rise of extremism, its media portrayal, its effect on Muslim families and young people, and ways of combatting extremism in Muslim communities.

“As mothers and sisters, we need to protect our future generations from the toxic effects of extremism," chief executive Bana Gora told the Telegraph & Argus.

While the MWC agrees with Mr Cameron that "everyone including the Muslim community needs to take more responsibility", it wants the Government to stop "finger pointing" and engage with Muslims on a collective approach towards solutions.

In a statement, the Muslim Women’s Council said: "MWC agree that the security services cannot stop every child/young person/adult from leaving the country to join groups with extremist ideology, however in this case they have to take some responsibility - this family were under surveillance so we have to ask what went wrong?

"Overall we agree with the Government’s position that everyone including the Muslim community needs to take more responsibility, however that requires the Government seeing Muslims as equal partners and working collectively towards constructive solutions. This requires resources and genuine involvement rather than tokenism and selective engagement at all levels.

"Muslims are aware of the problems that exist. The Government needs to drastically improve its approach and review the way it engages with the Muslim community."

The statement continues: "With reference to the Bradford family and children that are missing, the children were absent from school since the spring break. This is clearly a safeguarding issue. The Counter Terrorism Unit and the police had this family on their radar - why were adequate steps not taken to deter the family from travelling?"

Bana Gora added: “To say that the Government is not responsible is disingenuous. The Government, like the rest of us, needs to be holding a responsible position, and engaging in an equally responsible manner, which is honest and frank with the Muslim community."