Ten Years After 9.11: Evaluating a Decade of Intensified Counter-Terrorism
12-13 December 2010, The Hague, The Netherlands
In the field of counter-terrorism, the year 2011 will be regarded as a memorable landmark, surely featuring a number of ‘ten-years-after’-events that will look back at a decade of fighting terrorism. In preparation of that year of commemoration and review, ICCT - The Hague will, at its official International Launch Conference, assemble distinguished international actors in the domain of counter-terrorism to prepare for the year to come; to discuss those relevant issues and questions that will certainly arise and to contemplate the effects and results of implemented policy and measures as we will be looking back at ten years of intensified counter-terrorism efforts.
In order for us to do this, we will first need to revisit the period preceding September 11, 2001. Counter-terrorism was intensified but not invented in September 2001. Al Qaeda already was a blip on the radar screens of at least some of the intelligence and security agencies; the attacks on the American embassies in East Africa occurred before 2001 and the Taliban sanction regime dates back to 1999/2000. It is important to refresh our memories and go back in time to consider the state of counter-terrorism policies prior to the September 11 attacks. Not so much to examine whether ‘we could have seen it coming’ but rather to analyse the policies and approaches in this field at the end of the last century, to understand where we came from; our baseline.
It is an understatement that 9/11 has changed our world. Even on the day itself, many in the counter-terrorism community instantly realised that there was going to be ‘counter-terrorism before’ and ‘counter-terrorism after’ those dreadful events. What followed was almost a decade of intensified counter-terrorism measures, both domestically and internationally, in all corners of our world. With the ‘review year’ of 2011 at our doorstep, it is vital to examine the developments in paradigm, approaches and policies that 9/11 has brought about in the days, months and years after. More specifically, in line with the mission of ICCT - The Hague, we will focus on changes in the preventive and international legal areas of counter-terrorism. What is and should be the balance struck between preventive and repressive measures? Has there been increased international legal cooperation, and if so, has this been efficient? Or is the lack of an international legal definition still an insurmountable obstacle? Has there been any policy evaluative process, and if so, what were the tools and methodology used and what was its impact? What can we learn and how much have we learned from historical lessons and experiences in other countries in the preventative sphere?
Almost ten years after 9/11, terrorism is still very much a reality. Many of us are worried about the possibility of incidents similar to the one in Times Square (May 2010) or the killings in Kampala (July 2010). At the same time, there exists growing concern about the adverse effect of counter-terrorism measures on fundamental freedoms and human rights. Some of the harsh repressive reactions to terrorism meet with public criticism and incomprehension. On top of this, there is a worrying public support for Al Qaeda (related) ideology in a number of Muslim majority countries. The military presence of foreign nations and international bodies is often contributing to this effect.
Surely, critical questions on the effectiveness and appropriateness of counter-terrorism measures following 9/11 will and should be raised next year by the press, public, experts and politicians. The ICCT - The Hague Launch Conference will identify and examine these questions, providing all those present a head start for the ‘review year’ to come. It is vital that we look back at the consequences of the September 11 attacks and subsequent counter-terrorism measures and draw lessons from it.
For more information, please contact Mr. Anno Bunnik at conference@icct.nl or +31 70 800 9531
