REHABILITATION COUNTRY PROFILES
The challenge of ISIS returnees
As of January 2018, around 150 Danish citizens had travelled to Iraq and Syria to join terrorist groups; 50 of these had returned to the country by this point. Among European nations, Denmark was second only to Belgium in terms of per capita production of foreign fighters for ISIS. Thomas Hegghammer’s analysis of jihadist fighters who had returned from conflicts raised the the alarm that many these former fighters might present a security risk upon return. This created a vivid problem for Denmark: managing the risk of those who have already been radicalised and limiting the spread of radicalisation in the population.
Denmark was also shaken by three attacks which killed two individuals in 2015, which were carried out by Omar Abdel Hamid El-Hussein – the first Danish ‘home-grown’ attacker, who had been born and raised in Denmark.
The Aarhus Model: Building trust and integration
The Aarhus model, named after Denmark’s second-largest city, focuses on building trust between authorities and the social circles in which radicals operate. The city is home to the Grimhøj mosque where a reported 23 Danish jihadi fighters were radicalised; the mosque’s spokesperson has also expressed support for ISIS.
The aim of the Aarhus model is to help individuals who have become radicalised find a way back into society, unlike the carceral focus of some states. Jørgen Ilum, a police commissioner involved in establishing the programme, stresses the importance of maintaining contact with Danish fighters returning from conflict zones for monitoring and intervention. The model was designed in tune with existing Danish practices to crime prevention. Through an extensive network of approximately 250 individuals, including teachers, social workers, and community members, commonly referred to as ‘scouts,’ the Aarhus model provides continuous training to identify signs of radicalisation.
It is based on holistic collaborative efforts between various public, private and community agencies to develop prevention and exit processes. The prevention programme focuses on reducing the risk of violent radicalisation among young individuals who do not currently pose any security challenges but where there are concerns their behaviour may escalate over time. The exit program is designed for individuals who are already radicalised and possess the intention and capability to engage in harmful acts.
It comprises two main approaches: mentor support and exit talks.
Mentoring individuals at risk
Mentors and resource personnel collaborate with schools, social services, and the police, coordinated by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Integration. Participation in the mentoring program is voluntary. Individuals who are offered the opportunity can choose to accept or decline. Furthermore, mentees have the freedom to discontinue the mentoring relationship if they change their mind or no longer wish to participate. The mentor programme comprises a group of mentors with diverse educational backgrounds and professional experiences. This diversity is essential as the program aims to address radicalisation from various ideological perspectives, including left-wing, right-wing, and religious extremism.
Many mentors have often themselves undergone the process of de-radicalisation, followed by training through seminars conducted by the Department of Psychology at Aarhus University. Their support involves individual mentorship for young people showing signs of radicalisation, providing advice, guidance, counselling and social support to keep them away from extremist circles. One mentor has described the process as ‘help to self-help’.
Exit talks
Exit talks are preventive discussions with individuals assessed to have been radicalised, aiming to foster understanding of the consequences of extremism and offer alternatives to violence as a means to achieve their personal and political goals. They are led by the Danish Security and Intelligence Services’ Centre for Prevention. Coaches, equipped with in-depth knowledge of radicalisation processes and with extensive experience in building relationships, engage extensively with individuals who have been involved in extremist circles. The objective is to establish mutual understanding between the counsellor and the individual, leading to the formulation of a personalized action plan towards reintegrating the individual into society.
The coaches strive to cultivate understandings of the consequences of extremism and of having a criminal past. At the same time, they provide legitimate alternatives to extremist ideologies in order to diminish the allure of violent extremism. For instance, the coaches promote participation in humanitarian activities as an alternative way to address social problems and greivances, rather than through violence.
Getting ‘Back on Track’
Denmark also has a program called ‘Back on Track’ which supports prison inmates who have hbeen convicted of terrorism or involved in hate crimes. It is a collaborative effort between the Danish Department of Prisons and Probation, the Danish Ministry of Children, Gender Equality, Integration, and Social Affairs, and is supported by the EU Commission, and has been integrated into an existing mentoring programme. ‘Back on Track’ helps prisoners reintegrate into mainstream society. Inmates identified as extremists or radicalised are placed in special units where they are unable to exert influence over other inmates. Mentors are assigned to these designated inmates, and assessments are conducted to enhance the mentorship process.
To be eligible for parole, individuals must fully engage in all aspects of the rehabilitation program. This requirement emphasizes the importance of their active involvement to be granted release.
Collaboration
The collaboration underpinning the Aarhus Model includes private sector bodies, institutions and government agencies. Aarhus Mayor, Jacob Bundsgaard, highlights the significant advantage of this approach, stating that the close collaboration allows for the identification and intervention of at-risk youth who may be prone to radicalisation. The involvement of multiple local government agencies also enables a comprehensive, multiagency approach to intervention.
These agencies are coordinated via an organisational framework known as Schools, Social Service, and Police (SSP). The SSP is an pre-existing structure in Denmark that focuses on crime prevention, and which has been integrated and extended into efforts to counter violent extremism and radicalisation. Engagement with youth takes place at the local level, involving institutions such as youth clubs, schools and social services. Nationally, the focus is on building capacity and supporting local initiatives through skill enhancement activities, counselling workshops and the development of methods to combat extremism and radicalisation. The aim is to strengthen both local and national efforts in addressing the issue effectively.
Other aspects of the programme include:
→ The InfoHouse: A central gathering point for information on individuals potentially involved in violent extremism, where cases are assessed, and responses are formulated;
→ Workshops: Workshops carried out in schools raise awareness about the risks of radicalisation amongst young people, focusing on identifying risks, building resilience, and encouraging active citizenship;
→ A parents’ network: This was established to support those parents who wish to get actively involved in the de-radicalisation process.
The ‘Good Life’
Aarhus University’s Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences has developed a theoretical basis for understanding the processes, risks, and resilience factors involved in various forms of radicalisation, not limited to radical Islamist extremism. It operates on the presumption that every individual aspires to lead a ‘good life.’ The focus is on providing the opportunity for these individuals to reintegrate into society and lead productive lives. The quest for the good life entails overcoming obstacles, challenges, and setbacks. Regardless of gender, life history, or religious, social, and cultural background, every individual encounters fundamental challenges in progressing through their lives. Individuals need to be equipped with sufficient skills to navigate life’s tasks and make important decisions.
This insight guides mentorship training and the supervision of mentors working with specific individuals with the aim of identifying risks, promoting empowerment and fostering resilience. The Aarhus Model is also based on the principle of inclusion, which emphasizes meaningful participation in various aspects of society. It aligns with the conceptualisation of modern democracy, enabling the legal participation of diverse interest groups to address emerging challenges. The Aarhus Model channels personal, social, cultural, and political motivations toward democratic, legal and inclusive forms of participation and citizenship.
Outcomes and challenges
The programme faces criticisms of being unduly soft and naive, which may leave it vulnerable to changes in the political climate, particularly as attitudes to minorities harden. The Danish approach to counter-radicalisation is particularly notable for the level of cooperation it establishes between civil society and state services, which may be a challenge to sustain within changing political environments.
Further, the system will need to pivot to a changing environment for radicalisation, where it is becoming more common for lone actors to self-radicalise online. This creates challenges for the detection of individuals through community resources and indicates a need for online monitoring and in encouraging the reporting of concerning behaviour through friends and family networks.
Nonetheless, the model has received positive international attention, forming the model for other interventions. Danish police have credited the scheme with reducing offences and the numbers of individuals travelling abroad to engage in terrorism, meaning that supporters of the scheme can point to its proven track record to support its sustainability and ability to develop in order to meet new challenges.