Over the last months, Daesh has lost most of its territory in Iraq and Syria. Many of its fighters have been killed in combat or fled the conflict zone. Although this might affect its capabilities in the short-run, it certainly does not mean a demise of violent extremism and terrorism nor Daesh as an organization. Daesh has instead decentralized its structure and expanded worldwide with Asia and Europe becoming focus areas for its activities. The result of the developments in Syria and Iraq, changes in the modus operandi of Daesh-affiliated groups and the geographic expansion of the terrorist networks is a more diverse, heterogeneous and less predictable threat which calls for greater collaboration – not only cooperation – at all levels if countries want to prevent and counter violent extremism successfully and sustainably.

The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung has therefore produced this publication in collaboration with the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS). The papers provide insights into various fields of collaboration in Asia and Europe and show how this can be improved. In addition, experts discuss recent developments in both regions with regard to the threat perception and how resilience as well as prevention can be increased by understanding the narratives, lone actor concept, the role of educational institutions as recruitment grounds and the need for human rights to prevail.

Preface

Christian Echle and Rohan Gunaratna

The Philippines after Marawi

Ma. Concepcion B. Clamor

Indonesia: The Emerging Daesh-Centric Threat Landscape

Sulastiana

Impact of the Rohingya Crisis on the Threat Landscape at the Myanmar-Bangladesh border

Iftekharul Bashar

The Jihadist Threat in Europe

Lorenzo Vidino and Francesco Marone

Patterns of Lone Attackers

Jelle Van Buuren

The Use of Narratives by Terrorists and How to Prevent Their Resonance: Hedging, Legacy-Nostalgia and Its Counterstrategy Implications

Haroro J. Ingram

The Fight against Jihadist Terrorism: Safeguarding Fundamental Freedoms and Human Rights

Eliane Ettmüller

The Role of Universities and Schools in Countering and Preventing Violent Extremism: Malaysian Experience

Ahmad El-Muhammady

ASEAN’s Greatest Counter-Terrorism Challenge: The Shift from “Need to Know” to Smart to Share

Rohan Gunaratna

Securing Borders Collaboratively to Prevent the Movement of Foreign of Terrorist Fighters

Simon Deignan and Thomas Wuchte

Multi-stakeholder Engagement in Rehabilitation

Malkanthi Hettiarachchi

The Role of Families and Civil Society in Detecting Radicalisation and Promoting Disengagement from Violent Extremism

Michele Grossman

Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism: The Singapore’s Approach

Sabariah Binte Mohamed Hussin