Terrorism threat underestimated, expert says, as new centre looks to stop young people being radicalised

Updated

Governments and security agencies around the world are struggling to contain violent extremism and need to invest more money to stop terrorist attacks, according to a leading Australian terrorism expert.

Dr Clarke Jones from the Australian National University said the threat from radicalised groups and individuals had been underestimated.

"This year is going to be a year of terrorism in the sense that I think we are going to see more small scale attacks," he said.

The warning follows last month's Lindt Cafe siege in Sydney and recent terrorist attacks in Paris and Belgium.

Dr Jones said authorities were growing increasingly concerned about violent extremists and the threat of so-called lone wolf attacks.

"Terrorism is changing and over the last 12 months ... where we are today is different from where we were before, we are seeing the nature of terrorism changing," he said.

Jailing people would be 'counter-productive'

Dr Jones is among a group of international experts working to set up Australia's first Centre for Intervention and Countering Violent Extremism (CVE).

The centre's programs will focus on not just research but intervention for young people at risk of becoming radicalised.

CVE initatives: Community resilience programs

Designed to strengthen community ties



Voluntary intervention

Counselling, employment and education services for those at high risk of radicalisation



Mandatory intervention

Referral to psychological counselling and support as well as diversionary programs for offenders



Rehabilitation

Prison programs to de-radicalise and re-integrate offenders before release

"The individual is treated separately because there's not one pathway to radicalisation," he said.

"That would involve a social worker, a psychologist, maybe a psychiatrist in some cases — but [it would involve] trying to understand the situation and assess the level of radicalisation and work towards the other way," Dr Jones said.

He added the plan was for individuals to participate in one of the three programs depending on the level of radicalisation, following assessments done by psychologists and other experts.

"We can't just lock them away in maximum security prison, that's going to be incredibly ineffective and counter-productive," he said.

The centre will also have the backing of United Arab Emirates-based international research institute Hedayah, which focuses on countering violent extremism.

Government welcomes centre's programs

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has cancelled more than 80 passports and conducted raids across the country in an effort to stop radicalised Australians travelling overseas, or carrying out violent attacks in Australia.

Some Australians have slipped through the net and joined rebel groups, including Islamic State, to fight overseas.

The Government's attempts have been very superficial to a point that they have only had a cosmetic approach to dealing with radicalisation. Kuranda Seyit from the Forum on Australian-Islamic Relations

The Federal Government has committed $630 million to help fight home-grown terrorism and $13.4 million to specifically counter violent extremism.

In a statement, Attorney-General George Brandis said: "The CVE early intervention program identifies radicalised and at-risk people and delivers a range of tailored services such as mentoring, counselling, education and employment services that will help them turn away from ideologies of violence and hate."

Funding of $1 million will be put towards a grants program to help community-based, non-government and local government organisations expand their services or develop new services to help individuals move away from violent extremism.

Muslim community under resourced and 'trying its best'

Some Islamic groups have been critical about the new funding approach after a number of community groups did not have their grants renewed last year.

Community leader Kuranda Seyit from the Forum on Australian-Islamic Relations said the Government needed to do more.

"The Government's attempts have been very superficial to a point that they have only had a cosmetic approach to dealing with radicalisation," Mr Seyit said.

He believes some extremists could have been stopped if there had been more support services available.

"We would have prevented a lot of instances that have happened over the past few years — a case in point, I think we could have got to young people like Numan Haider, who was killed during an attack in Melbourne," he said.

The 18-year-old suspected terrorist was shot dead after stabbing two police officers in Melbourne last year.

His parents had become increasingly worried about his behaviour before the attack and had contacted police.

"I think the Muslim community is trying its best, but it is under-resourced and it doesn't have the capacity to know how to deal with this issue," Mr Seyit said.

"It is very complex ... and very difficult because you need people with expertise."

In a statement, a spokeswoman for the Attorney-General said the funding model was based on international best practice.

"The CVE program is aimed at working with communities to intervene early with individuals who are on the path to radicalisation or who have already been radicalised and to tailor intervention or de-radicalisation programs to their particular needs," the spokeswoman said.

Both the Government and Islamic leaders agree any interventions designed to stop violent extremists will only work if there is a collaborative approach.

The Attorney-General's department is expected to make further funding announcements in the coming weeks.

Topics: terrorism, federal-government, community-and-society, security-intelligence, australia

First posted