France: Centre aims to fight against radicalization and terrorism

The fight against terrorism and the radicalization of young people in France has stepped up a notch higher with a new initiative.

The Centre for Action and Prevention against Radicalization of Individuals (CAPRI) based in Bordeaux is a first of its kind.

Le #CAPRI à Bordeaux, pionnier d’un nouveau modèle de lutte contre la radicalisation ? https://t.co/UZGA5BVJdD pic.twitter.com/GJ4mnXcCYY— Thomas Schumacher (PaxAquitania) January 11, 2016

Here, 30 young people under 25 years are keenly monitored. About 70% are men who are unemployed and are considered as easy prey for jihadist recruiters.

The centre uses a multidisciplinary approach and has Imams, psychiatrists educators and social wokers at the helm of its leadership.

The centre also uses collegial diagnostics which ‘looks ahead’ for possible diagnosis of radicalization.

Inspired by British and Scandinavian models, the founders of the project have pooled the expertise of the Muslim Federation of Gironde, the Bordeaux city hall and French lawyer Daniel Picotin, who wanted to establish a “vigilance committee on radicalization ”.

CAPRI has attracted the attention of other countries especially Belgium.

According to Marik Fetouh, who heads the Bordeaux operations, Belgian minister for Youth Aid Rachid Madrane is expected to visit the centre in June to discuss ways to set up a similar project in Belgium.

Madrane’s visit which was expected to take place earlier was postponed due to the the Brussels bombings on Tuesday that left 31 dead and about 300 others wounded.