International Centre for Counter-Terrorism

The International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT) is an independent think-and-do tank providing multidisciplinary policy advice and practical support focused on prevention, the rule of law and current and emerging threats three important parts of effective counter-terrorism work.

History
ICCT was established in The Hague in 2010, after an initiative originating in the Netherlands' parliament with a motion by Dutch Member of Parliament Coskun Çörüz in April 2008. ICCT is supported by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ICCT began as a unique partnership between three renowned institutions based in The Hague: the T.M.C. Asser Institute, the Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael, and the Institute for Security and Global Affairs (ISGA) at Leiden University. Since 2021, ICCT continued as an independent organisation ("Stichting").

Staff
The current director of ICCT is Thomas Renard.

ICCT's staff includes a number of scholars and practitioners with expertise in the fields of counter-terrorism and international diplomacy. Alex P. Schmid is a distinguished research fellow at ICCT and director of the Terrorism Research Initiative, an international network of scholars working to enhance international security through collaborative research, and he was formerly Officer-in-Charge of the Terrorism Prevention Branch of the United Nations.

Activities
ICCT's work focuses on themes at the intersection of countering violent extremism and criminal justice sector responses, as well as human rights related aspects of counter-terrorism. Its major project areas concern: countering violent extremism, rule of law, preventing and countering violent extremism, foreign fighters, country and regional analysis, rehabilitation, civil society engagement and victims' voices.

ICCT convenes forums, workshops and Live Briefing on topics such as radicalization, foreign fighters, the legal boundaries of the battlefield, administrative measures and Gender and extremism. The centre also frequently conducts training programs, provides technical assistance to missions and carries out country-specific analyses of terrorism and its effects.

Counter-Terrorism Research and Analysis – Working with academics and think thanks on developing policy relevant knowledge on prevention and rule of law based approaches to counter-terrorism, including trends analysis

Policy Advice and Implementation – Bringing together policymakers, experts, civil society actors and frontline practitioners to share expertise, and providing advice, training and capacity building

Monitoring and Evaluation – Systematically assessing counter-terrorism policies and strategies to provide feedback loops between policy and practice and contribute to evidence-based planning and implementation

Training Modules and Summer Programmes – tailored to different target audiences ranging from postgraduates to senior policymakers and judges, on a variety of topics and organised both in-house and on location.

European and international cooperation
ICCT engages with a vast and diverse network of international organisations, government departments, NGOs, academic institutions, think tanks and civil society organisations from around the globe. The centre works closely with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) including various agencies of the United Nations such as the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED); the UN Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF); the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI); the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF); and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

Also in the European context, ICCT stands at the forefront of institutional collaboration. It is member of the consortium for the Radicalisation Awareness Network Centre of Excellence and cooperates among others with the European Commission and the European External Action Service.