Conflict and Crimes - Preparatory assignment about Counter-terrorism strategies
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Course
Conflict and Crimes
Institution
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU)
▪ What approach does Bjørgo take in arguing what could be useful strategies to prevent terrorism?
o Do you find his approach convincing?
▪ What is the difference between deradicalization and disengagement?
o Do you find this a useful differentiation?
▪ How, in your opinion, should go...
Joana Inês da Costa Santos
Student number: 2732721
Conflict and Crimes
Preparatory assignment Tutorial 7.1
▪ What approach does Bjørgo take in arguing what could be useful
strategies to prevent terrorism?
o Do you find his approach convincing?
The author takes a holistic approach in identifying nine preventive mechanisms:
normative barriers, reducing recruitment, deterrence, disruption, protecting vulnerable
targets, reducing harm, reducing rewards, incapacitation, and facilitating
disengagement. I believe this approach provides an important tool to reflect on
terrorism prevention.
However, I can't entirely agree that these measures are enough. I think that it
assumes that terrorists are rational actors and, as we have read in Abrahams' article
and discussed in class, it might not be accurate. Taking the importance of fear of
punishment as an example, I do not think it can play a role if the individual or the
group at issue is irrational.
▪ What is the difference between deradicalization and disengagement?
o Do you find this a useful differentiation?
Deradicalization is the process of changing a belief system, questioning an
extremist ideology and renouncing it. In other words, it is to stop believing in an
ideology while embracing a new and mainstream mindset. As disengagement only
means that the visaed stops supporting the cause and contains their activity, which
does not mean they no longer agree with it. This differentiation can be helpful to spot
potential engagement in organizations since disengagement leaves space for a new
approximation which can be last likely in a deradicalization case.
However, what differentiates the two concepts is one's ideology and beliefs that
only the person at stake can know. That is to say, we can never really distinguish both
terms because we can't ever know what one believes or not precisely. In the example
used before (spot potential engagement), I do not know if this differentiation can be
used in practical terms by counterterrorist services with no way to know a suspect's
beliefs.
▪ How, in your opinion, should governments respond to 'foreign fighters
and their family members wanting to return?
o In particular: contrast the approach taken in Kenya and by
European countries.
Kenya accepts the fighters back, providing them with rehabilitation programs
for those arrested and then released and those in amnesty programs. However, they
also prosecute fighters if they have committed crimes.
In Europe, non of this happens; there are only a few examples of fighters or
fighters' families that returned home.
In general, I believe that the Kenyan approach is better not only for the fighters
and their families well-being but for the diminishment of the necessities that pushed
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