Strategies To Counter Terrorist Narratives, Radicalization Are More Confused Than Ever

It’s been a busy year for counter terrorist narrative watchers. Since we last checked in, the State Department launched a peer-to-peer program challenging extremism, Facebook is working with civil society organizations to push back on hate, the Senate approved three bills fighting online terrorist recruitment, Secretary Kerry met with Hollywood executives to discuss countering terrorist narratives, and the Department of Justice hosted a meeting with tech executives, entertainment industry leaders, other government agencies, and the media on the topic. Even the FBI got in on the action, shrewdly finding a way to combine play-time with work-time. Countering terrorist narratives is the new black. Given the self-proclaimed Islamic State’s robust presence online, the desire to do something is understandable. But the majority of these efforts are premised on false assumptions and targeted at the wrong audience.

Terror Threat! ISIS 'Planning "Spectacular" Attack in UK' Warns Britain’s Head of Counter Terrorism

A senior police officer in Britain and national policing lead for counter terrorism has warned that ISIS may be planning a "spectacular" terrorist attack in the UK - and is trying to get battle-hardened jihadis into Europe.

Google To Render 'Adwords' To Counter Terrorism, Radicalization

Internet search engine giant - Google, will bring up 'AdWord' messages that seek to combat extremism when potential jihadis look for terrorist material online

Ghanaian Family Traumatized As Graduate Son Joins ISIS

The decision by a 25-year- old graduate of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Nazir Nortei Alema, to join the dreaded terrorist organization, Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), has left his family in a state of distress.

UK Schools Given Software To Detect Extremism Among Pupils

UK Schools are being offered new software that helps teachers spy on pupils' potentially extremist online activity.

The Pseudoscience of Countering Violent Extremism

During a visit to the United States several years ago, I was drawn to a billboard on a New Jersey Transit platform that depicted a train bombing, helpfully labeled “train bombing.” The sign warned that “we’re all on the front lines” and encouraged viewers to report suspicious activity to the New Jersey Transit police via phone call or text message.

Special Report: How Denmark's 'Lone Wolf Terrorist' Became Radicalized, Slipped Through The Net

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - On Valentine's Day, two weeks after his release from prison, Omar Abdel Hamid El-Hussein walked up to a Copenhagen cafe hosting a debate on freedom of speech and sprayed it with bullets.

Fight Terrorism by Partnering With Muslims

Saturday's police raids in Melbourne provide further proof that terrorism is inside Australia's house, not at its doorstep.

Are Outdated Intelligence Tactics Allowing Terrorism, Radicalization To Fester In The UK?

Jihadi John (Mohammed Emwazi)

Britain’s intelligence agencies are leaving known terrorists to “carry out evil deeds” through a flawed approach which focuses on disrupting suspects rather than prosecuting them. This, according to the former shadow home secretary David Davis.

Root Cause Must Be Understood First To Counter Violent Extremism

According to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, some 20,000 people have joined ISIL since last summer. They have traveled to Syria and Iraq from more than 100 countries all over the world for that purpose. To make a comparison, it took ten years for the number of foreign fighters against the Soviet Army in Afghanistan to reach 20,000.

Europe Education Minister Summit Brainstorm On Radicalization

EU Ministers of Education are meeting in Paris today to discuss new measures to tackle radicalization across the European Union. Minister Jet Bussemaker (Education) thinks that teachers need more support in highlighting the issue of radicalization in schools.

UK Anti-Radicalisation 'Prevent Strategy' A ‘Toxic Brand’

The British government’s flagship anti-radicalisation strategy, Prevent, has become a toxic brand and is widely mistrusted, a former senior Muslim police officer has said.

'Jihadi John' And CAGE's Untenable Narrative On Radicalization

Mohammed Emwazi aka Jihadi John

The Western public was graphically introduced to the brutality of the so-called Islamic State (IS) last summer when videos emerged of the beheadings of Westerners in Syria.

ISIS Recruiting Nigerian Youths Through Social Media

Coordinator of the National Information Centre, Mr. Mike Omeri, has sounded the alarm that the blood-thirsty Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, ISIS, is currently using the social media to radicalize and recruit Nigerian youths, particularly those who come from a wealthy background.

How A Swedish Suburb Became A Breeding Ground For Foreign Fighters Streaming Into Syria And Iraq

Foreign Fighters In Syria (Source: statista.com)

When he was 3 years old, Ahmed arrived in southern Sweden from Iraq, together with his older brother and parents. The family settled in one of their new country’s cut-off suburbs, where its many new immigrants come to live, but mostly to be forgotten.

Five Ways To Engage The Private Sector In Countering Violent Extremism

Emerging Voices features contributions from scholars and practitioners highlighting new research, thinking, and approaches to development challenges. This article is by Dr. Khalid Koser, executive director of the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF) and a nonresident senior fellow in foreign policy at the Brookings Institution.

'We Are Not At War With Islam'- Obama's Message At CVE Summit

Barack Obama (POTUS)

President Barack Obama says the United States is not at war with Islam. The U.S. leader told a White House summit on combating violent extremism he wants to discredit the belief that Americans and Westerners in general are at odds with Muslims. He said this narrative helps extremists radicalize and recruit young Americans and others.

White House Prepares for Summit on Countering Violent Extremism

The summit comes in the wake of fresh attacks across the globe.

The White House will host a long-awaited summit on countering the behavior that leads marginalized groups and individuals to join terrorist groups starting Tuesday on the heels of another wave of violent attacks in Egypt and Denmark.

Effective Ways To Tackle Radicalisation

The problem of some in society becoming radicalised should be tackled by building relationships with those at risk, including through business and faith communities, writes Brian Grim.

As Europeans join and return from fighting with ISIS in Iraq and Syria, people from across the world, including world leaders, agree that something must be done urgently.

Anti-terrorist Police Arrest 18-Year-old in Cardiff (UK), on Suspicion of Having Links With Jihadi Men Fighting in Syria

The man was arrested in the capital on suspicion of assisting in the preparation of an act of terrorism

Police have made the arrest in Cardiff
An 18-year-old man from Cardiff has been arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences today.

The teenager, from the Grangetown area, has been arrested under the Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006 for assisting in the preparation of an act of terrorism. It is understood he has been taken to Cardiff Bay Police station.

A spokesman for South Wales Police said: "On Wednesday 2nd July, officers from North West Counter Terrorism Unit (NWCTU) assisted by Wales Extremism and Counter Terrorism Unit (WECTU) arrested an 18-year-old man from the Grangetown area of Cardiff. This arrest is part of an ongoing investigation.

"He has been arrested under the Section 5, Terrorism Act 2006 for assisting in the preparation of an act of terrorism."

The spokesman said it was too early to rule out links with the three Cardiff Jihadists who appeared in an apparent recruitment video in Syria.

Grangetown area of Cardiff where the teen is from

The Welsh Extremism and Counter Terrorism Unit (WECTU) is a collaboration of the four Welsh Police Forces.

WalesOnline