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Development of the Addendum of the Hague-Marrakech Memorandum

On 25 September 2015, GCTF members launched the GCTF Initiative to Address the Life Cycle of Radicalization to Violence. The Initiative was designed to capture the full life cycle of radicalisation where governments and communities need to assess the risk posed by radicalised individuals and determine how best to prosecute and/or reintegrate them into society. As part of this Initiative, the GCTF FTF Working Group proposed to develop recommendations addressing the returning FTFs. The co-chairs, The Netherlands and Morocco, asked ICCT to assist in developing the Addendum to The Hague - Marrakech Memorandum.

The GCTF’s The Hague-Marrakech Memorandum focuses on the threat of FTFs. States are increasingly concerned with the potential threat posed by FTFs who return home or travel to a third State. This threat ranges from the involvement in plotting terrorist attacks, to establishing new terrorist cells, or linking up with existing local terrorist networks. Returning FTFs can also provide operational expertise, raise funds for terrorist activities, be actively involved in recruitment, or be a source of inspiration to others susceptible to terrorist ideologies. There is also the risk that a returning FTF may suffer from post-traumatic disorder (PTSD), disillusionment and be vulnerable to (further) radicalisation, thus becoming a danger to both themselves and their direct surroundings. Furthermore, the distinction between “home-grown” and “foreign” terrorist fighters is becoming increasingly blurred.

GCTF, alongside the International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law (IIJ) and in close collaboration with ICCT and other GCTF Working Groups, convened an experts meeting in March 2016. This was done to share good practices, challenges, and experiences with regard to returning FTFs. In May 2016, GCTF members further convened a Plenary Meeting to review the conclusions of this, as well as share best practices and provide input for the drafting of an Addendum.

Drawing on the insight from these meetings, ICCT developed the "Addendum to The Hague - Marrakech Memorandum on Good Practices for a More Effective Response to the FTF Phenomenon, with a focus on Returning FTFs.” 

Topics
Counter-Terrorism & Counter-Extremism Criminal Justice & Administrative Measures Foreign Terrorist Fighters
Region
Americas Asia and Oceania MENA Sub-Saharan Africa Wider Europe

Highlights

Addendum to The Hague - Marrakech Memorandum on Good Practices for a More Effective Response to the FTF Phenomenon, with a focus on Returning FTFs September 2016

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The Addendum was agreed on August 17, 2016, elaborating on good practice 19 of the Hague Marrakech Memorandum and other relevant issues pertaining to returning FTF.

The Addendum was adopted at a time when the focus was shifting from FTFs travelling to conflict zones to FTFs who are returning home or to third countries. According to some estimates 30% of FTFs were returning home in 2016. The fact that FTFs have to some extent been involved in terrorist attacks in Jakarta, Berlin and Istanbul in 2016 – whether in plotting, recruiting, facilitating or carrying out attacks – illustrates the ability of terrorist organisations, such as ISIL/Da’esh, to mobilise returned FTFs and to involve home-grown terrorists.

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    GCTF FTF Working Group Plenary Meeting Marrakech, Morocco - May 17 - 18, 2016

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    On 17-18 May 2016, the GCTF FTF Working Group Co-Chairs, the Netherlands and Morocco, held a Plenary Meeting to review the Working Group’s strategic priorities and discuss the proposed Addendum to The Hague - Marrakech Memorandum. This meeting followed on the Inaugural Plenary Meeting held in Marrakech in December 2014 to address the FTF threat.

    For this meeting, ICCT assisted the co-chairs during all the sessions addressing Addendum, gave an update on the outcome of the Malta meeting and presented on the FTF knowledge hub. In total, 91 participants from 27 different countries attended this, receiving these briefings.

    GCTF FTF Working Group Expert Meeting on Returning FTF Valleta, Malta - March 22 - 23, 2016

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    This occurred in Valleta, Malta, from 22-23rd March 2016, and was entitled “GCTF FTF Working Group Expert Meeting on Returning FTF”.  ICCT framed the agenda, selected speakers, and moderated and guided sessions. In total, 51 participants from 17 different countries attended the meeting. 

    The main outcomes and points of discussion during the meeting concerned:

    • Information sharing, including the need for a coordinated, interagency approach;
    • Detection, including vulnerabilities in travel-identification systems and travel-document security;
    • Criminal justice responses, including reviewing, updating and amending national legislation in line with UNSCR 2178;
    • Rehabilitation and reintegration of returning FTF, including trends and motivations of returning FTF.

    About the project

    Extra body

    The "Addendum to The Hague-Marrakech Memorandum on Good Practices for a More Effective Response to the FTF Phenomenon, with a focus on Returning FTs" included those to:

    • Ensure timely detection of, and intensify information sharing on returning FTFs, with and between States;
    • Use individual risk assessment tools that provide a basis for tailor-made interventions;
    • Apply a case-by-case approach and address specific categories of returnees;
    • Invest and develop a close partnership with local government and communities to deal with returning FTFs;
    • Engage and build sustainable partnerships with multi-disciplinary actors in the private sector and civil society organisations;
    • Integrate rehabilitative measures within and beyond the criminal justice response;Consider using administrative procedures within a rule of law framework to effectively mitigate the risk posed by returning FTFs.

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