Page 31 - Cyber Terrorism and Extremism as Threat to Critical Infrastructure Protection

DENIS ČALETA, SARA PERKOVIĆ: EXTREMISM AND RADICALIZATION IN THE EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENT – SECURITY CHALLENGES
OF RETURN FOREIGN FIGHTERS

extremists to reflect on their position. Using image and audio-based material on social media
sites is particularly effective when communicating positive messages. Moreover, grass-roots
initiatives which open up a dialogue between experts and society allow people to feel engaged
and respected, while also producing valuable insight and rich discussion. Developing person-
al resilience can enable society to deal with the difficulties and adversaries it encounters, leav-
ing people less susceptible to extremism. Supporting people through times of transition, via
outreach programmes in schools, universities and local communities, can contribute towards
healthy behaviours and develop more supportive and cohesive communities” (Manning and
La Bau, 2015, p 13).

Other than those mentioned above, one successful means of deradicalization can be commu-
nication between newly-returned foreign fighters and people who have already undertaken de-
radicalization before them. Communication with people who know exactly what the problems
were may be one of the very best ways: “Each testimony highlighted the importance of these
personal stories when delivering counter-narratives.” (Manning and La Bau, 2015, p 27).
When we study terrorism, extremism and violent extremism we often focus heavily on tactics
and strategy; yet we can learn a great deal if we look at the cognitive and emotional behaviour
which underlines a particular set of beliefs (Ibid., p. 12) In the end, returning foreign fight-
ers and those who have been deradicalized can be the ones who are of help in creating pro-
grammes for other foreign fighters: “returning foreign fighters can contribute to intelligence
capacities and help in designing better deradicalization programmes (Leduc, 2016, p 18).

With regard to the Islamic State, one of the most successful ways of deradicalization can be to
demonstrate how not all Islamic State studies and their theoretical teachings are in harmony
with what they do. Equally, challenging their ideology can be of use. However, deradicaliza-
tion must be directed towards an individual in order to be successful, and this may be the
hardest thing to achieve. Depending on the individual success of each person can be tough for
the programme in general, because it means that even if a certain programme succeeds with
one person, it does not mean that it will be successful with others. There are so many factors
on which the success of deradicalization programmes depends. Therefore, it is hard to believe
that deradicalization, in ways of talking to and trying to change the beliefs of foreign fighters,
can bring about a complete separation of individuals from the terrorist organization, and, of
course, some people will not be able to be rehabilitated by any means. Deradicalization is not
and cannot be a simple process, because governments may not have the resources necessary
for the supervision and monitoring of large numbers of individuals all at once and for making
sure that they have all been in programmes.

2.5 Ways of Reintegration

When discussing the return of FFs, rehabilitation and reintegration must be seen as a vital
step. Today there is much more information on this subject than there was in the past, and this
attitude is the best way for these programmes to be successful and achieve their purpose. Pro-
grammes of deradicalization and reintegration have generally been avoided by the countries
of the western world, so they were first developed in the East. “The first-generation deradical-
ization programmes tailored to Islamist militants were designed and developed in response to
the September 2001 terrorist attacks carried out by al Qaeda in the United States and the Oc-
tober 2002 bombings by Jemaah Islamiyah in Indonesia. These experimental deradicalization
programmes, part of soft counterterrorism strategies, were rolled out primarily in Middle East
and Southeast Asia in countries like Saudi Arabia (Prevention, Rehabilitation and After Care

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