EWI’s Annual Worldwide Security Conference

I've just registered for this conference and hope to report throughout the next three days. The first session is entitled "How good have we been at fighting terrorism?"

Gijs de Vries, EU Counter Terrorism Coordinator who gave an overview of CT (Counter Terrorism) activity and made the point that he didn't like discussing causes as it suggests a 'linear' relationship or progression. However he felt that there were contributing factors including insecurity and violence in some parts of the world, but he didn't feel that poverty per se was a major factor. He claimed that in the EU there were 200 Terrorist networks involving 1,600 people and 30 'priority plots' though who or what a terrorist or plot was undefined.

Al Qaeda is now regrouping and using the internet. Terrorist methods were changing and adapting and the role of converts is increasing. He offered several suggestions for CT: Need to prevent radicalisation Information exchange, esp of databases - a recent experiment in opening databases up between Germany and Austria had 1,500 hits in the first week.

He stressed the importance of Muslims to reclaim Islam and for non-muslims to support them. But the key suggestion was the need to resovle 'festering conflicts' and the number one long term strategy to defeat terrorism is to uphold human rights. The Universal declaration of Human Rights is cross-denominational and has common values, but we MUST respect these values and safeguard them: Human rights are the best defence against terrorism

Dame Neville-Jones ex Chair Joint Intelligence Committee was critical of CT efforts saying 'How well have we done? Not very. Although we have had some success at countering the threat, that wasn't the same as dimminishing it. Activity in EU is high, Al Qaeda is regrouping, but surprisingly it hasn't become a 'brand' or inspiration but there is evidence of real organisation and of links to other groups. In the last year Al Qaeda has made 58 videos. These are not just propaganda but also show training in new techniques, such as shaped charges. These techniques are being used by geographically seperate groups.

She covered what she called The Iraq Effect: Even conservative figures show that there have been a massive increase in attacks (up by 700% since May 2003 compared to 2001-2003), 50% in Iraq, 25% in Afghanistan. Terrorism is not insurgency. Iraq is not just a recruiting sargent for al Qaeda and similar groups but it where they are being trained, learning new techniques against a more sophisticated military than they have previously encountered. We are facing 'formidable techniques and motivation'. Al Qaeda has weaknesses; Most of their victims are muslim and there is no support for them or their desired Caliphate and an overwhelming majority of muslims have no time for them.

A CT strategy must be based on policies that we practice at home as well as abroad. We need to protect but Security resides in civil liberties and we must prevent terrorists from achieving their aim of increasing inter-communal tension.