NAMIBIAN authorities need to register subscriber identity module (SIM) cards to prevent and counter the use of mobile phones in terrorism and extremist activities.
This was one of the recommendations from a workshop that discussed how security agencies should prevent radicalism, violent extremism and religious tensions.
Namibia Central Intelligence Service director general Phillemon Malima on Thursday said the public should be engaged through educational and awareness raising programmes, while communication strategies to prevent terrorists should be crafted.
Malima said the two-day workshop identified the need to focus on preventing and countering violent extremism.
It concluded that the empowering of women and youth on security issues should be prioritised.
“These recommendations and our future collaborative efforts will help us to formulate a comprehensive national plan of action to prevent and counter violent extremism,” said Malima.
Namibia’s neighbour, South Africa, in 2011 introduced the Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication-Related Information Act, (RICA), that requires all SIM cards operating on local mobile networks to be registered by mobile service providers. This means that individuals need to provide an identity document, physical address and or postal address for a SIM card to be active.
RICA was in response to an increase in organised crime activities that utilised mobile communications technology.
The meeting in Windhoek served to promote proactive engagement amongst national security agencies and political and public stakeholders.
It provided the invited foreign experts and local participants with a platform to define and analyse religious and other forms of extremism and fundamentalism.
It also explored links between extremism and terrorism and was a platform to share experiences of stakeholders in an effort to raise awareness of the need to combat such activities.
Over 160 people drawn from various government departments, state-owned enterprises, political parties, youth groups, religious communities and academia attended the workshop that ended on Thursday.
– Nampa
NAMIBIAN authorities need to register subscriber identity module (SIM) cards to prevent and counter the use of mobile phones in terrorism and extremist activities.
This was one of the recommendations from a workshop that discussed how security agencies should prevent radicalism, violent extremism and religious tensions.
Namibia Central Intelligence Service director general Phillemon Malima on Thursday said the public should be engaged through educational and awareness raising programmes, while communication strategies to prevent terrorists should be crafted.
Malima said the two-day workshop identified the need to focus on preventing and countering violent extremism.
It concluded that the empowering of women and youth on security issues should be prioritised.
“These recommendations and our future collaborative efforts will help us to formulate a comprehensive national plan of action to prevent and counter violent extremism,” said Malima.
Namibia’s neighbour, South Africa, in 2011 introduced the Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication-Related Information Act, (RICA), that requires all SIM cards operating on local mobile networks to be registered by mobile service providers. This means that individuals need to provide an identity document, physical address and or postal address for a SIM card to be active.
RICA was in response to an increase in organised crime activities that utilised mobile communications technology.
The meeting in Windhoek served to promote proactive engagement amongst national security agencies and political and public stakeholders.
It provided the invited foreign experts and local participants with a platform to define and analyse religious and other forms of extremism and fundamentalism.
It also explored links between extremism and terrorism and was a platform to share experiences of stakeholders in an effort to raise awareness of the need to combat such activities.
Over 160 people drawn from various government departments, state-owned enterprises, political parties, youth groups, religious communities and academia attended the workshop that ended on Thursday.
– Nampa
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