What is Going on in the World? How are European Societies Countering Jihadist Terrorism?

Since September 11th of 2001, cities have been the main targets of jihadist terrorism in Europe. Recent attacks in Paris (2015), Copenhagen (2015), Brussels (2016), Nice (2016), Stockholm (2017) and London (2017) have demonstrated the harm that terrorism can cause to the cohesion of European societies. In particular, the fact that European cities have been targeted by both home-grown terrorists and returnees from wars abroad have triggered a debate on how urban centres can respond to the increasing threat of violent extremism. 

At the European level, some of the most successful prevention policies have taken place at a local level, such as the cases of Aarhus (Denmark), Stockholm (Sweden) and Mechelen (Belgium), whereas some state policies of prevention that do not take into account the local setting have been criticised. Thus, how should European societies counter the Jihadist terrorism? Should a local emphasis be prioritized? What are the key components of an effective counter radicalization strategy? Should local entities and state agencies work together? If so, how? And how can stakeholders avoid the stigmatisation of social groups and with it the irruption of social cohesion?  

To analyse these and other issues, CIDOB organises a conversation between the Ambassador Jorge Dezcallar, Former Director of the National Intelligence Center (CNI) and Bart Somers, Mayor of the city of Mechelen, moderated by Diego Muro, Associate Senior Researcher at CIDOB and Lecturer in International Relations at The Handa Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence at the University of St Andrews.