By Amanda Vicinanzo, Senior Editor of Homeland Security Today
Anthony Kimery, Editor-in-Chief of Homeland Security Today
Special to In Homeland Security
Although jihadi propaganda videos released in the past year have continuously called for terrorist attacks on the U.S. and the West, it was not until after the heinous attacks in Paris that the White House scheduled an international anti-extremism summit initially set for last year, but postponed without explanation.
The decision to schedule the summit only in the wake of the Paris attacks highlights growing concerns that terrorist organizations such as the Islamic State (ISIS) and Al Qaeda are a step ahead of US counterterrorism efforts.
Scheduled for February 18, 2015, the Summit on Countering Violent Extremism will discuss domestic and international efforts to counter violent extremism—particularly the radicalization and recruitment of individuals in the US and abroad to commit acts of violence— in light of recent terrorist attacks in Ottawa, Sydney, and Paris.
“The summit will include representatives from a number of partner nations, focusing on the themes of community engagement, religious leader engagement, and the role of the private sector and tech community,” the White House said. “Through presentations, panel discussions and small group interactions, participants will build on local, state, and federal government; community; and international efforts to better understand, identify, and prevent the cycle of radicalization to violence at home in the United States and abroad.”
In addition to criticism for not holding the summit last year when it was originally scheduled, the current administration has also been scrutinized for the title of the upcoming Summit—the “Summit on Countering Violent Extremism.”
“It’s not just Islamic violent extremism we want to counter,” press secretary Josh Earnest said Monday when asked to explain why “Islamic” was omitted from the title of an upcoming Summit on Countering Violent Extremism. “There are other forms [of violent extremism].”
Read the full article at HSToday
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