Friday 1 April, 09:30 - 11:00 International Press Centre Nieuwspoort Lange Poten 10 2511 CL The Hague
Approximately 30% of those Europeans who left for Syria and Iraq as so-called “foreign fighters” have returned to their home countries in the European Union (EU). This is one finding of a new Report by the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism – The Hague (ICCT), which looks into the foreign fighters phenomenon in the EU. The study is based on a variety of sources, including information provided directly to ICCT by ministries, intelligence services and other government agencies from 23 European Union Member States.
Despite the widespread media attention for foreign fighters in Europe, very little is known about the phenomenon itself, something also evidenced by the lack of a single foreign fighter definition across the EU. In this study, ICCT analyses not only the numbers and characteristics of foreign fighters across the EU, but also how the Union and Member States assess the threat of foreign fighters as well as their policy responses regarding security, preventive and legislative measures. The Report also outlines a series of policy options aimed both at the EU and its Member States.
The Report will be launched on Friday 1 April at 9:30 at Nieuwspoort in The Hague and presented to the Netherlands National Coordinator for Security and Counter-Terrorism (NCTV). The launch event will provide the audience with the opportunity to discuss the findings with various experts and the authors of the Report.
Note that the report will be published on the ICCT website shortly after the launch event.
09:15 – 09:30
Doors open, coffee and tea served
09:30 – 09:40
Welcome by Mark Singleton (Director, ICCT)
09:40 – 09:55
Presentation of the Report to Dick Schoof, National Coordinator for Counter-Terrorism
09:55 – 10:25
Presentation of the main findings of the Report by ICCT authors (Eva Entenmann, Dr. Alastair Reed, Dr. Grégory Chauzal, Dr. Christophe Paulussen & Dr. Bibi van Ginkel)
10:25 - 10:45
Reflections by Manuel Navarrete (Head, European Counter Terrorism Center - ECTC) and Iona van Nieuwkerk (Legal Officer, Eurojust Office of the President)
10:45 – 11:00
Question & Answer Session, chaired by Mark Singleton
11:00
Closing, coffee and tea served
This event is free of charge, but spaces are limited and will be awarded on a first-come-first-served basis. Please RSVP mentioning your name and organisational affiliation to events@icct.nl.
