India, EU Conduct ‘Investigating ISIS Networks’ Workshop; Share Best Practices On Combating Terrorism, Radicalisation

As part of enhanced bilateral efforts to counter terrorism and radicalisation, the European Union and India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) held a two-day counter-terrorism workshop that ended Wednesday (4 December) on investigating ISIS networks, during which they shared their experiences and best practices.

The Second regional EU-India Counter Terrorism workshop on "Investigating ISIS networks" was organised from 3-4 December in New Delhi.

The two-day workshop was part of the EU-India efforts to further strengthen collaboration between both sides to counter terrorism and radicalisation, following the mandate which was agreed at the 2017 India-EU summit.

The workshop, attended by Indian and European experts, also supports capacity building of the Indian state police services to deal with the growing threat emanating from ISIS networks trying to infiltrate South Asian countries, an EU statement said.

In addition to the NIA, representatives from several state police forces like Assam, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and national agencies, the NSG, participated in the workshop.

European participants were by represented Europol (the EU Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation) and law enforcement agencies from France and Spain.

In the backdrop of continued ISIS threat in South Asian countries, participants shared their experiences and best practices to combat this new challenge with a focus on countering online propaganda.

According to the statement, participants also deliberated on methods adopted by terror outfits for radicalisation and recruitment, especially through online platforms; policing strategies for countering extremism and radicalisation; identifying, preventing and countering online extremist materials and their sources; and investigating and countering ISIS terror networks.

Online radicalisation is a significant challenge with fast-growing usage of internet, social media and smartphones globally. Terrorist groups are increasingly leveraging online platforms to spread false propaganda, identify and enlist potential recruits, provoke and instigate hatred and violence in our societies. India and the EU have been collaborating towards countering violent extremism.

Inaugurating the workshop, the European Union Ambassador to India, Ugo Astuto, said: "Concrete cooperation between the EU and India law enforcement agencies will build capacities on both sides and help jointly tackle terrorism and radicalisation, a necessity in today's world."

NIA Director General Yogesh Chander Modi said: "This sharing of experiences is vital for the law enforcement agencies to stay abreast of the tools and techniques employed by these terror outfits across the world, so as to be able to better tackle terrorist threats."

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)