Western countries lack coherent strategic response to terrorism

National security has to be given priority over human rights when it comes to fighting terrorism, the head of a leading UAE think tank said.

Dr. Ahmed Al Hamli, President of TRENDS Centre for Research and Advisory, argued that fighting terror is in itself a human right as it aims to protect human lives. He spoke, following a two-day international conference on fighting terrorism, organised by Abu Dhabi-based TRENDS, which ended here on 7th December.

''We should be no longer shy away from warning the western democracies and the international community that Islamist groups are exploiting the issue of human rights to promote their extremist ideology,'' he added.

According to Al Hamli, it is time to raise our voices against the misuse of human rights to justify the right to promote the agenda of extremism and terrorism.

The conference, titled "Constructions of Terrorism: Reconciling Human Rights, Human Security in Countering Terrorism," was held on 6th and 7th December as a joint project with the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence, ICSR, King’s College and the Orfalea Centre for Global and International Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara.

It was the third event organised by TERNDS, on terrorism.

A total of 14 prominent experts and decision makers, including a United Nations (UN) official fighting terrorism and a high-ranking British police officer attended the event. It was an exceptional gathering held in a European country and drew the attention of London-based media.

The conference explored key issues related to countering extremism and terrorism, such as dilemmas faced by states in providing security for society and individuals while ensuring that efforts are directed to prevent terrorist attacks, and military and legal strategies for responding to terrorism at home and abroad and the consequences these may have for security at home and the wider world.

''While the UN resolutions and treaties on fighting terrorism stress that national governments are obliged to protect human rights and freedom in countering terrorism, the international law gives the government the right to restrict some rights for national security and health and safety reasons," said Arturo Laurent, Programme Officer, Terrorism Prevention Branch, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

Laurent, who is also a TRENDS Non-resident Fellow in Transnational Organised Crime and International Criminal Law, added that the national authorities have, for example, the legal power to deny anyone the right to move from a country to join the conflict in another country.

Other experts also reiterated that terrorism is becoming a global threat which requires a global, coherent response and more coherent counter strategy.

"There should be a coherent strategy to counter terrorism, based on intelligence sharing among all security services via a unified plan," said Andrew Staniforth, British Detective Inspector and a member of West Yorkshire Police. But he admitted that the police alone are not able to counter and defeat extremism and terrorism.

Staniforth called on the national authorities to build brigades with local communities to encounter extremist narratives.

The senior British policeman, who has spent 16 years fighting terrorism, advised that "we are stronger when we work together."

In his presentation on preventing terrorism together, he stressed the importance of empowering "credible community voices to counter extreme narratives."

He, however, added that picking up these voices "is a big task for the future."

Geoffrey Harris, Distinguished Teaching Fellow, Vesalius College, Brussels, called on the European Union (EU) member states to unify their efforts to fight terrorism.

Harris, who was an EU official, believed that terrorism is becoming a top priority for the ordinary European citizen. He advised the EU members to create a "super-national institution to fight terrorism."

Harris, a TRENDS Non-resident Fellow in EU Politics and International Relations, also warned against concentrating on the security or military solution to terrorism, calling for involving all sectors of the society in the battle against extremism.

He believed "despite controversial differences, the democratic system is the best framework to look for the most effective way to fight terrorism," and asked people to stick to it.

Harris warned if the state of emergency continues in European countries, it will signify that terrorists have achieved their objectives.