Foreign Fighters Workshops

Foreign fighters can pose a potential threat to states in numerous ways: at the minimum level, it is likely that, if they return, they will have experienced psychological trauma associated with war and will require health care assistance, rehabilitation, and reintegration type interventions. While abroad, foreign fighters can also pose a threat by attempting to recruit others to join the fight. They can also acquire more advanced terrorist and fighting skillsets and significantly expand their transnational extremist networks. Finally, and at the most extreme level, it is possible that some will have joined Islamic extremist factions whilst fighting abroad and may seek to attack their home countries on return to export their violent ideology of global jihad against the West. Evidence-based research shows that they are more likely to succeed, they are more determined and likely to use more deadly force if they have been abroad for terrorist training or in conflict zones.

In October 2014, ICCT began a project aimed at addressing the challenges posed by the growing number of foreign fighters that travel abroad, in particular to Syria and Iraq, to engage in or otherwise support terrorist activity. The overarching objective of this multi-year project was to assist governments in strengthening and developing an effective rule of law-based response in dealing with foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs) by providing workshops in four countries: Bosnia, Tunisia, Indonesia, and Bulgaria.

The purpose of these workshops was to stimulate dialogue through the analysis of various case studies, comparative analysis, and illustrations of best practices. These workshops were tailored to practitioners and policymakers from different countries to establish methods for appropriately dealing with foreign fighters, mapping good practices and recommendations.

Highlights

Workshop Balkans I Beum, Bosnia, July 2015

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Together with local policymakers, the core curriculum for the workshop held in Bosnia and Herzegovina was developed to provide both an overview of comprehensive measures and policies to address the FTF phenomenon and to focus on the criminal justice sector response in dealing with FTFs. The workshop was designed for prosecutors, investigators, legal advisors and policymakers, who deal directly with FTFs in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro, Croatia and Serbia.

Workshop Indonesia Jakarta, Indonesia, November 2016

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During discussions with Indonesian representatives a need was expressed to address the FTF phenomenon. This resulted in a request by Indonesia to strengthen their approach to deal with this threat by way of a workshop and exchange of expertise. The capacity-building efforts in Indonesia was also co-funded by Indonesia, which was conducive to local ownership and the impact of the workshop.

This workshop strengthening specifically related to envisaged legislative changes aimed at better equipping the applicable legal framework to deal with FTFs. Discussions of the workshop took place in the context of revision of Indonesia's anti-terrorism legislation.

Topics covered by the workshop included proposed and new legislation dealing with (returning) FTFs, human rights issues, criminal justice sector responses (incitement, recruitment, training and preparatory acts) and administrative measures, including deprivation of nationality.

The importance to develop these within a rule of law framework was emphasised throughout the discussions, particularly with regard to the administrative measure to deprive individuals of their nationality. This is in accordance with the general guidance provided by the The Hague-Marrakech Memorandum that states that any “programs, policies, laws, or actions implemented in furtherance of these good practices must be done so with full regard for States obligations under all relevant international law and norms”.

Workshop Tunisia The Hague, The Netherlands, April 2017

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In close consultation with the Tunisian government, a capacity-building workshop was designed with a particular focus on the issues of prison management, rehabilitation and reintegration of convicted FTFs. The capacity-building efforts for a Tunisian audience took place in the Netherlands, in order to provide the participants with insights into the Dutch experience of dealing with FTFs and rehabilitation. The participants consisted of practitioners in the Tunisian prison sector or prison related policy sector.

20 Tunisian government officials attended this workshop. Extensive evaluations of this were conducted. Participants of the workshop also expressed widespread appreciation for a visit to the borough of Amsterdam New West, where a local governance and community building aspect was demonstrated, as well as for the discussions on how to involve families of inmates in rehabilitation programs.

Workshop Balkans II Sofia, Bulgaria, December 2017

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After organisation of the first Balkans workshop in 2015, a clear interest was expressed for a follow-up workshop with a similar or even more regional focus. Since 2015, states in the region had advanced in their adoption of (legal) policies, and now showed an interest in focusing on a comprehensive CVE-agenda and preventative measures with regard to FTFs. It was also found that the fight against terrorism and FTFs in the Western Balkans is generally dominated by a security-based approach, which could profit from more activities that involve local communities and civil society.

The second regional Balkans workshop was organised in Sofia (Bulgaria). The participants to this workshop differed from the first Balkans workshop, as it now targeted the relevant policymakers and (non-state) practitioners to discuss comprehensive P/CVE policies.

The specific aim was to propose possible mechanisms for addressing the issue of violent extremism and how to rehabilitate radicalised individuals and returning fighters from Daesh. The overall goal of the workshop was to discuss and asses the aforementioned threats and exchange practices, opinions, and ideas. The workshop brought together representatives from governmental and non-governmental institutions from the region to discuss the threats posed by radicalization, violent extremism, and returning foreign fighters. Participants coalesced around the idea that a national coordinator could aid in the required harmonization of efforts from the key stakeholders.

After the workshop, and possibly partly based on the inspiration and ideas shared during the workshop, the National Centre for Countering Violent Extremism was established in Bulgaria on 1 January 2018.

About the project

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Format of the Workshops

The workshops – through case studies, comparative analyses and illustrations of best practices – were designed stimulate dialogue and engage with practitioners and policymakers from different countries in working on their comprehensive approach to deal with foreign fighters. The aim of the workshops were four-fold:

to enhance participants’ understanding of the challenges related to Foreign Terrorist Fighters;
to stimulate cooperation and dialogue on the variety of tools and actions available to address the Foreign Terrorist Fighter issue
to lay foundations for increased cooperation with regional and international partners through discussing concrete experiences; and
to develop best practices and initiate the design and implementation of tailor-made solutions for each participating country.

The focus of the workshops was on best practices and lessons learnt from international, regional, and national approaches that can inform policy development in participants’ country of origin. Through stimulating dialogue, interactive discussions, and action planning, the workshops assisted in deepening participants’ understanding of the complex issues surrounding foreign fighters and contributed to increased international and cross-agency cooperation on the matter.

The project relates to efforts of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) and its The Hague-Marrakesh Memorandum on Good Practices for a More Effective Response to the Foreign Fighter Phenomenon and corresponds with the recently adopted UN Security Council Resolution 2178 (2014) on foreign fighters.