Egypt’s Al-Azhar Observatory for Countering Extremism on Tuesday (September 3rd) met with EU counter-terrorism co-ordinator Gilles de Kerchove to review efforts to combat terrorism and extremism, Egypt’s Ahram Online reported.
Al-Azhar Observatory general co-ordinator Tarek Shaaban discussed the efforts of the Observatory and the work mechanisms of its various units.
Shaaban said the Observatory's approach is based on monitoring, translating and analysing reports issued by terrorist groups in foreign languages, as well as monitoring reports issued by research centres studying extremism.
The EU counter-terrorism co-ordinator praised the role of Al-Azhar Observatory in confronting extremist ideologies and the importance of its mission in exposing the falsity of extremist groups' ideologies.
In a Monday meeting with de Kerchove, Minister of Interior Mohamed Tawfik stressed the need to consolidate international counter-terrorism efforts between the ministry and agencies concerned with security matters in the EU.
Tawfik briefed de Kerchove on his ministry's proactive strategy to combat terrorism, and on the state's efforts to disband terror groups, dry up their funding and destroy their infrastructure, according to a ministry statement.
He also expressed the ministry's readiness to develop security co-operation with all EU counter-terrorism bodies to confront threats, particularly by sharing information on terrorist elements, their movements and their funding sources.
