RADICALISATION The African Heritage Connection
Dear delegate May I firstly welcome you to this conference and wish you an enjoyable learning experience, one that both stimulates your understanding of the African connection to the terror and foreign fighter trend and also challenges your perception of the need to develop specific policy solutions that addresses this connection. TGS Intelligence Solutions have organised the conference in response to concerns raised by African community leaders and parents who are truly worried about the increasing number of their children and young people accessing and being drawn to the ideology of Boko Haram and ISIS. Our work in Africa and Europe has led us to questions the extent to which current policy understands this African connection; to become concerned at the neglect of communities of African heritage; and to recognize the real danger of waiting until this connection comes into focus. This conference is one step on a road map to increase our understanding of this peril and to begin to develop proactively solutions to this African connection that both builds from and challenges existing deradicalisation and disengagement policy and practice. The theme of the morning session is captured in the question: are the U.K. and Europe in danger of ignoring the African connection? Our speakers will discuss the threat of Boko Haram in Africa and to Europe; and lead us to ponder and discuss the case for developing proactive solutions. The workshops have been designed to provide context to our understanding of global jihadism within the African context; and also provides a spotlight on some interesting, innovative and thought provoking practice. As a participant you will each receive a publication that captures the main themes of the conference and its workshops. The conference report will also set out in more detail the road map being developed by TGS Intelligence Solutions and The SISO programme. Finally, I would like to acknowledge the support of The University of East London, its staff and all our speakers and workshop leaders. And thank you once again for joining us.
Sincerely
David Otto
CEO TGS/SISO
Programme of the day
Nyema James
Director of Legal and Corporate Affairs TGS Security and Intelligence Consultants
Understanding Boko Haram and the globalization of the African conflict Part 1 H.E. Nkwelle Ekaney - Cameroonian High Commissioner: “The Boko Haram Question in Cameroon and preventing radicalisation”.
Dr. Pricilla Schwartz: Child soldiers or Child Terrorists? The Sierra Leone case. H.E. Dr. Dalhatu Sarki Tafida - Nigerian High Commissioner: “The Boko Haram Question in Nigeria and preventing radicalisation”.
Jonathan Paris: Preventing Radicalisation “The Long term trends and Violent Extremism in SSA as applied to Northern Nigeria. ” Understanding Boko Haram and the globalization of the African conflict Part 2
Brian J. Grim PH.D - “Countering Radicalisation Through Spiritual & Temporal Empowerment: A Promising Approach Among African Heritage Communities”.
Janet Hills MBPA: Preventing Radicalisation in BME communities, the role of BME women. Dr. Leroy Logan MBE: Preventing Radicalisation, The BME gang and the terrorist.
David Otto MSc – Director TGS & CEO SISO: Preventing radicalisation - “The dangers of ignoring the African Heritage communities; a peril on our door steps”
Understanding Boko Haram and the Globalization of the African Conflict.
Featuring Mama Boko Haram.
Workshops
1. Spotlight on best practice A Review of the Taploma Learning Platform and the opportunities created for public sector responses to Prevent. 2. Measuring Radicalization Presented by Tahir Mahmood- designer of the Empirical Process Model of Radicalization 3. SISO’s six steps unique radicalisation process, a comparative strategy between African and Western platforms, Presented by David Otto CEO TGS and SISO. Change over Please ensure that you attend your next workshop on time
4. The experience of the Almajiri in Northern Nigeria and Northern Cameroon - its causal impact on Radicalisation. Jointly presented by Christopher Samuel, Director of TGS Intelligence and Strategic solutions and Professor Ali Alao 5. Global Jihadism and the African Connection Presented by Yousiff Meah CEO The RecoRa Institute.
Key note Speech Aisha Wakil: My personal experience with the Boko Haram “boys”.
Closing remarks by Professor Andrew Silke
