From 11 to 13 February, the IIJ delivered a three-day training in Hammamet, Tunisia, on “Online Recruitment by Terrorist Organisations and the Use of Digital Evidence,” bringing together 12 mid to senior level Tunisian practitioners. Participants included six experienced counter terrorism law enforcement officials and six judges and prosecutors from the Ministry of Justice handling terrorism cases.
Delivered entirely in Arabic, the programme adopted a highly practical and technical approach. It strengthened participants’ capacity to detect online radicalisation and recruitment tactics, collect and preserve digital evidence, apply Open Source Intelligence tools, and address admissibility challenges in court, including in cross border contexts.
The training was honoured by the presence of Hejer Elleuch, General Director of the Security Pole for Counterterrorism and Organised Crime, whose intervention underscored the strategic importance of enhancing digital investigative capacities and reinforcing coordination between investigators and magistrates in response to evolving terrorist threats.
The quality of the interventions was outstanding, including contributions from a senior law enforcement expert and from the Arab Interior Ministers Council (AIMC), whose operational experience enriched discussions and encouraged dynamic peer exchange. The IIJ maintains a Memorandum of Understanding with the Arab Interior Ministers Council, reinforcing institutional cooperation and joint efforts to strengthen counter terrorism capacity across the region. Participants demonstrated strong commitment and professionalism throughout the three days, particularly during group work built around a realistic case study simulating an online recruitment network operating through social media and encrypted platforms. Mixed teams of investigators and prosecutors analysed digital evidence, prioritised investigative steps, addressed evidentiary challenges, and coordinated operational and judicial responses.
The IIJ extends its sincere appreciation to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the British Embassy Tunis for their generous support of this programme. The activity contributed to strengthening inter agency cooperation and enhancing Tunisia’s capacity to prevent, investigate, and prosecute terrorism related offences in full compliance with the rule of law and international standards.