Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism: Strategies and Policy Jonathan Jackson (MSC, BSC)

Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism:Strategies and Policy

Jonathan Jackson (MSC, BSC)

Contents

•Terrorism in the UK?

• The CONTEST Strategy

• The Four P’s

•Pursue•Protect•Prepare•Prevent

•Impacts of CONTEST on the Risk of Terrorism in the UK?

Terrorism in the UK?

What is Terrorism?

Oxford Dictionary Definition (2011)

“The unofficial or unauthorized use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims”

•There is no single universal definition for what Terrorism is.

•UN, NATO, British Government, USA Government all have different ideas of what Terrorism is?

What is the CONTEST Strategy?

•The CONTEST Strategy is a written guide which shows how the UK Government advises both Public and Private Organisations in reducing the threats of Terrorism to the UK and Interests.

•CON –Counter/TE-Terrorism/ST- Strategy

•The CONTEST strategy was first created in 2003 and then was updated in 2009. •It has since been updated again in July 2011 to prepare organisations for the new threats posed by the London Olympic Games 2012.

Terrorism and the Threats to the UK?

•Al Qaida and Affiliated Groups:

Egyptian Islamic Group/ Armed Islamic Group (Algeria)/ Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan/ Jemaah Islamiyah (Indonesia) Hizh-e-Islam (Afghanistan). Other groups operating in Pakistan, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Morocco, Libya and Somalia.

•7/7- Al Qaida? (The Secret Organisation of Al Qaida in Europe)

•IRA and other Irish Terrorist Groups •Far Right Extremist Groups•Animal Extremists •Lone Wolfs

MI5 2011

The CONTEST Strategy

Mission Statement:

“The Aim of the CONTEST Strategy is to reduce the risk to the UK and its Interests overseas from Terrorism, so that

people can go about their lives freely and with Confidence”.

HomeOffice.co.uk (2011)

• The CONTEST Strategy is the overall strategy developed by the British Government to advise UK organisations on the strategies designed to reduce the risk of Terrorism.

• Not Operational Help on the Ground but overall policy.

The CONTEST Strategy

Organisations Covered in CONTEST Strategy: •Police•Military•Fire Service•Medical Services•Prisons•Local Government- Emergency Planners•Education Facilities•Private Companies•Hotels•Tourism Facilities, Museums, Bars, Clubs.

What is included within the CONTEST Strategy?

The CONTEST Strategy is divided into four key aims which where organisations can stop and tackle the threat of Terrorism to the UK.

The Four P’s

•Protect•Pursue•Prepare•Prevent

•The CONTEST Strategy shows how organisations should implement the four P’ s within their organisations.

Protect

The Protect aspect of the CONTEST strategy is designed to strengthen the UK’s protection against a terrorist attack or against our interests overseas and so reduce our vulnerability.

National Risk Assessment

•Improving border security, so as to identify who enters and leaves the country and the coordination of our law enforcement response.

•Protect examines issues related to aviation security with new scanning technology, watch listing and a no-fly procedure, intended to stop people boarding an aircraft bound for or leaving the UK who may intend to destroy it.

• Public Infrastructure• Transportation Hubs

Pursue

The Pursue area of the CONTEST Strategy is designed to stop terrorist attacks in this country and against our interest overseas. This means detecting and investigating threats at the earliest possible stage, disrupting terrorist activity before it can endanger the public and, wherever possible, prosecuting those responsible.

This is one of the most controversial aspects of the CONTEST strategy.

Issues related to the powers for Stop and Search, Holding Terrorist Suspects without Charge (14 days) Control Orders which will be replaced with Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures.

Prepare

The Prepare aspect of the CONTEST strategy is designed to prepare organisations for Terrorism so as to reduce the impact of a terrorist attack when an attack cannot be stopped.

This includes how organisations respond to a terrorist attack and build resilience so societies can recover from its aftermath. An effective and efficient response saves lives, reduces harm and aids recovery.

•Coroner’s Report 2005 on the 7/7 bombings: “The emergency services were not completely prepared to the incident which occurred”.

•Resources, Training, Education, Prepared Emergency Management and Equipment.

Prevent

To stop people from becoming Terrorists or reducing the spread of Terrorist ideas.

Tackle the threat of the spread of Radical and Extremist Ideology around the UK.

“We believe that Prevent work to date has not clearly recognised the way in which some terrorist ideologies draw on and make use of extremist ideas which are espoused and circulated by apparently non-violent organisations, very often operating within the law.”

Home Office Review CONTEST (2011:8)

Complicated Issues regarding the effective implementation of the Prevent Strategy due to problems of tackling extremist ideas and maintaining free speech.

Challenging ideas does not always mean direct reaction but opening the ideas up to public debate so that they can be challenged by populations of people.

Impacts and Issues of the CONTEST Strategy

Thank You Very Much for Attending this Presentation.

Questions?