Support to the GCTF Foreign Terrorist Fighter Working Group

ICCT produced two analytical papers on "Foreign Terrorist Fighters: Trends, Dynamics, and Responses" in September 2016 and December 2017.  These analytical papers provided an overview on data and statistics and analyse new developments related to FTFs. They were based on research, input from questionnaires and also contained good practices. The analytical papers took stock of the current trends and dynamics related to FTFs and identifies some of the gaps that the FTF Working Group might address.

On 1 November 2017, the Netherlands and the United States, launched the initiative on “Addressing the Challenge of Returning Families of Foreign Terrorist Fighters” (‘FTF Families Initiative’) under the auspices of the GCTF in London, United Kingdom. Accompanying family members may - like the returning FTF- be traumatised and possibly suffer from PTSD, are radicalised or are vulnerable to radicalisation, or have been involved in terrorist-related activities. This is perhaps the most complex category as the returning family members can be victim and at the same time pose a risk to society and should therefore be considered from different policy perspectives. ICCT identified and invited speakers for this meeting, which was attended by 56 representatives from 17 different countries. 

On 18 May 2017, the GCTF FTF Working Group Co-Chairs, the Netherlands and Morocco, held the last Plenary Meeting of this Working Group under their joint co-chairmanship in The Hague, the Netherlands. ICCT was responsible for shaping the agenda and identifying the speakers.

In total, 93 people from 29 different countries attended this meeting.

Under the auspices of the GCTF FTF Working Group, the United States led a “Dialogue on Countering Foreign Terrorist Fighters and Radicalization to Violence in Central Asia” workshop, on 23 February 2017 in The Hague, the Netherlands. ICCT was asked to organise this practitioner-level meeting to bring together policymakers and experts from Central Asian countries along with senior-level subject matter experts from GCTF members and non-members. In total, 68 people from 22 different countries attended this meeting, which focused on the topics: 

• Assessment of the FTF Threat in Central Asia;
• Understanding the Drivers for Radicalisation to Violence;
• Established Good Practices and Tools for Interrupting the Lifecycle of Radicalisation to Violence;
• UNSCR 2178 and Returning Foreign Fighters.

ICCT presented on the FTF Knowledge Hub during the session on “Established Good Practices and Tools for Interrupting the Lifecycle of Radicalization to Violence”.

On 11 January 2016, the Netherlands hosted and co-chaired a joint meeting with GCTF and the Anti-ISIL/Da’esh Coalition at Europol HQ in The Hague. The meeting was organised to bring together GCTF members and coalition partners to gauge current efforts on raising international awareness and action against terrorist threats, and determine what additional steps need to be taken to significantly advance the collective efforts. ICCT provided input for the outcome document, which encouraged:

• Acceleration and intensification on the exchange of information on FTF;
• Detection and intervention against FTF travel routes, use of documents and recruitment;
• Disruption of the financing of FTF;
• Support of measures to facilitate the reintegration and deradicalisation of FTF.

247 participants from 53 countries attended this meeting, agreeing this outcome document.