How to stop recruitment by terrorist and organised crime groups? -Council of Europe conference explores common responses
Strasbourg, 19.09.2014 – Terrorist groups and organised crime often carry out similar types of crimes and share many organisational and operational features. Both groups recruit their new members in prisons and socially deprived areas offering them status and a feeling of belonging.
On 25 and 26 September the Council of Europe, the City of Málaga and the University of Málaga are organising an international conference to examine the increasing similarities between the methods used by terrorist groups and those used in other forms of organised crime, review the best practices to prevent and fight these threats, and explore the potential for adopting a comprehensive approach in policy-making in these areas.
The conference will bring together law enforcement authorities (judges, prosecutors and police forces), experts and policy-makers responsible for combating terrorism and serious organised crime from the 47 member states of the Council of Europe, as well as representatives from other countries and international organisations, such as EUROPOL, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the United Nations, and the European Union´s Judicial Cooperation Unit (Eurojust).
Participants will address the radicalisation and recruitment of individuals in prisons and through the Internet as the Islamic State (IS) case has recently shown, and how terrorist groups carry out criminal activities, ranging from local crime, to transnational criminal activities such as smuggling, drug trafficking and cybercrime to finance their operations. The role of the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty in combating terrorism and organised crime will also be discussed.
The meeting will be opened at 9.30 on 25 September by Jan Kleijssen, Director of the Information Society and Action against Crime of the Council of Europe, Paula Mongé Royo, Deputy Director General of International Legal Cooperation of the Ministry of Justice of Spain, Francisco de la Torre Prados, Mayor of Málaga and José Angel Narváez Bueno, Deputy President of the University of Málaga.
Practical information:
The conference will be held at the Town Hall of the City of Málaga, Salón de los Espejos (Avenida de Cervantes, 4)
Only the opening and closing sessions are open to the press (25 September, 9:30-10:00 / 26 September, Only the opening and closing sessions are open to the press (25 September, 9:30-10:00 / 26 September, 12:00-12:45). Journalists are requested to send their accreditation request to the press contact below.
Press contact:
Jaime Rodríguez Mobile: +33 689995042 Email: [email protected]