United Kingdom

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CEP Senior Advisor Ian Acheson writes: "My organisation, the Counter Extremism Project contributed a submission to the review, which delivered its analysis in February this year. Shawcross delivered a pretty devastating critique of the way we manage people reported to be at risk of being drawn into ideological violence. He said the strategy had lost focus on its core mission – to stop people getting into terrorism. Motivation was looked at through the lens of vulnerability, not agency. Double standards applied to the interpretation of Islamist and extreme right wing ideologies, the former being tightly prescribed, the latter on a mission creep that threatened to stifle legitimate political discourse."

Date
September 14, 2023
Article Source
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CEP Senior Advisor Ian Acheson write: "Given the ease with which eco-activists invaded their family home yesterday morning, this slice of actuarial science will be of limited comfort to the Sunak family – and, indeed, to North Yorkshire Police. And while Greenpeace themselves offer no threat of violence, the fact they were able to breach such a site so easily will surely have piqued the interest of far more nefarious actors."

Date
August 4, 2023
Article Source
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CEP Senior Advisor Ian Acheson writes: "There has been excitable, not to say sometimes unhinged, reporting around the introduction of draft legislation to require private venues to toughen their defences against the threat of bombers and marauding gunmen. ‘Martyn’s Law’ was finally introduced by Government after a concerted campaign by Figen Murray who lost her son in the 2015 Manchester Arena atrocity. The initiative bears his name and is testimony to one woman’s determination to make some sense from the senseless murder of her beloved son by making it a legal duty for providers of venues of over 100 people to take steps to reduce the risk of a terrorist attack."
Date
June 29, 2023
Article Source
Wednesday, May 17, 2023

Maintaining Momentum: The Prevent Review and Future Threats

On May 17, CEP hosted an insightful event to discuss the future of the UK Prevent Review, its implementation, and the challenge of combatting terrorism in a liberal democracy. The Prevent Review is a comprehensive assessment of a key strand of the UK's counter-terrorism to stop people becoming violent extremists. This event brought together subject experts to examine the evolving landscape of the terror threat and explore new ways to enhance the effectiveness of the Prevent strategy in addressing ideologically motivated offending. Our aim is to keep the Independent Review of Prevent in the conversation and to constantly assess and reassess its recommendations against future threats and challenges.

Panelists: 

  • Liam Duffy, Strategic Advisor for the Counter Extremism Project
  • Ian Acheson, Senior Advisor for the Counter Extremism Project
  • Sir John Jenkins, Senior Fellow at Policy Exchange
  • Dr. Julia Rushchenko, Consultant at the United Nations/International Organisation for Migration

Moderator: Lucinda Creighton, Senior Advisor for the Counter Extremism Project

Remote video URL

Daily Dose

Extremists: Their Words. Their Actions.

Fact:

On September 14, 2021, a suicide bomber killed at least 11 people and wounded several others at a tea restaurant in Mogadishu’s Wadajir district. Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility.   

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