Ines Von Behr is an analyst at RAND Europe who has extensive experience in policy analysis. She presented RAND's report on radicalization in the digital era, which examined 15 cases of terrorism and found that individuals accessed radical material online mainly to seek instruction or reinforce existing views. While the internet can facilitate radicalization, it is only one part of the process and should not be overestimated. RAND's latest project, IMPACT Europe, aims to independently assess existing counter-radicalization programs in order to guide future efforts and fill gaps in knowledge on effective counter-radicalization work.

1. nes Von Behr, an analyst for research
company RAND Europe, has extensive
experience in policy analysis, project
development and programme
management. Prior to joining RAND, she
worked at NATO on emerging security
challenges, at the European Commission as
a programme manager, and for the
Canadian Government as a senior desk
officer on the Middle East.
During this year’s Counter Terror Expo,
held at London Olympia on 29-30 April, Ms
Von Behr presented RAND’s latest report,
‘Radicalisation in the Digital Era’.The report
examined the use of the internet in 15
cases of terrorism and extremism.
Ms Von Behr said: “After 9/11,counter
terror policies changed tremendously and the
pace increased again following the events of
July 2005 and then again after the Boston
bombing in 2013.Following the Arab Spring,
with large numbers of foreign fighters
travelling to the region,the counter terror
landscape has become a complex situation.
“The geographical spread of terrorism
today is more dispersed,and capabilities
have evolved over the years so terrorists can
now work both on and offline.At the same
time groups are more fragmented,which
makes the fight against them far more
complicated.
“The role of the internet and social media
in terrorism is a big topic; we need to look
carefully at how to tackle it.”
RAND tackled this research with the help
of the Association of Chief Police Officers
(ACPO) and the UK’s Counter Terrorism
Units (CTUs).These groups provided RAND
with access to interviews with several
extremists and convicted terrorists.
After gathering this information, RAND
analysed the computer registries of TACT
(Terrorism Act) offenders, and conducted
interviews with senior police officers who
had led internet-related terrorism
investigations.These interviewees listed
the two main reasons people accessed
radical material online as: to seek
instruction and to reinforce their existing
world views.This showed that while the
internet accommodated the radicalisation
of individuals, it was only one aspect of
influence.
Ms Von Behr explained: “The key message
of the RAND study is that the internet can
facilitate the radicalisation of individuals,but
it is only one part of the whole process,so it
should not be overestimated.
“I think it is essential to focus on the
potential interaction between the offline
and online worlds, placing the internet in
the context of an individual’s personal
history and cultural relationships.The
internet can’t be seen as the only route to
radicalisation.”
Other ‘routes’ can include schools, faith-
based organisations, prisons, workplace
F E A T U R E
14 MOD DCB :: 25 June 2014 ::Vol 12 No 12 :: www.contracts.mod.uk 15www.contracts.mod.uk ::Vol 12 No 12 :: 25 June 2014 :: MOD DCB
environments and even families and
friends.
With such a mixed landscape of threats,
Ms Von Behr stressed that further research is
needed to establish how best to tackle
radicalisation.
She added: “The absence of robust
comprehensive analysis of counter
radicalisation programmes is quite a
concern, because it is not clear if previous
counter terror programmes have been
effective in changing the attitudes and
behaviour of those vulnerable to
radicalisation material online.
“A lot of people confuse anecdotal
evidence with data. For example, if someone
were to download Inspire – Al-Qaeda’s
propaganda magazine – that does not make
them a radical.
“It is very important to have concrete
evidence of how individuals use the internet
and to put this in the right context.
“A lot of the counter radicalisation
programmes that exist already look to tackle
this issue,but most of these programmes differ
greatly from each other.There are different
approaches,such as setting up a counter
narrative from that of the radicals or working
with the local community.
“Rather than more counter radicalisation
programmes,an independent assessment of
what is out there already would be the most
effective way to guide future activities.”
This independent assessment is RAND’s
latest project – IMPACT: Innovative Method
and Procedure to Assess Counter-violent-
radicalisation Techniques in Europe.
Ms Von Behr said: “IMPACT Europe is a
project running from January 2014 to June
2017.It will include extensive,multi-
disciplinarian research and development from
the most renowned research institutes in
Europe and beyond.
“It is co-funded by the European
Commission,and includes the police and end
users working together with think tanks and
RAND practitioners.
“Having a continuous dialogue between
practitioners and key policy makers on
counter terror methods is – I believe - the right
approach.”
IMPACT attempts to fill the gaps in
knowledge that are currently limiting the
effectiveness of counter violent
radicalisation work.The end goal is an
information toolkit that will enable policy
makers,practitioners and academics to
choose what works in countering
radicalisation programmes and to
incorporate those findings in their day-to-
day work.
Ms Von Behr concluded: “We will be
keeping the public updated on our progress,
with news items and conferences.Just now we
are focused on researching the project,but
media and communication activities are also
an important part of the project.”
Further Information
For more information,visit:www.rand.org
More information on IMPACT Europe can be
found at: http://impacteurope.eu/
RAND Europe:
researching radicalisation
Research organisation RAND Europe works with senior public sector clients to develop public policy
solutions in the security environment.Its latest project,IMPACT,examines how to tackle the violent
radicalisation that fuels terrorism.MOD DCB features writer Julie Shennan caught up with RAND
Europe’s Ines Von Behr to find out more.
I
“I think it is essential to focus on the potential
interaction between the offline and online worlds,
placing the internet in the context of an individual’s
personal history and cultural relationships. The
internet can’t be seen as the only route to
radicalisation” Ines Von Behr,RAND Europe
Ines Von Behr,an analyst for
research,RAND Europe