IMPACT Europe news digest [#4]
Welcome to the fourth instalment of the IMPACT Europe news digest. Through this series, the IMPACT Europe team will endeavour to present you with a selection of news, commentaries, journals articles and web materials relating to research and policy developments touching on the subject matters underpinning IMPACT Europe’s project’s mission. To receive the latest updates on IMPACT Europe’s research, dissemination and outreach activities you can follow our Twitter account (@impacteurope) or sign up to our quarterly newsletter through our homepage.
NEWS & PUBLICATIONS
European Commission presents Action Plan to strengthen the fight against terrorist financing
European Commission
On 2 February the European Commission presented an Action Plan designed to address current challenges in the fight against terrorism. The new measures build on existing EU rules and follow the recommendations made in the European Agenda for Security, which identified areas for improvement in the European counter-terror response. The Action Plan will focus on two main strands of action: (i) tracing terrorists through financial movements and preventing them from moving funds or other assets; and (ii) disrupting the sources of revenue used by terrorist organisations, by targeting their capacity to raise funds. All the actions should be implemented by the end of 2017.
Belgium: Cities fight radicalisation of young Muslims
Deutsche Welle
In the aftermath of the November 2015 Paris attacks, in which many Belgian nationals participated, Belgium has received much attention as a perceived hotbed of radicalisation. However, Belgian cities that responded early to the growing extremist threat have experienced great success in their anti-radicalisation programmes. In 2014, the municipality of Vilvoorde launched a project which emphasises a more moderate interpretation of the Quran and helps young men and boys to find work and meaning at home in Belgium. Since then, the number of men departing to join radical groups in Syria has dropped to zero. There have been no departures reported in Mechelen, either, where the police and city mosques are assisting the efforts to prevent radicalization.
Google to point extremist searches towards anti-radicalisation websites
The Guardian
Anthony House, Senior Manager for Public Policy and Communications at Google, has informed British MPs of the launch of two pilot programmes which will seek to diminish the online influence of radical groups, such as the Islamic State, as well as making counter-radicalisation materials more readily available to those who search for potentially harmful information. These programmes were announced as representatives from Google, Facebook and Twitter faced questions from a UK Home Affairs Select Committee about their role in countering the use of social media for extremist propaganda and recruitment purposes.
United States Institute of Peace publishes a ‘Thought for Action Kit’ on Women Preventing Violent Extremism
United States Institute of Peace
The United States Institute of Peace recently published a ‘thought kit’ discussing the prevention of violent extremism. In particular, Charting a New Course: Thought for Action Kit invites reflection on the diverse ways in which women and girls can influence the development of violent extremism whilst also being affected by it. This ‘thought kit’ offers a collection of expert’s essays and exercises, focusing on: the importance on a gendered approach to violent extremism; the ways in which women relate to the dynamics of extremist violence; and finally, approaches for engaging communities as well as security experts in a gendered discussion of violent extremism and racialisation.
UPCOMING EVENTS AND CONFERENCES
- EU Radicalization Awareness Network
Research seminar
Vienna, 12-13 April 2016
[Link]
- Preventing Youth Extremism
Training course
Aubervilliers (Paris suburb), France, 18-22 April 2016
[Link]
- Criminal Justice Platform Europe
Conference on Radicalisation and Violent Extremism
Barcelona, Spain, 26 April 2016
[Link]