Country Reports on Terrorism 2012

(INCSR), Volume 2, Money Laundering and Financial Crimes:
http://www.state.gov/j/inl/rls/nrcrpt/index.htm.
Regional and International Cooperation: Norway continued its support for the UN Counter-
Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF) with a contribution of US $446,000 to a project
designed to facilitate counterterrorism technical assistance in two pilot countries (Nigeria and
Burkina Faso), and a contribution of US $80,300 to a CTITF project on implementing the
regional counterterrorism strategy for Central Asia. Norway has also provided US $80,300 to a
joint project led by the UN’s Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate and the Center on Global
Counterterrorism Cooperation to promote regional counterterrorism cooperation in South
Asia. Furthermore, Norway has provided US $375,000 to the University of Pretoria’s Institute
for Strategic Studies to build counterterrorism capacity in the police and judiciary systems of
African countries. Norway remains a member of the EU's Radicalization Awareness Network, an
umbrella network of practitioners and local actors involved in countering violent extremism that
is designed to enable the members to share and discuss best practices in spotting and addressing
radicalization and recruitment leading to acts of terrorism.
Countering Radicalization and Violent Extremism: The Norwegian government continues to
implement its plan to counter radicalization and violent extremism. The plan covers 2010 to
2013 and focuses on four priority areas: increased knowledge and information; strengthened
government cooperation; strengthened dialogue and involvement; and support for vulnerable and
disadvantaged people.
On November 8, the Police Security Services and the Oslo Police announced a plan to address
radicalization in Oslo. The plan will be modeled on previous initiatives to de-radicalize members
of violent right-wing extremist groups.
RUSSIA
Overview: Terrorist attacks stemming from instability in the North Caucasus continued to be
committed in Russia. Separatists and violent Islamist extremists calling for a pan-Islamic
caliphate within the Caucasus constituted the main terrorist threats. Separatism, inter-ethnic
rivalry, revenge, banditry, and violent Islamist extremist ideology were the primary motivating
factors for terrorism-related violence in 2012. Violence similar to that observed in the North
Caucasus has also occurred in other areas of Russia, as seen most notably in July with the
bombing in Tatarstan. Russia continued its efforts to arrest and disrupt militants.
Under the framework of the U.S.-Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission (BPC), the U.S. and
Russian Chairmen of the Counterterrorism Working Group (CTWG) met in February 2012 to
discuss U.S.-Russian counterterrorism cooperation. The Chairmen discussed cooperation in the
Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF), countering violent extremism, countering terrorist
threats to the tourism industry, terrorist designations, and preparations for the Sochi Olympics.
Additional BPC activity in counterterrorism included several joint military exercises that dealt
explicitly with terrorism-related scenarios, collaboration on nuclear and transportation security,
and joint programs on financial monitoring.
Russia also continued to participate in the yearly Four-Party Counterterrorism Working Group,
which includes the Federal Security Service (FSB), the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), the
88