Ministers of Defense from 41 Muslim countries started in Riyadh today the Inaugural Meeting of the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) Ministers of Defense Council, marking the official launch of a pan-Islamic, unified front to support the global struggle against terrorism and violent extremism. The Inaugural Meeting, held under the theme "Allied Against Terrorism", includes an opening address by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense . At the half-day gathering, IMCTC Acting Secretary General, Lieutenant General Abdulelah Al-Saleh, outlines the Coalition's strategy, governance, activities and future plans. In addition, eminent keynote speakers present their perspectives on counter terrorism efforts in each of the IMCTC's four key domains: Dr. Mohammad Al-Issa, Secretary General of the Muslim World League, introduces the Ideology domain, and the necessity of promoting a message that counters the narrative of violent extremist ideology and reaffirms Islamic principles of tolerance and compassion, through presenting the true nature of Islam and supporting ideological, psychological, and social reforms Dr. Mohammad Al Momani, Minister of State for Media Affairs of Jordan discusses the Communications domain, and the importance of producing and disseminating factual, scholarly and engaging content to undermine and counter the appeal of violent extremism. Dr. Ahmed Abdulkarim Alkholifey, Chairman and Governor of Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority, discusses Counter Terrorist Financing and the need to promote best practices and advance legal, regulatory, and operational frameworks in prevention, detection, and seizure operations. General Raheel Sharif presents the Military domain, which aims to assist in the coordination of resourcing and planning of Member Country military CT operations; facilitate the secure sharing of military information; and encourage military CT capacity and capability building to ultimately deter aggression and violence. The Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition was announced in December 2015 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense to form a unified pan-Islamic front against terrorism. In March 2016, Chiefs of staff from Islamic countries met in Riyadh, and affirmed their determination to intensify efforts in fighting terrorism through joint work according to their capabilities, based on the desire of each member country to participate in operations or programs within the IMCTC framework as per its policies and procedures, and without compromising the sovereignty of the Coalition member countries. The IMCTC is a willing coalition of 41 countries that form a pan-Islamic, unified front in the global fight against terrorism and violent extremism. The Coalition provides a platform for member countries to unite and coordinate their counter-terrorism efforts across four domains - Ideology, Communications, Counter Terrorist Financing and Military - in collaboration with supporting nations and international organizations. The IMCTC acts in response to the threat of terrorism that has impacted Muslim and non-Muslim countries and has distorted the image of Islam. For further details on the IMCTC please visit: http:///www.imctc.org
