Preventing jihadist radicalisation in Spanish prisons

Abstract

The process of radicalisation, that often takes place in prisions in European and Muslim countries, is extremely important to understand the challenges and threats for the international security, caused by jihadist terrorism. It is necessary to analyse how condemned individual becomes involved in militant activities. The article analyses the problem of violent radicalisation in Spanish prisions and examines anti-terrorist policy based in this context on the idea of prevention, deradicalisation and disengagement. The research is focused on the conditions and purposes of the Spanish strategies and programmes introduced in the penitentiary centers in the response to the jihadi recruitment in the Iberian Peninsula. The author emphasises the priorities of the National Strategic Plan to Combat Violent Radicalisation approved in 2015 and other initiatives and regulations to stop the Salafi proselytism and unable the indoctrination activities among the Muslim in prisions. The methodological analysis is based on the integration of historical and system method and refers to the Marc Sageman’s theory of the jihadist network, which is more appropriate to understand how they appear and operate. The main finding of the article is that Spanish authorities have implemented the multidimensional and integrated programmes countering violent extremism and anti-radicalisation in prisions that are effective, despite some elements that could be improved.

Keywords

• radicalisation
• deradicalisation
• terrorism
• Europe
• Spain
• prisons