[ABC.NET.AU] Governments and security agencies around the world are struggling to contain violent extremism and need to invest more money to stop terrorist attacks, according to a leading Australian terrorism expert.Dr Clarke Jones from the Australian National University said the threat from radicalised groups and individuals had been underestimated.
"This year is going to be a year of terrorism in the sense that I think we are going to see more small scale attacks," he said.
The warning follows last month's Lindt Cafe siege in Sydney and recent terrorist attacks in Gay Paree and Belgium.
Dr Jones said authorities were growing increasingly concerned about violent
"Terrorism is changing and over the last 12 months ... where we are today is different from where we were before, we are seeing the nature of terrorism changing," he said.
Jailing people would be 'counter-productive'
Dr Jones is among a group of international experts working to set up Australia's first Centre for Intervention and Countering Violent Extremism (CVE).
The centre's programs will focus on not just research but intervention for young people at risk of becoming radicalised.
"The individual is treated separately because there's not one pathway to radicalisation," he said.
"That would involve a social worker, a psychologist, maybe a psychiatrist in some cases - but [it would involve] trying to understand the situation and assess the level of radicalisation and work towards the other way," Dr Jones said.
He added the plan was for individuals to participate in one of the three programs depending on the level of radicalisation, following assessments done by psychologists and other experts.
"We can't just lock them away in maximum security prison, that's going to be incredibly ineffective and counter-productive."
The centre will also have the backing of international anti-terrorism research institute Hedayah, based in the United Arab Emirates.