This workshop comprised a 2-day Counter-Terrorism (CT) focused workshop led by internationally renowned subject matter experts from the UK and aimed at contributing to the analytical understanding and knowledge of the wider Bahraini CT community by providing further analysis and expertise on the evolving challenge of global terrorism. The programme combined short academic and practitioner-based presentations with time for debate and discussion. It was intended as an exchange of knowledge. The aim was to explore the various facets of terrorism and analyse the phenomenon, exploring its ideological underpinnings, financial, and technological aspects as well as strategic thinking and policy planning for responses to terrorist threat and its context, including international norms and conventions. Sessions included:
– How to think about Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism Strategy
– What is the strategic aim of your CT policy? The theory and practice of Counter-Terrorism strategy: the next 25 years
– The Financing of Terrorism: Countering the financing of terrorism and the work of the Financial Action Task Force
– Regional Dynamics of Counter-Terrorism: Geopolitical explanations of the persistence of terrorism
– What is the nature of the threat today and what will it be tomorrow?
– Analysing Terrorism
– Root causes of Terrorism and the challenge of prevention
– Learning from Precedent – lessons learnt from UK (Contest/Prevent) and international experience
– The Global effort against Terrorism: The UN Global Strategy’s four pillars and the work of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force
– International norms and conventions
– NATO Counter-Terrorism model
– Emerging and future threats