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In the media

OSCE-wide Counter-Terrorism Expert Conference

July 30, 2015

From 30 June until 1 July 2015, ICCT Director Mark Singleton and Research Fellow Dr. Bibi van Ginkel attended an Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) conference on counter-terrorism in Vienna.  With more than 300 participants, this event was attended by the highest number of participants in the history of OSCE conferences.

During the two days in Vienna, the following topics were discussed:

  • Trends and Dynamics in the Incitement and Recruitment of Foreign Terrorist Fighters (FTF);
  • Good Practices and Lessons Learned for Strategic Messaging to Counter Incitement and Recruitment of FTF;
  • Good Practices and Lessons Learned to Empower Young People to Counter Violent Extremism and Radicalization that Lead to Terrorism (VERLT);
  • Good Practices and Lessons Learned to Identify and Engage with Individuals at Risk of Radicalization and Recruitment as FTF.

One of the recommendations ICCT made during this conference is related to the need to conduct more research on underlying motivational factors of FTFs, for which the Radicalisation Awareness Network model could potentially be copied. In addition, ICCT stressed the importance of conducting more research into mental health issues of FTFs and how that influences the intended impact of policy measures.

IN THE MEDIA

During this conference, Mark Singleton participated in the OSCE United in Countering Violent Extremism campaign (#UnitedCVE) that was launched on 30 June 2015. With this campaign, OSCE rallies all its participating states and partners to address the need  for everyone to mobilise and to cooperate at all levels to counter violent extremism.

See the OSCE video below:

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQ52LwLE3Yk[/embed]

(source: http://www.osce.org/UnitedCVE-How-do-we-counter-violent-extremism)