Disengagement and Critical Aftercare

For national security-related reasons, PET is paying great attention to individuals returning to Denmark from international war zones like Syria or Iraq. As a part of our broader range of preventive efforts PET coordi-nates and collaborates with the police and the municipality to re-establish their ties to the Danish society. As part of the Danish Preventive Model for countering radicalisation and violent extremism, PET facilitates, supports and coordinates the activities related to the National Critical Aftercare.

Though the practice applies to all individuals on a path toward violent extremism, it has been tailored toward Danish foreign fighters. By training and cooperating with authorities within the Danish crime preventive struc-tures, PET are working closely with the National Police, Social services, Prison and Probation Service and the psychiatric system, supporting a local preventive approach to Foreign Fighters. The aim is to reduce the risk from returning foreign fighters who may have acquired the will and capacity to carry out terror-related offenses in Denmark, including acts of violence, as a consequence of newly adopted networks, abilities to handle weapons and, not least, traumas resulting from their experiences and actions in Syria, Iraq or else-where.

The particular practice of Disengagement and Critical Aftercare is comprised of two closely coordinated sets of local activities that are aimed at pulling foreign fighters away from a path of violent extremism:

• Disengagement-talks initiated by PET or specially trained police officers in the police districts;
• Capacity building and advising critical aftercare centers at municipal level, including on casework.

In order to minimise the threat of attacks committed by violent extremists, the Centre for Prevention initiates disengagement talks and assists the provision of critical aftercare services that are anchored in the national police districts (called Info houses) and supported by the local municipalities.

Contact details:

Politiets Efterretningstjeneste
Klausdalsbrovej 1
2860 Søborg Denmark

RAN Secretariat
Email: ran@radaradvies.nl