|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
. | ![]() |
. |
|
![]() |
![]() by Staff Writers Brussels (AFP) Jan 03, 2015
The European Union plans to set up a cell of advisors in Belgium that member governments can tap to fight jihadist propaganda, a top EU official told a newspaper Saturday. "The idea is for Belgium to welcome a cell of experts who can offer European countries immediate responses to a very serious communications problem," EU counter-terrorism chief Gilles de Kerchove told Le Soir newspaper. Social media has become a powerful recruiting tool for jihadists, with the Islamic State group posting several videos online showing grisly beheadings of Western hostages. The experts taking part in the pilot project will offer "counter-narratives" and other messages to fight the propaganda used by Islamic State and other jihadist groups, de Kerchove said. For example, he said, the experts might be able to distribute interviews of jihadists who return from Syria disillusioned with the cause, either because they are shocked by "sick people who take pleasure in the violence" or because the battle is no longer about removing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad but rather a power struggle between insurgent groups. De Kerchove said the project is not yet finalised but the European Commission, the EU executive arm, aims to set aside one million euros over 18 months to hire five or six experts who work inside the Belgian interior ministry, according to the daily. He said the cell would have a limited capacity to advise simultaneously a handful of European governments seeking to tackle a communications problem. "We will see if it leads to something," the counter-terrorism expert was quoted as saying. "If it works well, without doubt some states will develop a certain capacity and would like to continue it with their own means. The idea is to advise; the state then does what it wants," he said. There was no immediate comment from the European Commission. De Kerchove told AFP in September that around 3,000 citizens of the European Union had flocked to the cause of jihadists in Syria and Iraq as EU member states worry that some of them could pose a "terrorist" threat when they return to their home countries trained and battle hardened.
Related Links The Long War - Doctrine and Application
|
![]() |
|
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service. |