Feb 10, 2008


Three Research Analysts from CAPS, Halim Kousary (Jebsen Fellow), Kamran Sartor and Hamayoun Rahimi attended a two-week intensive training program at the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR) in Singapore, from January 14 through January 25, 2008. The ICPVTR is a research centre within the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

 

During the first week of the training, participants from three countries, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh, attended seminars on research methodologies, terrorism and counter-terrorism, critical thinking, time management and presentation skills. The seminars were followed by open discussions which engaged the three analysts from CAPS in dialogue with other analysts and presenters.

 

The second week of the training focused on briefings and presentations on strategic, operational and tactical counter terrorism focusing on South Asia and Southeast Asia.  The presentations also focused on specific themes such as jihadism on the internet, counter ideology communications and terrorism finance.

 

CAPS analysts presented on Counter Insurgency (Halim Kousary); Suicide Terrorism (Hamayoun Rahimi); and Tribal Structures (Kamran Sartor). At the end of the two-week training program, the three analysts received Certificates in “Terrorism Analyst Training Course” from the ICPVTR.

 

The training provided tremendous exposure to the three analysts where they got an opportunity to interact with analysts and policy makers from various countries.