The Conclusions start as follows:
Following the resurgence of terrorist activities across the world in recent years, in 2005 the European Union developed a global counter-terrorism strategy which had prevention as one of the four strands of its strategic commitment. The purpose of that strand is to prevent individuals from turning into terrorists by tackling the factors and profound causes which may lead to radicalisation and recruitment both in Europe and elsewhere.
(…) In the Revised EU Radicalisation and Recruitment Action Plan – Implementation Plan, it is recommended that the Member States take steps to share information on radicalisation and put in place mechanisms to systematically analyse and assess the extent of radicalisation on the basis of a multidisciplinary approach.
The Conclusions thus propose an instrument, called “Instrument for compiling data and information on violent radicalisation processes” (EU doc no: 7984/10 ADD 1), “as a basic mechanism for collecting data and information on violent radicalisation (VR) processes which could prove particularly useful at the information-gathering stage”.
The Instrument is to be used by Member States, EU agencies, security and intelligence agencies, and police forces. The Instrument is set up to prevent people turning to terrorism through radicalisation. Firstly by analysing the various environments where radicalisation occurs, then secondly by introducing systematic ways of exchanging information on individuals or groups who use hate speech or incite terrorism.
Tony Bunyam for Statewatch wrote a critical analysis of the Council Conclusions. Click here to read it.
Filed under: Data protection, EU, Intelligence sharing, Privacy, Profiling, Radicalisation, Surveillance
