The International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law (IIJ) successfully delivered the second edition of the Counter Terrorism Academic Curriculum programme for Arabic speaking practitioners from the MENA region. The IIJ is grateful for the support of the Moroccan Higher Judicial Institute [Institut Supérieur de la Magistrature] who partnered with us in the implementation of this activity and enabled the in-person training to be held at their new training centre in Rabat, Morocco.
The training brought together 19 judges, prosecutors, and investigators from Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Mauritania and Morocco.
Prior to attending the one week, in-person course, participants successfully completed a four-week online component focusing on proactive, intelligence-led investigations and prosecutions. Arriving in Rabat for the in-person component, the participants continued to work collaboratively with highly experienced experts, including Mr. Taoufik Bouachba, Tunisian lawyer and legal advisor at the Arab Interior Ministers’ Council (AIMC); Mr. Bahaddine Saadi, Tunisian expert in security and counterterrorism; and Mr. Hicham Kantar, an experienced judge from Lebanon. The course also featured online interventions by Ms. Ashley Hamer, Senior Investigator at Conflict Armament Research, who presented on Exploiting IEDs, Seized Weapons, and Ammunition in Counter-Terrorism Proceedings, as well as by Dr. Judge Borhene Azizi, representative of the Naif Arab University for Security Sciences, Saudi Arabia. Participants also heard from the IIJ’s experienced team including Mr. John Hughes, Senior Investigations Advisor, whose operational expertise enriched the practical exercises and Mr. Mike Grant, Prosecutor and Director of the Programmatic Unit, who provided comparative insights from the prosecutorial perspective.
Throughout the week, participants engaged in rich exchanges on challenges and good practices in counterterrorism cases including discussions on effective use of mutual legal assistance and judicial cooperation, returning foreign terrorist fighters, terrorist financing and other topics. They also worked intensively on group exercises focused on responding to a terrorist attack, strengthening witness protection, and enhancing coordination at national and regional levels.
The IIJ was honoured by the attendance of Mr. Irchad Benqadi, Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Morocco, at both the opening and closing ceremonies; Mr. Matt Moore, Legal Attaché, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Embassy to Morocco at the opening ceremony and Mr. Graham Jenkins, Assistant Legal Attaché, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Embassy to Morocco at the closing ceremony. The IIJ is also grateful for the presence of Mr. Abdelhanine Altouzani, General Director of the Higher Judicial Institute, who welcomed the participants and offered generous support and hospitality throughout the in-person course. The programme was held under the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the IIJ in 31 October 2024.