Under the assumption that radicalized RFTF’s had the assignment, skillset, and intention to seek opportunities to recruit and carry out terrorist attacks for the IS and, therefore, would impose a significant threat to national security, there should be a strategy to cope with this problem. This paper wants to analyse the approach to this issue in Germany, especially since they don't seem to have a comprehensive strategy to this day.
Between 2011 and 2015, as a result of the violent conflict in Syria/ Iraq, U.S. and German intelligence reports estimated volunteers traveling to the conflict zone up to 36.500 stemming from 100 countries (thereof 960 Muslim men/ women from Germany = DEU). Their aim was to support the Islamic State (IS) and to take part in its war-fighting/ terrorist attack efforts. By 2019, 30% of the German fighters have returned, 103 were sentenced/ detained including “at least 80” with “military training” of whom 34 will be released in 2023. In anticipation of a future inbound flow of these combatants back to their homeland, the U.N. Security Council resolution 2178 called in 2014 all “Member States” to develop/ implement “rehabilitation and reintegration strategies for returning foreign terrorist fighters” (RFTF).
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. RESEARCH RESULTS FOR SUCCESSFUL REHABILITATION
2.1 Theoretical Considerations
2.2 Good Practice Tenets
3. GERMANY’s REHABILITATION APPROACH ASSESSED
3.1 Threats & Opportunities
3.2 Weaknesses & Strengths
4. POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
4.1 Tactical measures
4.2 Operational-strategic initiatives
5. CONCLUSION
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This paper examines the policy-relevant challenges concerning the rehabilitation of returning foreign terrorist fighters (RFTFs) in Germany, specifically addressing the upcoming release of detainees and the systemic improvements required for more effective deradicalization. The research investigates current tactical and strategic deficits in the state's approach and proposes actionable reforms for a more integrated, cross-sectoral rehabilitation strategy.
- The management and rehabilitation of soon-to-be-released Islamist detainees.
- Evaluation of Germany's current deradicalization framework using the TOWS matrix.
- Identification of tactical and operational-strategic improvements for national coordination.
- Enhancement of religious rehabilitation capacities and inter-agency cooperation.
- Development of sustainable transition models from custodial to community-based settings.
Excerpt from the Book
3. GERMANY’s REHABILITATION APPROACH ASSESSED
The paper proceeds with applying a “TOWS Matrix” methodology (Weihrich, 1982, p. 54). Firstly, the external environment of DEU’s rehabilitation organization will be examined regarding the main 'Threat' and 'Opportunity' (3.1). After that, section 3.2 will highlight the internal 'Weaknesses' and 'Strengths' of the rehabilitation approach in view of the previously outlined success categories in chapter two.
The central threat aspect concerns re-radicalization. Departing from: a) 13 Islamist/ jihadist terrorist attacks since 2015, b) an estimate of 28.290 potential Islamists, and c) a pool of 6 fundamentalist Muslim associations disturbingly influencing the religious education of the Muslim minority in DEU by conducting Quran camps and running internet homepages, there is a latent threat and conduciveness for fueling recidivism and recruitment processes of released beneficiaries/ non-detained RFTFs (BMI, 2021, Braun, 2018, Heinke & Raudszus, 2018, Trauthig, 2018, Wikipedia, 2023, Euler, 2019). It is further alarming that these associations try to reach out to confined beneficiaries which further puts the prisons at risk of becoming breeding grounds for re-radicalization (Trauthig, 2018). For the 34 soon-to-be-released persons, the paper assumes that they will possess a relatively high-profile coinciding with a high likelihood that Muslim fundamentalists try to approach, recruit, and re-radicalize them.
Summary of Chapters
1. INTRODUCTION: Outlines the historical context of foreign fighters, the specific threat profile for Germany, and the research questions focusing on both tactical release management and operational-strategic policy adjustments.
2. RESEARCH RESULTS FOR SUCCESSFUL REHABILITATION: Establishes a theoretical and practical benchmark for rehabilitation, covering life-cycle models of radicalization, the significance quest theory, and international good practice tenets.
3. GERMANY’s REHABILITATION APPROACH ASSESSED: Applies the TOWS matrix to perform a situational analysis of the German approach, identifying significant threats of re-radicalization alongside institutional weaknesses and existing structural strengths.
4. POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS: Derives actionable solutions for the immediate management of returning fighters and suggests broader initiatives across SO, WO, ST, and WT strategic categories.
5. CONCLUSION: Synthesizes the core findings and emphasizes the urgent need for a unified national coordination body to align the disparate efforts of governmental and non-governmental actors.
Keywords
Terrorism, Foreign Terrorist Fighters, Rehabilitation, Germany, Deradicalization, Radicalization, Policy Recommendations, National Security, TOWS Matrix, Islamist Extremism, Reintegration, Recidivism, Case Management, Prison Programs, Religious Counseling.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The research explores the challenges Germany faces in rehabilitating returning foreign terrorist fighters (RFTFs) and assesses the efficacy of current governmental approaches to deradicalization.
What are the central research questions addressed?
The study focuses on how to manage the release of specific detainees on a tactical level and what institutional adjustments are necessary at the operational-strategic level to improve rehabilitation outcomes.
Which methodology is employed in the analysis?
The paper utilizes a TOWS Matrix methodology to evaluate the external threats and opportunities against the internal weaknesses and strengths of the existing German rehabilitation system.
What is the author's argument regarding the rehabilitation of soon-to-be-released detainees?
The author argues for the immediate assignment of individual case officers from regional coordination centers to act as the primary link between the various governmental, non-governmental, and community actors involved in the rehabilitation process.
What role do non-governmental organizations play in the proposed strategy?
NGOs, such as the Violence Prevention Network, are identified as essential partners for providing nationwide standards and practical support that bridge the gap between custodial and community-based rehabilitation.
Why is religious education considered a vital component of the study?
Religious rehabilitation is identified as a currently underrepresented mode in Germany; the study proposes a public certified religious counselor degree to combat influence from extremist associations.
How does the federal structure of Germany complicate current rehabilitation efforts?
The division of responsibilities among the 16 Federal States creates unharmonized initiatives, barriers to effective information sharing due to data protection laws, and disparities in how Muslim communities are engaged.
What impact does the "significance quest theory" have on the author's recommendations?
The theory informs the recommendations by highlighting that interventions must address the underlying individual needs, the harmful narratives, and the extremist networks that drive individuals toward or away from radicalization.
Are the proposed solutions currently being implemented in their entirety?
No, the paper notes that the German strategy is incomplete, suffers from a lack of centralized coordination, and faces ongoing political debates regarding the funding of certain Muslim associations.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Mathias Jahn (Autor:in), 2023, The rehabilitation of "Returning Foreign Terrorist Fighters". German Approach to a Nation-wide threat, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1336029
