Government Business

Europe remains at elevated risk from terrorism, despite a period of relative calm following the most recent spate of high profile attacks. With governments throughout the region continuing to pump millions of Euro into hardening potential targets and bolstering joint intelligence gathering and policing initiatives against potential future atrocities, terrorism experts preparing to gather at the forthcoming Counter Terror Expo warn that another attack or series of attacks could be just around the corner.

We are still at risk
With the geopolitical drivers that prompted recent attacks still in play, it remains probable that terror group cells actively continue to plan future strikes in a number of countries throughout the region. Such terror groups are nowadays often highly mobile and operate autonomously, emphasising the continued need for cooperative intelligence gathering and effective and timely dissemination to all stakeholders to help deflect or deter imminent attacks.
    
“A joint approach to countering the threat from terrorism is one the principal themes at the forthcoming Counter Terror Expo. Recent history has shown explicitly that the global battle to beat the terrorist menace can only be won by effective intelligence sharing amongst all the relevant services at national and international level,” comments event director, Peter Jones. “Key speakers at Counter Terror Expo will seek to share best practice experience and drive this important and timely message home.”

Fighting the threat
Counter Terror Expo is to be held 10-11 February at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, Westminster, London.
    
The sell out event brings together 50 of the world's leading experts in the field of counter terrorism in a high-level conference addressing the significant terrorist threat continuing to face the global community. Comprising keynote plenary sessions, strategic briefings, case studies and panel discussions, conference and its associated workshops will be held against a back-drop of one of the biggest counter terror exhibitions of its kind in the world today.             

Headline issues to be addressed include critical collaboration, partnerships in a crisis, specific and emerging threats, international threat management and the capability gap.
    
The UK has seen more than its fair share of terrorist outrages in recent years and London is now gearing up to be host city for the 2012 Olympic Games. Best practice solutions aimed at preventing the spread of violent extremism and counter-radicalisation and de-radicalisation initiatives are expected to come under detailed scrutiny. So too are the lessons learned in the management and command and control of large scale terrorist attacks that have occurred in the past. London's preparedness to host the 2012 Olympic Games will therefore be a hot topic.
    
“Counter Terror Expo seeks to take the four key strands of UK counter terror policy –  Prevent, Pursue, Protect and Prepare – and foster meaningful debate in the development of global measures to deter future terrorist attacks. We fully expect that those attending Counter Terror Expo will find the event an excellent forum to achieve this goal,” concludes Peter Jones.

The conference
The highlight of Counter Terror Expo 09 is a prestigious two day conference. The interactive conference agenda comprises leading keynote and case study plenary sessions with three optional streams for maximum flexibility.
Key global issues covered:

• Find out the latest thinking and strategies to maximise inter-agency collaboration
• Hear in-depth analysis of the current national and global terrorist threats
• Discover new core competences and how to work to optimum operational efficiency
• Gain a better understanding into the psychological profile of the mind of the terrorist
• During an attack: How to quickly enhance interoperability to close the capability gap
• Implications public and media communication: how to handle both
  

Speakers
Leading international speakers include:

• Mr Mike Smith, Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations
• Mr Richard Williams, Deputy of the Director of Armaments Directorate of Division, NATO
• Dr Jack Zhang, Beijing Olympics Emergency Response System (EMS) Project Group, State Council of China
• Mr Robert Quick, Assistant Commissioner, Metropolitan Police, Chairman, ACPO
• Mr Frank Gardner, Security Correspondance, BBC 
• Ms Lisa Garin-Michaud, Bioterrorism Prevention Program, INTERPOL
• Chief Inspector Chris Philips, Head of National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO)
• Chief Superintendent Andrew Sigsworth, Head of Centre, Police National CBRN Centre
• Mr Ian Hutcheson, Security Director, BAA Ltd
• Mr Nigel Inkster CMG, Director of Transnational Threats and Political Risk, IISS & Former Director of Operations and Intelligence, British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6)
• Mr Magnus Christiansson, Senior Lecturer in Political Science, Swedish National Defence College, Stockholm, Sweden
• Ms Michele Coninsx, Belgian Delegate, EUROJUST, The Hague
• Mr Andrew Robinson, Hon Consul for France in the UK
• Mr Paul McKeever, Chair, The Police Federation
• Cllr Brian Coleman, Chairman, London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority
• Dr Marc Kenzelmann, Head National NBC Protection and Coordination Office, Federal Department of Defence
• Deputy Chief Constable Andy Trotter, British Transport Police, Chair, ACPO Media Advisory Group
• The Baroness Neville-Jones of Hutton Roof DCMG, Shadow Security Minister
• Deputy Assistant Commissioner Richard Bryan, Head of the Olympic Security Directorate, Metropolitan Police
  

For more information
For further information about CTX 2009, please contact Nicola Greenaway, marketing director, Niche Events on This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , +44 (0) 208 542 9090 or visit our website www.counterterrorexpo.com to register your interest to attend.