Country Reports on Terrorism 2012

Regional and International Cooperation: Turkey is a founding member of the GCTF and is
co-chair along with the United States. Foreign Minister Davutoğlu co-chaired the second GCTF
Ministerial meeting in Istanbul in June, and the third GCTF Ministerial in Abu Dhabi in
December. As co-chair, Turkey has provided extensive secretariat support. Turkey also
participates actively in the OSCE. Turkey has taken part in expert meetings on the prevention of
violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism (VERLT) organized by the
OSCE/Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and the OSCE Secretariat, including
through the participation of the Permanent Representative of Turkey to the OSCE, as moderator
of one session of the October 23-24 meeting on "Youth Engagement to counter VERLT.”
The TNP also created a new multilateral training organization, the International Association of
Police Academies, to increase sharing of policing research and best practices in the field of
police education. The TNP offers 18 counterterrorism-related training programs at its Anti-
Terrorism Academy that are designed primarily for law enforcement officers from Central Asian
countries.
Countering Radicalization and Violent Extremism: The Government of Turkey has two
significant programs in place to counter radicalization and violent extremism. The first,
administered by the TNP, is a broad-based outreach program to affected communities, similar to
anti-gang activities in the United States. Police work to reach vulnerable populations (before
terrorists do) to alter the prevailing group dynamics and to prevent recruitment. Police use social
science research to undertake social projects, activities with parents, and in-service training for
officers and teachers. Programs prepare trainers, psychologists, coaches, and religious leaders to
intervene to undermine radical messages and prevent recruitment. The second program,
administered by the Turkish government’s Religious Affairs Office (Diyanet), works to undercut
violent extremist messaging. In Turkey, all Sunni imams are employees of the Diyanet. In
support of its message of traditional religious values, more than 66,000 Diyanet imams
throughout Turkey conducted individualized outreach to their congregations. Diyanet similarly
worked with religious associations among the Turkish diaspora, assisting them to establish
umbrella organizations and providing them access to instruction. Diyanet supported in-service
training for religious leaders and lay-workers via a network of 19 centers throughout Turkey.
UNITED KINGDOM
Overview: In 2012, the UK continued to play a leading role in countering international
terrorism. The UK government implemented its updated counterterrorism strategy, CONTEST,
which was released in 2011. This update of CONTEST, the first under the coalition government,
set out the UK’s strategic framework for countering the terrorist threat at home and abroad for
2011-2015. The foreword to the updated strategy by UK Home Secretary Theresa May states,
“Greater effort will be focused on responding to the ideological challenge and the threat from
those who promote it; we will also work harder to prevent people from being drawn into
terrorism and ensure that they are given appropriate advice and support. CONTEST’s alignment
with the U.S. National Strategy for Counterterrorism will help facilitate continued close
counterterrorism cooperation between the United States and the UK.”
The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the London 2012 Olympics ensured the world’s attention was
on the UK for much of the year and as a result, British security services mobilized forces and
101