The Netherlands will be the headquarters of a new international institute on counterterrorism. One of the institute’s main tasks will be to develop legal instruments that will make it easier to punish terrorists. Loopholes in current international law means that terrorists can often get away with their crimes.

‘We need to put an end to terrorist safe havens,’ said Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Verhagen. ‘We have a duty to ensure that terrorist suspects are brought to trial, whatever country they may operate in. Just as the terrorists themselves take no notice of national borders, so we too must work internationally to stop them.’

Mr Verhagen has informed parliament that the institute will open in The Hague in the spring of 2010. It will serve as an independent hub in the international counterterrorism network of academics, policymakers and implementing agencies. Last year, parliament had urged that such an institute be established.

Besides developing legal instruments to punish terrorism, the institute will conduct research into prevention. On a global scale, there is too little understanding of the processes that lead to violent extremism.

‘If we have a better grasp of the factors that lead people to choose terrorism, we can take action to eliminate these causes,’ the minister observed.



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