CONTEST is the name of a counter-terrorism

Counter-terrorism

Counter-terrorism is the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, militaries, police departments and corporations adopt to prevent or in response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed.The tactic of terrorism is available to insurgents and governments...

 strategy developed by the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

's Home Office

Home Office

The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...

 in early 2003. A revised version of 'CONTEST', was released on March 24, 2009. An Annual Report of CONTEST was released in March 2010. The official objective of the strategy is "to reduce the risk from international terrorism, so that people can go about their daily lives freely and with confidence."

CONTEST

CONTEST was elaborated on in a July 2006 Home Office document presented to Parliament

Parliament of the United Kingdom

The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...

 entitled Countering International Terrorism: The United Kingdom's Strategy. It is split into four main aspects called the four P's: Prevent, Pursue, Protect, and Prepare.

Prevent

The goal of prevention is to reduce the threat of international terrorism by focusing on the radicalization of individuals. This includes fixing structural problems, deterring those who incite and organize terrorism, and waging a campaign to counter ideologies that are brandished in support of terrorism.

Pursue

The goal of this aspect is to go after terrorists posing a threat to the UK and its interests through intelligence collection and analysis, and disruption (especially through prosecutions), both with increased international cooperation.

Protect

This aspect focuses mainly on improving overall security, including with regard to borders, certain utilities, transportation, and public places.

Prepare

The preparation part of the strategy is based on a three step process of risk and vulnerability analysis, improved response capabilities, and constant preparedness evaluation.

Revised version of CONTEST

The updated strategy is reported to put more focus on ways of prevention and how to best alert the public of terrorist threats. In an article written for The Observer

The Observer

The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...

, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown

Gordon Brown

James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...

stated that the strategy is "recognized" by our allies to be world-leading in its wide-ranging nature, [and] leaves us better prepared and strengthened in our ability to ensure all peace-loving people of this country can live normally, with confidence and free from fear."

External links

• Countering International Terrorism: The United Kingdom's Strategy (downloadable p d f)

\*Counter-terrorism strategy from the Office for Security and Counter Terrorism