VZCZCXYZ0009
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #0289 0921124
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 011124Z APR 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4026
INFO RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA 0501

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000289 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER UNGA PREL
SUBJECT: UNGA COUNTER-TERRORISM (CT) STRATEGY - 
RADICALIZATION WORKING GROUP 
 
 
¶1.  Summary.  The Working Group on Radicalization, one of 
eight CT Task Force Working Groups set up to implement the UN 
Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (A/60/288), has started 
work on an in depth study of radicalization and its relation 
to terrorist activity. The working group is led by 
representatives of the Executive office of the UN Secretary 
General, the UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research 
Institute and the Monitoring Team of the 1267 Committee.  At 
a meeting with USUN, the working group Co-ordinator described 
this effort as well as plans to develop media tools to 
address the phenomenon of radicalization.  These will include 
video programs for use in areas where radicalization is most 
prevalent. End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (U)  At a March 27 meeting, Richard Barrett, a 
co-ordinator of the UN Counter-Terrorism Task Force Working 
Group on "Radicalization and extremism that lead to 
terrorism", described progress and plans for its work. 
Barrett said that the broad objectives of the Working Group 
are to identify how states assess the problem of 
radicalization, what they have done to address it and what 
further action they plan to take to combat it.  By collecting 
views and experiences of Member States, the Working Group 
hopes to be able to offer all states a comprehensive summary 
of possible policy options to prevent acts of terrorism and 
to enhance national and regional capacity to de-radicalize 
those who support terrorist groups. 
 
¶3.  In a letter dated February 18, (faxed to IO), the 
Co-ordinators asked states to provide information on projects 
and programs undertaken to understand and counter the appeal 
of terrorism and/or on de-radicalization rehabilitation and 
integration of people who joined terrorist groups.  They also 
asked for evaluations or analyses of these programs.  The 
Working Group has hired a consultant, Dr. Hamed El-Said, a 
Jordanian professor at a university in the UK to receive and 
analyze this data.  He is working at the UN Inter-regional 
Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) in Turin. 
UNICRI will host a working group (April 17-18) for experts 
and representatives of states with de-radicalization programs 
(Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Egypt) to share information on the 
subject.  The end product will be a report describing the 
phenomenon of radicalization and what member states have done 
to address it.  Programs that work well and should be 
supported will be identified as well as those that have not 
been effective. 
 
¶4.  In addition, the Working Group hopes to produce video 
programs which will feature "repentant" terrorists and their 
victims.  It is working with Pakistani, Algerian, Indonesian, 
Saudi and Moroccan officials on this project.  The videos 
will be tailored to the locale where they will be used so 
that the target audience will identify with the presentation. 
 The Working Group is also considering using "local heroes" 
for the anti-terrorism campaign.  USUN assured Barrett of US 
interest and support for the Working Group's efforts , 
particularly this public diplomacy initiative. 
 
KHALILZAD