Belgian authorities will start cooperating more closely to better share information in the fight against radicalisation and extremism among minors, announced Flemish Minister for Justice and Enforcement Zuhal Demir (N-VA).
The number of minors involved in terrorist activities is on the rise, according to recent figures from State Security and the Coordination Unit for Threat Analysis (CUTA). According to the administrator general, as many as one third of those seeking to commit acts of terrorist violence are minors. Last year, the youngest person in these files was 13 years old.
Now, the Flemish Agency for Adolescence has signed a cooperation agreement with CUTA. "This agreement has come at the right time, given the increasing number of minors involved in such cases," said Demir.
In absolute numbers, the number of minors involved is still limited. In the context of terror or radicalisation, seven minors currently reside in the Flemish Community Institutions – for which Demir and Flemish Minister for Welfare and Combating Poverty Caroline Gennez are jointly responsible.
"Nevertheless, the trend is definitely alarming," Demir said. "This calls for a targeted approach to closely monitor and supervise these young people."
Improved information exchange
The cooperation between the Flemish Agency for Adolescence and CUTA is now pushing both parties to share relevant information for better risk assessment of these threats. Minors suspected or convicted of terrorism or extremism will be actively reported to CUTA. The latter will then use that sensitive information to prepare their threat assessments.
The enhanced cooperation also ensures that minors at risk will be followed up more personally. Minors can be more quickly identified if they remain susceptible to extremism, despite their treatment.
Specifically, data exchange between the Adolescence Agency and the CUTA will be via a closed VPN connection. This will ensure that the two organisations can securely access and share relevant information about minors. To respect the Data Protection Act, the cooperation bears the stamp "sensitive unclassified" and information is handled with great care.
"Radicalisation and extremism are a persistent threat to our society. By joining forces with CUTA, we not only identify threats faster, but also provide more personal guidance and support to young people at risk," said Demir. "In this way, we can ensure a safe future for all young people, and thus for our entire society."
