COUNTER TERRORISM - UN DISBANDS WORKING GROUP ON

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001098

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER UNGA AA
SUBJECT: COUNTER TERRORISM - UN DISBANDS WORKING GROUP ON
"RADICALIZATION"

REF: USUN 289


1. Summary. At a November 20 meeting, convened to discuss a
proposal to establish a pilot information and Referral Center
on Policies to Counter the Appeal of Terrorism at the UN
Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI)
in Turin, Italy, UN Assistant Secretary General Robert Orr
announced that the UN Counter-Terrorism Task Force's Working
Group on Radicalization (WG) has been "disestablished". The
focus will now shift to UNICRI programmes which will build on
work undertaken by the Working Group. Francesco Capp, the
Head of UNICRI Security Governance/Counter-Terrorism
Laboratory, presented a brief overview of the project. End
Summary.


2. Assistant Secretary General Robert Orr hosted the
meeting, for representatives from a small group (approx. 20)
of UN Missions. Among those present were Yemen, Saudi
Arabia, Morocco, Pakistan, Norway, Italy, Spain, France, UK,
Algeria, and the Untied States. Orr explained that the group
represented those who had expressed an interest in the
problem of radicalization, either by responding to the
request of the Working Group for written comments or through
statements made during the September debate. Orr said that
the Working Group on Radicalization had served its purposed
by completing its report, issued in September (see
http://www.un.org/terrorism/workgroup2.shtml) . The Report
draws on the 34 written responses from Member States to its
letter of February 2008 inviting relevant information.
According to Orr,the decision to "disestablish" the working
group was made for internal and external reasons. He noted
in regard to the latter that some governments had problems
with the Working Group. The "construction of
deradicalization" was a concern to some major governments.
(Note: Egypt and Pakistan had been particularly vocal in
their criticism of the fact that the group had been set up
without consultation and said that it was perceived as
focusing on Islam). Orr reported that UNICRI, a co-chair of
the Working Group would take the work forward on this aspect
of counter-terrorism. Notably, Richard Barrett, the third
co-chair was not present at the meeting. (Comment: The U.S.
provided most of the funding for this Working Group. In
March, Barrett described a number of projects that it hoped
to undertake (Reftel). There is no indication that these
have been completed and the "First Report of the Working
Group on Radicalization and Extremism that lead to Terrorism:
Inventory of State Programmes" is apparently its last. End
Comment).


3. Francisco Capp described UNICRI as a research oriented
organization which has demonstrated competence and interest
to work in the counter-terrorism area. He said UNICRI is
committed to an innovative, dynamic and creative results
oriented approach. The project would involve setting up an
information referral center to "counter the appeal of
terrorism". States could provide input concerning policies
and programs in this area as well as the name of a government
focal point. There would be links to scholarly articles and
analytical reports. Access would be secure and limited to
governments. UNICRI plans to hold regional round tables to
promote the project and hopes to convene a international
conference to present the results of this pilot program.
UNICRI will be seeking funding for the project and plans to
present a proposal for potential donor states in the near
future.


4. States present reacted favorably and noted that they will
be interested in reviewing the terms of reference. USUN will
provide additional information on this project when received.
Khalilzad