Action Plan Against Radicalisation and Violent Extremism
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Action plan Action plan against Radicalisation and Violent Extremism Action plan Action plan against Radicalisation and Violent Extremism Contents 3 Foreword _________________________________________________________ 5 1. Introduction _______________________________________________________ 7 2. Relevant challenges ________________________________________________ 9 3. Preventative strategies _____________________________________________ 13 4. Prioritised areas and measures ______________________________________ 17 - Knowledge and expertise _________________________________________ 17 - Cooperation and coordination _____________________________________ 20 - Prevent the growth of extremist groups and help promote reintegration__ 21 - Prevent radicalisation and recruitment through the Internet ___________ 23 - International cooperation _________________________________________ 25 5. Actions in the event of concern ______________________________________ 27 Foreword 5 With this plan, the Norwegian government wants to This action plan is a framework for a targeted, strate- improve the efforts to combat radicalisation and vio- gic effort in this field. Many sectors shall contribute lent extremism. Terrorism is the most extreme conse- in the follow-up of these measures. In order to clarify quence of radicalisation and violent extremism. Thus, the responsibility, only one ministry shall be respon- preventative efforts are a key element for ensuring sible for each individual measure. In cases where the fundamental values such as democracy, human rights responsibility for follow-up affects several ministries, and security. Being able to live our lives without fear of one ministry will be given the main responsibility for being exposed to hate and violence is a fundamental coordination. value of a secure society. Many parties have provided input in various phases of The government wants to prevent recruitment to vio- the work on the action plan. We would like to thank all lent extremism. Through this action plan, we want to of you who have contributed, both through the sharing improve the preventative efforts against radicalisation of knowledge and experience with us and through pro- and violent extremism. There is a need for more infor- posals for measures. This has helped us make the plan mation, more cooperation and better coordination of specific and action-oriented. the efforts in this area. The efforts must be improved in different professional areas and sectors of society. The goal is to reach persons who are at risk as early as possible and encounter them with measures that work. Prime Minister Minister of Justice and Public Security Erna Solberg Anders Anundsen Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Minister of Foreign Affairs Minister of Culture Minister of Local Government and Modernisation Robert Eriksson Børge Brende Thorhild Widvey Jan Tore Sanner Minister of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion Minister of Defence Minister of Education and Research Minister of Health and Care Services Solveig Horne Ine Eriksen Søreide Torbjørn Røe Isaksen Bent Høie 6 1 I Introduction 1 Introduction 7 The acts of terrorism on 22 July 2011 were the most puts and proposals for measures, e.g. with research dramatic violent acts that Norway has been exposed institutions, local government and various voluntary to since the Second World War. Terrorism is the most organisations. The working group has also gathered extreme consequence of radicalisation and violent ex- experiences from other countries. tremism. It is important to ensure public security. It is equally important to get involved early in preventative The action plan shall be dynamic and will therefore be efforts and to be able to reach persons who are at risk. updated when needed. This is necessary in order to be able to follow the developments and changes in the The government wants to make a broad effort to pre- perceived threat. The last updated version will be dig- vent radicalisation and violent extremism. There may itally available on the website www.radikalisering.no. be various reasons why persons seek extremist groups. The measures in this plan will be implemented or It is necessary for a number of actors to get involved launched in 2014 and will be covered within existing early in order to increase the possibilities of succeeding budgets. in the preventative efforts. The challenges must be met with knowledge about the phenomenon, about risk and motivating factors, about what we do when concern arises and about which measures can be enacted. Radicalisation is understood here to be a process whereby a person increasing- With this action plan, the government wants to im- ly accepts the use of violence to achieve prove the efforts to prevent radicalisation and violent political, ideological or religious goals. A extremism. One of the goals is that the measures in process of radicalisation that results in vi- the plan shall provide specific tools for those who work olent extremism is characterised by: with these challenges in practice. • a cognitive development toward a steadily more unilateral perception of The measures in this plan come in addition to the more reality, where there is no room for alter- general efforts to promote participation, social inclu- native perspectives. sion and equality. Prevention in a broad perspective in- • thereafter, a further development where volves ensuring good formative conditions for children the perception of reality is experienced and youth, fighting poverty and working to ensure that so acutely and seriously that violent everyone, regardless of their background, shall have a actions appear necessary and just. sense of belonging and be protected against discrimi- nation. General preventative efforts in many different Violent extremism is understood here to fields can also help prevent people from choosing vio- be activities of persons and groups that are lence as a means of achieving their ideological or reli- willing to use violence in order to achieve gious goals. their political, ideological or religious goals. Early preventative efforts are a responsibility that Hate crime is understood here to mean criminal acts that are fully or partially mo- rests with many sectors of society. Therefore, in con- tivated by negative attitudes to a person nection with the work on the action plan, a working or group’s actual or perceived ethnicity, group composed of representatives from the Office of religion, political affiliation, sexual orien- the Prime Minister and nine ministries was appointed. tation, gender expression or disability. The working group has been led by the Ministry of Violent extremism is the most extreme Justice and Public Security. A number of meetings form of hate crime. were held with various parties in order to gather in- 2 I Relevant challenges 2 Relevant challenges 9 The threat represented by violent extremism in Nor- hate rhetoric and messages that glorify violence are way today is more complex than it was before. In the disseminated much more widely. Information spreads 1990s, the perceived threat in Norway was relatively very fast. It is a challenge to distinguish potential transparent, consisting of small groups of extremists. threat perpetrators from the multitude of anonymous Persons in these groups were visible in arenas that it profiles on the Internet that convey controversial mes- was relatively easy for police and other preventative sages and challenge the limits of freedom of speech. parties to keep track of. These groups had clearly de- Persons can go through a process of radicalisation as fined leading figures. Persons who became radicalised a result of their Internet activity without this being de- in these groups were usually ethnic Norwegian youth. tected by others. Extremist messages can also easily The Norwegian extremist groups in the 1990s were reach persons who are physically or virtually in the rarely affected by international armed conflicts and fringe zone of extremist groups and who are vulner- events. Few persons sought out real operative training able to be influenced in a negative direction. Power- by going abroad to areas of conflict. Preventative meas- ful visual and audio-visual instruments are often used. ures against violent extremism, especially neo-Nazi For some people, this kind of influence together with ideology, were positively accepted by the society in communicating with other like-minded people on the general and by the families of the persons in question. Internet can be the gateway to radicalisation. Activity and influence through the Internet can also intensify a Today, the extremist groups in Norway are more eth- process of radicalisation that has already begun. nically complex. Though many of the psychological and social factors that drive people into a process of International circumstances and conflicts outside of radicalisation are the same as before, the arenas for Norway have had considerable influence on the threat radicalisation have become more numerous and more situation here at home. Norway’s foreign policy and se- complex. There are more underlying factors that can curity policy profile has resulted in changes in our po- help start or intensify a process of radicalisation. Some tential enemies. In addition, threats have increasingly risk factors are found at the level of society in general, been aimed at Norway and the Norwegian authorities. whereas others are at the group or individual level. Provocative images from conflicts, humanitarian crises At present,