Islamic Terrorism in a Changing World

Details

Islamist terrorism in Germany and Europe is a comparatively new phenomenon: although the roots of the problem have been present in Europe for decades now, it was only with the beginning of the Syrian civil war (2011) and the Islamic State’s declaration of their “caliphate” (2014) that the full scope of the problem became visible in the West. The fact that more than 6,000 western European citizens, the so-called foreign fighters, travelled to Syria and Iraq to take part in the conflict has created a new dimension to the problem that the West can no longer choose to avoid. At the same time an unknown number of young Europeans have been radicalized within Europe and now express sympathy for the so-called Islamic State or other radical Islamist organizations, supporting these groups either actively or passively.

The wave of foreign fighters traveling to Syria and Iraq reached its peak in 2015. Since then, the number of individuals departing from Western European countries for the conflict zone has been negligible. However, security agencies warn that European jihadists are now returning to their home countries from the Middle East in increasing numbers. Taking into account the rising number of individuals who are being radicalized within Europe, state authorities have warned that acts of terrorism are increasingly likely.

Western states and societies must react to this emanating threat accordingly. A proper response on the part of governments demands that security agencies engage in a constant process of observing and adapting themselves to the changing nature of this threat. The instruments of social and security policy used to combat terrorism must also be constantly updated. This process demands a particular form of willingness – especially on the political level – to recognize one’s own failures, to be open about them, and to apply the lessons that are learned from them. Moreover a certain level of flexibility is needed to adjust quickly to circumstances as they change. This workshop has the goal of asking the question of how this process can best succeed, and how the best practices and lessons learned from various western nations can be brought together.

Programm

12:30 h Registration and Lunch Snack

1:30 p.m. Welcome

• Dr. Kristina Eichhorst, Coordinator Counterterrorism and Conflict Management Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung / Berlin
• Deidre Berger, Director, Ramer Institute des American Jewish Committee / Berlin

1:45 p.m. The Changing Face of Terrorism: New Strategies of well-known acquaintances

Hezbollah

• Matthew Levitt, Director, Stein Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy / Washington D.C.

Islamic State

• Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler (tbc), Coordinator, ISIL (Da'esh), Al-Qaida and Taliban Monitoring Team United Nations Security Council / New York

Al-Qaida

• Dr. Guido Steinberg, Senior Associate, Research Division Middle East and Africa, Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik / Berlin

Moderator: Dr. Kristina Eichhorst, Coordinator Counterterrorism and Conflict Management Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung / Berlin

3:30 p.m. Coffee break

3:45 p.m. Counterterrorism: Adapting Strategies and Instruments

Reforming Transatlantic Counter-Terrorism

• Prof. Shlomo Sphiro, The Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies / Tel Aviv

Reforming German Counterterrorism

• Jens Koch, Head of the Working Group on International Terrorism and Extremism, Federal Ministry of the Interior / Berlin

Fighting Online Jihadism

• Dr. Erin Marie Saltman, Policy Manager EMEA, facebook / London

Moderator: Leonard Kaminski, Assistant Director for Government Affairs, Ramer Institute of the American Jewish Committee / Berlin

6.00 p.m. Conversation: Germany after the attack – simply unfazed, or resilient?

• Tanit Koch, Chief Editor, Bild / Berlin
• Prof. Michael Wolffsohn, Historian and independent publicist / Berlin

Moderator: Deidre Berger, Director, Ramer Institute des American Jewish Committee / Berlin