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View Full Version : Comparing British & French CT; tough and tougher?



Jedburgh
10-27-2009, 02:16 PM
Security Studies, 1 Jul 09: Reforming Counterterrorism: Institutions and Organizational Routines in Britain and France (http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/documents/STANFORD_ReformingCounterterrorism_InstitutionsOrg anizationalRoutines_UK_France.pdf)

This article seeks to explain why two states faced with a similar terrorist threat, perceiving it in a similar way, and drawing the same broad implications for their counterterrorist investigations, have nevertheless put in place significantly different types of organizational reforms in response to that threat. The study shows that although France and Britain have embraced a common preventive logic in the face of Islamist terrorism, the changes that they have made to the coordination of intelligence, law enforcement, and prosecution in that context have differed because of contrasting organizational routines and interinstitutional conventions in the two states. An analysis of the British and French cases shows that law enforcement can be preventive but that western states are likely to pursue different ways of bringing security agencies and the law together to prevent and prosecute terrorism. The organizational and institutional factors that give rise to such divergent practices have important consequences for the ability of a state to develop a coordinated operational response to terrorism and convict terrorist suspects of crimes in a court of law.

davidbfpo
05-02-2013, 08:22 PM
A new book this week 'Countering Terrorism in Britain and France’ by Dr Frank Foley, has had some coverage here:
He, too, had long been baffled by the varied approaches. And one thing that has become clear from his research is that the reason has little to do with the European court and much more to do with the different recent histories of the two countries and how their institutions have developed.

Link to an article focussing on the UK's inability to deport Abu Qatada:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/10025512/France-shows-us-how-to-deal-with-jihadis.html

An ICSR podcast:http://icsr.info/2013/05/icsr-seminar-dr-frank-foley-presents-new-book-on-counter-terrorism-in-britain-and-france/

Three years ago I posted the thread 'Londonistan: Muslim communities in France & UK:
Largely for historical reasons IMHO neither the UK or the USA closely look at how France has responded to the violent Jihad and Muslim communities. Plus of course the language barrier.

Link:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/showthread.php?t=16376

davidbfpo
05-09-2013, 01:55 PM
An ICSR Insight on Anglo-French CT:http://icsr.info/2013/05/icsr-insight-counterterrorism-why-france-is-tougher-than-britain/

The book itself is a wee bit expensive at 53 UK Pounds and 80 US$:http://www.amazon.co.uk/Countering-Terrorism-Britain-France-Institutions/dp/1107029694/ and in the USA:http://www.amazon.com/Countering-Terrorism-Britain-France-Institutions/dp/1107029694/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1368105850&sr=1-1&keywords=Countering+Terrorism+in+Britain+and+Franc e

A short review by David Anderson, the UK Independent Reviewer of Terrorism legislation, via Twitter:
Londonistan vs the usual suspects? This good (but pricey) comparison of UK and French approaches to CT tells all.

davidbfpo
06-01-2013, 11:08 PM
An AP article on:
A tough debate now rages within the intelligence community - previously focused on searching for al-Qaida cells - on how to assess red flags without violating basic liberties.

Confronting an overwhelming sea of mostly harmless individuals who act suspiciously, authorities are still struggling with questions about how and how much to keep tabs on people who spout jihadist rhetoric online or buy material that could be used to make explosives - or something innocuous.

Link:http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_268744/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=Jw3KiTxR

davidbfpo
06-04-2013, 09:35 PM
As the book is expensive this review maybe a substitute, even a catalyst to buy!

Link:http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/books/2013/06/countering-terrorism-in-britain-and-france-by-frank-foley-review/

davidbfpo
10-04-2013, 09:29 PM
Frank Foley is interviewed in a Kings of War podcast, 17 mins long and interesting contrasts drawn between France and the UK:http://warstudies.podomatic.com/entry/2013-10-04T08_50_51-07_00

davidbfpo
01-13-2015, 10:27 AM
OK, not his book, rather a newspaper article which asks:
Charlie Hebdo attack: is France’s counter-terrorism model still the example to follow? Big Question: A reassessment of the French approach, which once made the country Europe’s 'counterterrorist powerhouse’, is long overdueLink:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/11341186/Charlie-Hebdo-attack-is-Frances-counter-terrorism-model-still-the-example-to-follow.html

There's also a Kings podcast (8 mins):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu22Y0kIzJ0&feature=youtu.be