WB PaCT trains law enforcement of the Western Balkans on Foreign Terrorist Fighters

The threat posed by Foreign Terrorist Fighters (FTFs) is a major issue for international and national security, as governments are attempting to find solutions to address the complex set of challenges posed by this phenomenon.

To address this threat, CEPOL, in the framework of its WB PaCT project, organised a training for law enforcement and judicial professionals from the Western Balkans region. The activity aimed to strengthen their awareness on the best investigative practices when dealing with Foreign Terrorist Fighters, returnees and their families.

With the help of trainers from the police and the private sector from Belgium, France and EU agencies, the 27 participants increased their knowledge on the threats related to the release of radicalised individuals from prison, on radicalisation prevention, multidisciplinary cooperation and best practices on information exchange. The course also focused on legal aspects, e.g. the collection of evidence from a terrorist hotspot or a battlefield.

Reflecting on the benefits of this activity, a participant highlighted: 

Cooperation among different actors is very important when working in this area. Getting familiar with the techniques used in the EU and in the Western Balkans is going to be beneficial for my work back home, where I will aim to integrate the acquired knowledge into our programmes.

The event took place between 27-31 March in Brussels, with the support of the European Commission, Europol and Eurojust.