On 8 December 2021, Assistant Secretary-General Michèle Coninsx, Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), took part in a high-level panel on “Trends in radicalization to violence: what policy concerns and priorities?” held within the framework of the annual conference of the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT).
The other panellists included Mr. Pieter-Jaap Aalbersberg, National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security of the Netherlands, and Ms. Christiane Hoehn, Principal Advisor to the European Union Counter-Terrorism Coordinator.
During the panel discussions, Assistant Secretary-General Coninsx addressed trends in terrorism and radicalization to violence, as well as the related policy concerns and priorities of the United Nations. The COVID-19 pandemic was the most pressing current challenge, as it had exacerbated many existing trends and would likely continue to have profound social, economic, and political consequences, perpetuating inequality, polarization and unrest for many years to come. Further concerns were the increased risk of radicalization to violence online, threats posed by “lone actor” terrorists, the current situation in Afghanistan, the continued increase in terrorist attacks in Africa, and evidence that new affiliates of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), also known as Daesh, were attracting recruits and financing across borders.
Participants raised concerns about terrorism perpetrated on the basis of xenophobia, racism and other forms of intolerance, or in the name of religion or belief, as well as about attacks carried out by lone actors or small groups. It was essential to remain vigilant about the use of new technologies for terrorist purposes.
The panellists agreed that the development of evidence-based research and perspectives was critical to further understanding the evolution of radicalization to violence through the Internet, whether at the national, regional or international levels.
The ICCT is a longstanding partner of CTED and a member of its Global Research Network. The conference provided a useful forum for collaboration, analysis, and the exchange of experiences and expertise, with the aim of identifying innovative and comprehensive approaches to preventing and countering terrorism.