International Centre for Counter-Terrorism

The International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT) is an independent organisation for the creation, collation and dissemination of information and skills relating to the legal and human rights aspects of counter-terrorism. ICCT’s work focuses on preventing and countering the violent extremism that leads to terrorism, and on the human rights and legal aspects of counter-terrorism measures. ICCT brings together academics, policymakers, and professionals from a variety of fields and encourages them to collaborate in a mutual exchange of experiences and expertise.

History

The International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT) was established at The Hague in 2010 after an initiative originating in the Netherlands' parliament (motion Çörüz, April 2008).^[1] ICCT is supported by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is implemented by three institutions based in The Hague: the T.M.C. Asser Institute, a foundation for scientific research and education in international and European law; the Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael, a diplomatic academy studying international relations; and the Institute for Security and Global Affairs (ISGA) at Leiden University College The Hague.^[2] ICCT was established to connect people and organisations with expertise in counter-terrorism to promote sharing of knowledge and ideas. The centre focuses on issues such as de-radicalization and counter radicalization, human rights, impunity, and the rule of law in relation to counter-terrorism measures.

Staff

Alastair Reed serves as acting director of the ICCT. Prior to this he was Research Coordinator and a Research Fellow at ICCT, joining ICCT and Leiden University’s Institute of Security and Global Affairs in the autumn of 2014. Previously, he was an Assistant Professor at Utrecht University, where he completed his doctorate on research focused on understanding the processes of escalation and de-escalation in Ethnic Separatist conflicts in India and the Philippines. His main areas of interest are Terrorism and Insurgency, Conflict Analysis, Conflict Resolution, Military and Political Strategy, and International Relations, in particular with a regional focus on South Asia and South-East Asia. His current research projects address the foreign-fighter phenomenon, focusing on motivation and the use of strategic communications.

ICCT's staff includes a number of scholars and practitioners with expertise in the fields of counter-terrorism and international diplomacy.^[3] Prof. Dr. Edwin Bakker is a Research Fellow at ICCT and is also professor of counter-terrorism studies at the Institute of Public Administration at Leiden University.^[4][5]

Dr. Alex P. Schmid is a Visiting Research Fellow at ICCT and Director of the Terrorism Research Initiative (TRI), an international network of scholars working to enhance international security through collaborative research, and he was formerly Officer-in-Charge of the Terrorism Prevention Branch of the United Nations.^[6]

Max Boon is currently an Associate Fellow at ICCT and has previously worked at Dutch Foreign Ministry where he was responsible for the co-ordination and organization of the Dutch Chairmanship of the International Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCOC).^[7][8] The work of ICCT has been featured in numerous international media.^[9][10][11]

Activities

ICCT collaborates with a range of partners, including various agencies of the United Nations such as the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED);^[12] the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI);^[13] the European Commission; the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF);^[14] the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE); and with various non-governmental organisations, international think tanks and government departments around the world.^[15][16]

ICCT convenes forums and workshops on topics such as radicalization,^[17] foreign fighters^[18] and the legal boundaries of the battlefield.^[19] The Centre also frequently conducts training programs, provides technical assistance to missions and carries out country-specific analyses of terrorism and its effects.

Board of Advisors

ICCT's Board of Advisors includes a number of international experts on terrorism, international law and human rights.^[20] Its members include:

• Mr. Richard Barrett CMG OBE is a Senior VP at the Soufan Group, and former UK overseas counter-terrorism chief and coordinator of the UN 1267 Monitoring Team.
• Prof. M. Cherif Bassiouni is Emeritus Professor of Law at DePaul University.
• Prof. Rohan Gunaratna is Head of the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR) at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
• Prof. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer currently holds the Pieter Kooijmans chair in peace, justice and security at Leiden University, previously he was 11th NATO Secretary General from 2004 to 2009.
• Ms. Joanne Mariner is Human Rights Program Director at Hunter College, City University of New York.
• Prof. Martin Scheinin is a Finnish professor of International Law and Human Rights at the European University Institute and former UN Special Reporter on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism (2005 - 2011).
• Mr. Mike Smith was until July 2013 Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate

References

External links

• International Centre for Counter-Terrorism - The Hague
• Clingendael Institute for International Relations
• T.M.C. Asser Instituut
• Leiden University, Campus - The Hague