(New York, N.Y.) – The safety of Europeans and the security of Europe in 2020 will be marked by four trends in terrorism: the resurgence of ISIS in the Middle East along with the increased risk of terrorist attacks, returning foreign fighters and jihadists facing trials, Internet platform rules on online terrorist content, and terrorist financing.
The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) and the Center for the Analysis of Terrorism (CAT) published today the main takeaways from the joint conference Terrorism: Threats and Challenges after the fall of the Caliphate which took place on 7 November 2019 in Paris.
The event hosted a number of elite policymakers and officials, such as the European Commissioner for the Security Union Sir Julian King and the EU Counter-Terrorism coordinator Gilles de Kerchove. The takeaways are based on the main outcomes from the discussions on the state of the terrorist threat, the future of the jihadist movement, online extremism and radicalisation, as well as justice and terrorism.
David Ibsen, Executive Director of the Counter Extremism Project (CEP) stated:
“This summary demonstrates the potential threats posed by terrorism which will mark 2020. Since the discussions in November, progress has been made with ground-breaking pieces of legislation introduced by the EU and key Member States to regulate how tech companies address online terrorist content. Other threats, such as terrorist financing by the means of cryptocurrencies, are rising up the agenda, with no less urgency.”
Jean-Charles Brisard, Chairman of the Center for the Analysis of Terrorism (CAT) says:
“Returning foreign fighters and jihadists facing trial are burning issues, and the European states cannot afford to neglect them any longer. The repatriation of foreign fighters along with women and minors from prison camps in Syria and Iraq, and the prosecution of jihadists in Europe need to be addressed at national level as they continue to pose a lethal risk to citizens. The resurgence of ISIS in the Middle East will only perpetuate this challenge.”
To access the summary, please click here.