Dealing with Jihadism: A policy comparison between the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, France, the UK and the US (2010 to 2017)

This report offers an understanding of counter-terrorism and counter-radicalisation policies in the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Its emphasis is on developments following the 11 September 2001 attacks, and addresses the phenomenon referred to as jihadism. The report identifies three developments: 1) the development of counterterrorism and counterradicalisation as actual policy domains, 2) increased coordination of policy and initiatives for information-sharing, 3) unclear demarcation of the policy domain. Security and Global Affair

Measures against Jihadist Foreign Fighters: A policy comparison between the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, France, the UK and the US (2010 to 2017)

From the time when the problem of people travelling to areas of conflict in Syria and Iraq became a topical issue at the end of 2012, many European countries as well as the United States have taken measures to prevent actual or would-be travellers and to prosecute and/or monitor returnees. This report provides an overview of measures taken, and the instances in which they are being taken, focusing on "person-specific measures". The report shows that the reviewed countries generally take similar initiatives. Nonetheless, there are significant differences in terms of political organisation, powers and legal culture. In a broader sense, this report attempts to shed light on the changing toolbox states have at their disposal as they try to face up to potentially violent, internationally operating non-state actors.Security and Global Affair

Beleidsdomein aanpak jihadisme: een vergelijking tussen Nederland, België, Denemarken, Duitsland, Frankrijk, het VK en de VS

Deze studie brengt in kaart wat in Nederland, België, Denemarken, Duitsland, Frankrijk, het Verenigd Koninkrijk en de Verenigde Staten wordt gegaan tegen ‘jihadisme’. Er is vooral gekeken naar hoe terrorismebestrijding en de aanpak van radicalisering in de bovengenoemde landen is opgezet. Hierbij is enerzijds gekeken naar beleidsplannen en strategieën en anderzijds naar welke actoren actief zijn op het gebied van terrorismebestrijding en het tegengaan van radicalisering. Alle landen ondernemen activiteiten op deze twee gebieden, hoewel er tussen de landen onderling wel verschillen zijn. Coördinatie van beleid en informatiedeling worden in toenemende mate belangrijk vanwege de inzet op een brede aanpak. Daarnaast kent de aanpak van ‘jihadisme’, vooral waar het de aanpak van radicalisering betreft, geen heldere grenzen door de toetreding van niet-traditionele veiligheidspartners en niet-overheidspartners.Security and Global Affair

Lone-Actor Terrorism: Analysis Paper

Security and Global Affair

Analysing the Processes of Lone-Actor Terrorism: Research Findings

This Research Note presents the outcome of an investigation into the processes of lone-actor terrorism which was part of the Countering Lone-Actor Terrorism (CLAT) Project. The research is based on a database of both plots and attacks across the twenty-eight EU member states, plus Norway and Switzerland, in the period 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2014. The database covers more than 70 variables and includes information relating to 120 individuals. This Research Note outlines some of the key findings of the CLAT project pertaining to 1) attack methodology and logistics; 2) political engagement and online activity and 3) leakage and interactions with authorities. The results relating to the personal characteristics of lone-actor terrorists are presented in a different Research Note in this issue of Perspectives on Terrorism.Security and Global Affair

Exploring discordance between Health Literacy Questionnaire scores of people with RMDs and assessment by treating health professionals

OBJECTIVES: We studied discordance between health literacy of people with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) and assessment of health literacy by their treating health professionals, and explored whether discordance is associated with the patients' socioeconomic background. METHODS: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), spondyloarthritis (SpA), or gout from three Dutch outpatient rheumatology clinics completed the nine-domain Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ). Treating health professionals assessed their patients on each HLQ domain. Discordance per domain was defined as a ≥ 2-point difference on a 0-10 scale (except if both scores were below three or above seven), leading to three categories: "negative discordance" (i.e. professional scored lower), "probably the same", or "positive discordance" (i.e. professional scored higher). We used multivariable multilevel multinomial regression models with patients clustered by health professionals to test associations with socioeconomic factors (age, gender, education level, migration background, employment, disability for work, living alone). RESULTS: We observed considerable discordance (21-40% of patients) across HLQ domains. Most discordance occurred for "Critically appraising information" (40.5%, domain 5). Comparatively, positive discordance occurred more frequently. Negative discordance was more frequently and strongly associated with socioeconomic factors, specifically lower education level and non-Western migration background (for five HLQ domains). Associations between socioeconomic factors and positive discordance were less consistent. CONCLUSION: Frequent discordance between patients' scores and professionals' estimations indicates there may be hidden challenges in communication and care, which differ between socioeconomic groups. Successfully addressing patients' health literacy needs cannot solely depend on health professionals' estimations but will require measurement and dialogue

Verdieping bewaken en beveiligen, editie juli 2023 (2/2023)

De ‘Verdieping Bewaken en Beveiligen’ brengt verdieping aan op actuele gebeurtenissen en ontwikkelingen gerelateerd aan het stelsel Bewaken en Beveiligen. Deze Verdieping wordt aangeboden aan experts die werkzaam zijn bij de stelselpartners en de ketenpartners van het stelsel. Daarnaast wordt dit product aangeboden aan geïnteresseerden in een bredere kring rond het stelsel, waaronder academici, journalisten en politici.Security and Global Affair

Genetic, household and spatial clustering of leprosy on an island in Indonesia: a population-based study

BACKGROUND: It is generally accepted that genetic factors play a role in susceptibility to both leprosy per se and leprosy type, but only few studies have tempted to quantify this. Estimating the contribution of genetic factors to clustering of leprosy within families is difficult since these persons often share the same environment. The first aim of this study was to test which correlation structure (genetic, household or spatial) gives the best explanation for the distribution of leprosy patients and seropositive persons and second to quantify the role of genetic factors in the occurrence of leprosy and seropositivity. METHODS: The three correlation structures were proposed for population data (n = 560), collected on a geographically isolated island highly endemic for leprosy, to explain the distribution of leprosy per se, leprosy type and persons harbouring Mycobacterium leprae-specific antibodies. Heritability estimates and risk ratios for siblings were calculated to quantify the genetic effect. Leprosy was clinically diagnosed and specific anti-M. leprae antibodies were measured using ELISA. RESULTS: For leprosy per se in the total population the genetic correlation structure fitted best. In the population with relative stable household status (persons under 21 years and above 39 years) all structures were significant. For multibacillary leprosy (MB) genetic factors seemed more important than for paucibacillary leprosy. Seropositivity could be explained best by the spatial model, but the genetic model was also significant. Heritability was 57% for leprosy per se and 31% for seropositivity. CONCLUSION: Genetic factors seem to play an important role in the clustering of patients with a more advanced form of leprosy, and they could explain more than half of the total phenotypic variance

Is the beck anxiety inventory a good tool to assess the severity of anxiety? A primary care study in The Netherlands study of depression and anxiety (NESDA)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Appropriate management of anxiety disorders in primary care requires clinical assessment and monitoring of the severity of the anxiety. This study focuses on the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) as a severity indicator for anxiety in primary care patients with different anxiety disorders (social phobia, panic disorder with or without agoraphobia, agoraphobia or generalized anxiety disorder), depressive disorders or no disorder (controls).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Participants were 1601 primary care patients participating in the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA). Regression analyses were used to compare the mean BAI scores of the different diagnostic groups and to correct for age and gender.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Patients with any anxiety disorder had a significantly higher mean score than the controls. A significantly higher score was found for patients with panic disorder and agoraphobia compared to patients with agoraphobia only or social phobia only. BAI scores in patients with an anxiety disorder with a co-morbid anxiety disorder and in patients with an anxiety disorder with a co-morbid depressive disorder were significantly higher than BAI scores in patients with an anxiety disorder alone or patients with a depressive disorder alone. Depressed and anxious patients did not differ significantly in their mean scores.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The results suggest that the BAI may be used as a severity indicator of anxiety in primary care patients with different anxiety disorders. However, because the instrument seems to reflect the severity of depression as well, it is not a suitable instrument to discriminate between anxiety and depression in a primary care population.</p