Evaluation Capacity
ICCT sees a need for systematic evaluation of past and current counter-terrorism policies and strategies to assess effectiveness, learn from experiences and improve practices. Policies and strategies are often based on untested assumptions, thus running the risk of improper decision-making, which in turn might trigger unwanted and unforeseen dynamics. Though to some degree understandable, political imperatives to act first and reflect afterwards, are unsustainable. Therefore, ICCT aims to improve the feedback loop between policy and practice and will start by taking stock of and evaluate existing counter-terrorism strategies and initiatives.
The arrest of a returning foreign fighter earlier this month in Spain, suspected of planning a terrorist attack, highlights the persistence of the jihadi threat in Europe. This follows a spate of terrorist attacks and plots across Europe in the latter part of 2020, notably in France and Austria. The sum of these attacks reflects […]
Political violence associated with the far-right and ethnically and racially motivated extremism is widely seen as a growing threat across the globe. Right-wing extremists have, in recent years, carried out acts of mass murder, political assassination and, most recently, even mounted an armed insurrection against the US Capitol in Washington DC. Many other plots have […]
In the third part of the Handbook of Terrorism Prevention and Preparedness, the authors explore outline key approaches to the prevention of preparatory acts.