Mohammed Ahmed from Birmingham in the UK is serving more than 15 years in prison after joining Al Nusra Front in Syria in 2013. West Midlands police / PA
Mohammed Ahmed from Birmingham in the UK is serving more than 15 years in prison after joining Al Nusra Front in Syria in 2013. West Midlands police / PA
Mohammed Ahmed from Birmingham in the UK is serving more than 15 years in prison after joining Al Nusra Front in Syria in 2013. West Midlands police / PA
Mohammed Ahmed from Birmingham in the UK is serving more than 15 years in prison after joining Al Nusra Front in Syria in 2013. West Midlands police / PA

Deradicalising extremists should involve the very mechanisms used to recruit them


  • English
  • Arabic

For a word that strikes such fear in the heart, no one seems quite able to define exactly what terrorism is, let alone how to deal with it. The word has its roots in the bloody reign of terror wielded by Maximilien Robespierre in late 18th century France and describes the fear imposed by his Jacobin regime. It was several more years before the word terrorism made its way into the Oxford English Dictionary as “the unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims” but it has had many different interpretations since then. Even the UN has not been able to come up with a satisfactory definition of terrorism, despite decades of trying to do so.

To better understand how to counter terrorism with deradicalisation and rehabilitation, therefore, one must understand the difference between other kinds of criminals and terrorists. A criminal uses fear on his or her victim to achieve an end goal; a terrorist aims to spread fear far beyond those affected as a means of propaganda, to engender support and to recruit new members. The repercussions of terrorism are often far greater, which means we cannot simply deal with terrorists as we do other criminals.

Criminology contains clear definitions of criminal acts, together with a suitable punishment for each. However, this is not the case when it comes to terrorism, which has evolved over time as terrorists develop new tactics. In Bruce Hoffman's book Defining Terrorism, the author – a senior fellow for counterterrorism and homeland security at the Council on Foreign Relations think tank – clearly demonstrates the way terrorist strategies, motives, interest and methods change over time, making it difficult to narrow down a singular definition of terrorism or a sole route into it.

We can see three reasons why individuals become radicalised or involved in political violence: ideology, opportunity and psychology. Opportunity-related reasons are hard to separate from ideological and psychological ones. The ideological reasoning suggests terrorists are rational actors who engage in political violence for social reasons, a sense of belonging or money, among others. The psychological trigger implies individuals with personal or political grievances view violent groups as an opportunity to express their frustrations.

John Horgan, a psychologist and academic professor who has studied the psychology behind terrorism, states that most strategies for counterterrorism depend on assumptions related to terrorist profiling. Radicalisation can take the form of an ideology, or behaviour, or both. To develop better deradicalisation techniques, counterterrorism units should take those three principal causes for indoctrination and use them to change the narrative.

As far as ideology is concerned, deradicalisation efforts should provide a counter-narrative to reshape the ideology through education and vocational training. According to Mr Braddock and Mr Horgan, a terrorist ideology is a set of beliefs that convinces members and guides their actions. Education means, as Mr Horgan states, not simply "an attempt to help an individual reinterpret hadith", for example. That is "far less important than understanding the meaning of their involvement, the factors that mobilised them into action in the first place, and what led to their disengagement".

Prison terms should be followed by reintegration programmes to ensure an effective transition back into civic life, with opportunities to obtain housing and a steady income

On psychology, detainees might experience or witness violence in a different way from most people. But it is important to create a safe space for subjects to express their emotions. At the Institute for Multicultural Development in the Netherlands, where youth programmes have been created to prevent radicalisation and recruitment into terrorist groups, participants are encouraged to express grievances with no restriction or fear of retribution. The programme focuses mainly on neighbourhoods in Dutch society with high levels of unemployment and a mixed population, which could be fertile breeding ground for recruitment.

Then there is opportunity. After detainees are released from prison, they might feel rejected by society. This can increase their sense of alienation and lead to them getting involved in terrorist activities again after their release as they search for identity and acceptance, and aim to boost their self-esteem and sense of belonging. Prison terms should be followed by reintegration programmes to ensure an effective transition back into civic life, with opportunities to obtain housing and a steady income.

Efforts to deradicalise and rehabilitate terrorists after detention should focus on using the very mechanisms used to recruit them in the first place. Targeting a person's state of mind and emotions to counter radicalisation as well as offering opportunities to reintegrate into society  are effective tools. It is critical to assess each person individually, as well as examine their route into radicalisation. Taking those three main elements – ideology, psychology and opportunity – into consideration should help develop much better deradicalisation techniques but just as terrorist recruitment mechanisms evolve, we should be constantly alert to an ever-changing threat.

Maitha Sabah is a presenter for Sky News Arabia

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The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

What are the main cyber security threats?

Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

War and the virus
The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

 

FINAL LEADERBOARD

1. Jordan Spieth (USA) 65 69 65 69 - 12-under-par
2. Matt Kuchar (USA) 65 71 66 69 - 9-under
3. Li Haotong (CHN) 69 73 69 63 - 6-under
T4. Rory McIlroy (NIR) 71 68 69 67 - 5-under
T4. Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP) 67 73 67 68 - 5-under
T6. Marc Leishman (AUS) 69 76 66 65 - 4-under
T6. Matthew Southgate (ENG) 72 72 67 65 - 4-under
T6. Brooks Koepka (USA) 65 72 68 71 - 4-under
T6. Branden Grace (RSA) 70 74 62 70 - 4-under
T6. Alexander Noren (SWE)  68 72 69 67 - 4-under

Results:

6.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 2,000m - Winner: Powderhouse, Sam Hitchcott (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)

7.05pm: Handicap Dh165,000 2,200m - Winner: Heraldic, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar

7.40pm: Conditions Dh240,000 1,600m - Winner: Walking Thunder, Connor Beasley, Ahmed bin Harmash

8.15pm: Handicap Dh190,000 2,000m - Winner: Key Bid, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe

8.50pm: The Garhoud Sprint Listed Dh265,000 1,200m - Winner: Drafted, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson

9.25pm: Handicap Dh170,000 1,600m - Winner: Cachao, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar

10pm: Handicap Dh190,000 1,400m - Winner: Rodaini, Connor Beasley, Ahmed bin Harmash

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

The five pillars of Islam
The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder turbo

Transmission: CVT

Power: 170bhp

Torque: 220Nm

Price: Dh98,900

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

The specs: 2018 Maxus T60

Price, base / as tested: Dh48,000

Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder

Power: 136hp @ 1,600rpm

Torque: 360Nm @ 1,600 rpm

Transmission: Five-speed manual

Fuel consumption, combined: 9.1L / 100km

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
WTL%20SCHEDULE
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The 12 breakaway clubs

England

Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur

Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus

Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid

The%C2%A0specs%20
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How to keep control of your emotions

If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.

Greed

Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.

Tip: Ignore the short-term hype, noise and froth and invest for the long-term plan, based on sound fundamentals.

Fear

The risk of making a loss can cloud decision-making. “This can cause you to close out a position too early, or miss out on a profit by being too afraid to open a trade,” he says.

Tip: Start with a plan, and stick to it. For added security, consider placing stops to reduce any losses and limits to lock in profits.

Hope

While all traders need hope to start trading, excessive optimism can backfire. Too many traders hold on to a losing trade because they believe that it will reverse its trend and become profitable.

Tip: Set realistic goals. Be happy with what you have earned, rather than frustrated by what you could have earned.

Frustration

Traders can get annoyed when the markets have behaved in unexpected ways and generates losses or fails to deliver anticipated gains.

Tip: Accept in advance that asset price movements are completely unpredictable and you will suffer losses at some point. These can be managed, say, by attaching stops and limits to your trades.

Boredom

Too many investors buy and sell because they want something to do. They are trading as entertainment, rather than in the hope of making money. As well as making bad decisions, the extra dealing charges eat into returns.

Tip: Open an online demo account and get your thrills without risking real money.

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

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The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)