RICU – Research, Information and Communications Unit
Estimating network
size and tracking
information
dissemination
amongst Islamic blogs
March 2010
(Research completed April 2008)
Beginning of report
Estimating network
size and tracking
information
dissemination
amongst Islamic blogs
March 2010
(Research completed April 2008)
CONTEST, the UK’s counter-terrorism strategy, aims to reduce the risk to the UK and its interests from
international terrorism, so that people can go about their daily lives freely and with confidence. It details the
terrorist threat we face and how it has evolved, and sets out the principles that govern our response to this
threat, our achievements to date, the challenges, and what we intend to do next.
CONTEST comprises four principal workstreams, each with a clear objective:
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Pursue – To stop terrorist attacks.
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Prevent – To stop people becoming terrorists or supporting violent extremism.
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Protect – To strengthen our protection against terrorist attacks.
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Prepare – Where an attack cannot be stopped, to mitigate its impact.
A copy of the CONTEST strategy is available on the Home Office website:
http://security.homeoffice.gov.uk/news-publications/publication-search/general/HO_Contest_strategy/HO_
Contest_strategy22835.pdf?view=Binary
The Research, Information and Communications Unit (RICU) was established in June 2007 and is staffed and
directed by CLG, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Home Office. The unit forms part of the Office
for Security and Counter Terrorism in the Home Office and supports the delivery of CONTEST.
The purpose of RICU is to ensure that the UK Government communicates effectively to reduce the risk of
terrorism, by:
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advising CONTEST partners on their counter-terrorism-related communications
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using communications to expose the weaknesses of violent extremist ideologies and brands, and
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using communications to support credible alternatives to violent extremism.
Fundamental to achieving RICU’s objectives is the