Biographies PUBLIC HEARING - 21 MARCH 2018 “PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF VICTIMS OF TERRORISM IN THE EU”

SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON TERRORISM

Guest speakers

Seraphin Alava pg. 1

Levent Altan pg. 2

Tiina Astola pg. 3

Walter Benjamin pg. 3

Bianca Biwer pg. 4

Heather Cartwright pg. 5

Elizabeth Krahulecz pg. 6

Joëlle Milquet pg. 7

Dr. Raúl Nehama Masri pg. 8

Elisabeth Pelsez pg. 9

Sonia Ramos Piñeiro pg. 10

Philippe Vansteenkiste pg. 11

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Seraphin Alava

Member “Maison des Sciences de l'Homme”

Professor of education at the University of Toulouse II.

Member of the multidisciplinary team of the “Maison des Sciences de l'Homme” in Toulouse in the

field of radicals and regulations, the professor of education at the University of Toulouse II. He works

in the Joint Unit of Research in Education Training Work Knowledge. It works on formal, non-formal

and informal training systems and on the virtualization of its training systems. Leader of numerous

European projects in the analysis of the uses and misuse of social networks. It is at the initiative of the

PARIYS consortium and coordinates the H2020 PRACTICIES project on the characterization and

prevention of radicalization online. He has produced summaries of training courses against illiteracy

and is a senior expert in the context of the ESF project, the AUF and OIF projects. He wrote the OIF

report on the place of Francophonie training within universities (432 universities analyzed). As a

European expert on the digital uses of young people, he co-authored the French report Eu Kids online

with Professor Catherine Blaya. As a UNESCO expert on the violent use of young people and cyber-

discrimination, he leads the team of experts in the context of UNESCO’s global report on radicalization

and social media. Professor Séraphin ALAVA addresses the question of the radicalization and the exit

of the radical cycles through an educational approach aimed at reintegrating the young person into a

citizen journey. He heads the PARYS (Preventing and fighting Against Radical Ideas) network, which

brings together more than 35 researchers from 16 countries in Europe and heads the Europe office of

the UNESCO Chair in the Prevention of Radicalization.

Expert in the framework of UNESCO, the OIF, the EU on educational issues, discrimination and

cybercrime he is a cyberspace sociologist and specialist in violent and delinquent negative practices in

social networks.

cont

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Levent Altan began his career in the UK Ministry of Justice before working in the European

Commission, as well as other UK Ministries including in the Home Office and in the Cabinet Office

under Prime Ministers Blair and Brown. In 2009, he worked in the European Commission as a

national expert tasked with writing an EU Directive on victims’ rights. Over the next three years, he

developed the European Union’s policy on victims’ rights, leading the development and negotiation

of the EU Directive which establishes minimum rights for victims of crime in 27 Countries across

the European Union.

Following a two year stint leading a Justice and Home Affairs team in a European Consultancy,

Levent returned to the victims world in 2014 as Executive Directive of Victim Support Europe. In

that role, he has been leading the organisation in its work helping to establish and improve victims’

rights and services across Europe and internationally.

Since the terrorist attacks in Paris in 2015, Levent has led VSE’s efforts to ensure the European

Union, the international community and national governments put in place victim oriented terrorism

responses. This work has included co-ordinating VSE’s international NGO responses after all recent

attacks in Europe, developing proposals and guidance for the EU and UN on legislative, policy and

practical measures to respond to the needs of victims of terrorism, supporting national governments

review their response capability, and assisting NGOs develop their capacity to support victims.

Levent has spoken at a range of conferences on terrorism including for the US based International

Leadership in Counter-terrorism Conference. He is also a member of a victim focus group for the

Northern Ireland police investigation – Operation Kenova – focused on alleged murders during the

Troubles.

Levent Altan

Executive Director

Victim Support Europe

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Since 1 February 2016, Ms Astola is Director-General for Justice and Consumers at the European

Commission. The DG deals with civil justice, including contract and company law, criminal justice,

fundamental rights, including data protection and free movement, equality and consumer law and

policy.

Before joining the Commission, Ms Astola was Permanent Secretary of the Finnish Ministry of Justice,

with overall responsibility for both international and domestic law matters, including courts and

prisons. Prior to that, she headed units responsible for civil law and European law at the Department

of Legislation of the Ministry and has also worked for the Finnish Ministry of Finance and the Finnish

Foreign Trade Association.

On 22 March 2016 at the airport in Zaventem, Walter Benjamin is about to board to visit his daughter

when a suicide bomber blew himself up a few metres from him. Violently thrown back, he discovers

that he has lost one leg.

After lengthy months of hospitalisation, physiotherapy, and numerous operations, Walter Benjamin

must fight a daily struggle against his distress, black ideas, and learn to live in in a new body. Looking

for answers, he went to meet Molenbeek youngsters, in order to understand who they are. He also

regularly visits the department of the hospital where he was receiving treatment to bring hope and the

desire to fight to other patients with severe disabilities.

Walter Benjamin was born In Ixelles in 1968. He studied photography at the Academy of Arts in

Brussels. After having worked in the hotel industry, he founded together with a friend in 1995 a

matrimonial agency.

Tiina Astola

Director-General for Justice and Consumers

European Commission

Walter Benjamin

Author of the book ‘J'ai vu la mort en face’

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Bianca Biwer, born 1975 in Fulda, has been in charge of WEISSER RING’s operational business since

2013.

Before, she gained professional experience as a lawyer in Great Britain, the USA and in Zagreb and

Sarajevo after the Balkan wars.

She worked in a leading position for the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce – the umbrella

organization of Chambers of Industry and Commerce (IHKs). She was then for seven years managing

director of IHK Rheinhessen.

Bianca Biwer

Managing director

Weisser Ring

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Heather Cartwright

Director of the Office of Justice for Victims of Overseas Terrorism

National Security Division of the U.S. Department of Justice

Ms. Heather Cartwright is the Director of the Office of Justice for Victims of Overseas Terrorism

(OVT) in the National Security Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. OVT provides support

to U.S. citizen victims of overseas terrorism by helping them navigate foreign criminal justice

systems and by advocating for their voices to be heard around the world. Prior to that position, Ms.

Cartwright spent 17 years in the Department of Justice in various capacities including: Chief of the

Victim Witness Assistance Unit at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia where

she managed the largest prosecution-based victim assistance program in the federal court system;

Federal Division Director at the Office for Victims of Crime where she developed policy and

managed grants for federal victim programs; and Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of

Columbia where she prosecuted violent crimes in the local and federal courts. Ms. Cartwright

received both her Undergraduate and Law Degrees from the University of Illinois in Champaign,

Illinois.

On November 3, 2017, the American Bar Association awarded Ms. Cartwright its Frank Carrington

Crime Victims’ Rights Attorney Award for her leadership in the advancement of the rights of crime

victims and contributions over the course of her career to improve the rights of crime victims in the

criminal justice system.

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Based in Brussels, Elizabeth is former diplomat, accomplished government and public affairs

professional with an excellent EMEIA stakeholder network. In her role she engages with regulators and

public policy makers. Elizabeth has deep knowledge about Corporate Governance, Financial and

Professional Services, bringing representatives from the public and private sector together to collaborate

on possible solutions to enhance growth and competitive advantage. Elizabeth holds an M.A. in

International Relations from Westminster University. In 2014, she was awarded an Hungarian Gold

Cross of Merit (HCM) for strengthening bilateral business relations.

Elizabeth Krahulecz

Director

Head of EMEIA Regulatory & Public Policy Brussels Office

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Joëlle Milquet is a graduate in Law from the Université catholique de Louvain and has a LLM in

European Law from the Europa Instituut-Universiteit van Amsterdam.

Between 1985 and 1992, she was a lawyer of the Brussels Bar. She worked also as an auxiliary clerk to

the Belgian judge at the Court of Justice of the European Communities in Luxembourg.

Between 1987 and 1992, she was a parliamentary assistant, political secretary of the PSC group in the

Senate and assistant to the Minister of Education.

In February 1995, she became the political secretary of the party PSC before being elected Senator in

June 1995, when she chaired the Senate Committee on Internal Affairs.

Between 1995 and 1999, she became the Vice President of the PSC and was elected in October 1999

President of the political party and she organised the rebranding of the PSC to “cdH” where she served

as President from 1999 to 2011.

From 2008 to 2011, Joëlle Milquet was Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Employment, from 2011 to

2014, Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs and finally from 2014 to 2016, Minister for

Education and Culture.

She is currently Member of Parliament, lawyer of the Brussels bar, special adviser to the President of the

European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker for the compensation of the victims of crime and local

councillor in the Brussels-City.

Joëlle Milquet

Member of Parliament -

Special adviser to the President of the European Commission for the

compensation of the victims of crime

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Dr R. Nehama Masri is 70 years old and doctor specialising in psychiatry.

Cash not Ex-professor of Psychiatry at the Complutense University of Madrid.

Guidance analítico-existencial psychotherapist.

Training in Family Therapy Systemic.

Since the 90s, particularly active in the field of psicotraumatología and post-traumatic stress disorder.

In 2000, the founder and first secretary of the Sociedad Española de Psicotraumatología and

traumatic stress S.E.P.E.T. S.E.P.E.T.) (now (D.).

Experience in the field of victims of terrorism

Starting in the year 1998, with the signature of an agreement with the Association of Victims of

Terrorism (A.V.T.) to create an area that psychological healthcare facilities, adapted to the needs of

individuals. Coordinates from the beginning, between 1992 and 1994, the team, known to manifest

their needs, and organising the direct psychological assistance. After the year 1994, continues to

provide treatment to its Associates on behalf of the private clinic A.V.T. over several years.

In 1998 it is contacted by the Sub directorate-General for Support to Victims of Terrorism of the

Ministry of Interior, on behalf of that body to patients affected by terrorist attacks and their relatives.

To date, continues to provide such services as a practitioner of specialised victims. Associate of the

newly established Network of Psychologists for the Care for Victims of Terrorism of the Ministry of

the Interior, has participated as rapporteur in opening its Open Days.

The rapporteur participated in numerous conferences, symposiums and conferences on victims of

terrorism over twenty-five years. Published several articles in magazines, as well as attached to the

general media.

It has also provided training for staff of attention to victims (social workers and psychologists

A.V.T.), both for the Ministry of the Interior.

Dr Raúl Nehama Masri

Psychiatrist

Specialised in victims of terrorism

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Elisabeth Pelsez

French Liaison Judge in the UK

After graduating from the French Institut d’Etudes Politiques in 1982, Elisabeth Pelsez obtained a

degree in civil law at the University Paris II in 1983. In 1986, she graduated from the National School

for judges in France (Ecole Nationale de la Magistrature).

Elisabeth Pelsez started her career in 1987 as an examining magistrate in the Court of Bernay for

three years. She then went on to work as an enforcement magistrate in the Court of Rouen in 1991.

In 1993, she became the French liaison judge in the Netherlands where she lived for 6 years. In 1998,

she was the Leader for the European Judicial Network in criminal matters at the Ministry of Justice

in Paris. From 2001, she was Deputy Public Prosecutor in the Appeal Court of Rouen until 2003

when she was appointed Leader of the judicial cooperation within the G8 (French Presidency) where

she chaired the judicial cooperation group. In 2004, she was Inspector of the judicial services at the

Ministry of Justice in Paris until 2005. In 2005 she became the Adviser of the Minister of Justice for

youth delinquency until 2007 when she was appointed Head of the European and International

Service of the Ministry of Justice and then became the Adviser of the Minister of Justice for the

French Presidency of the European Union until 2009. In 2010, she was Assistant General Prosecutor

in the Court of Appeal of Rouen until 2011 when she was appointed Director-General of the Agency

for the Recovery and Management of Seized and Confiscated Assets (AGRASC). In 2014, Elisabeth

Pelsez became the French Liaison Judge at the French Embassy in the United Kingdom. Since

August 2017 she is the International Delegate for Victim’s support in France.

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Mrs. Ramos is the Spanish Director General of support for victims of terrorism from 2012

(Ministry of Interior), although since 2004 she already had management and support

responsibilities for the victims of terrorism in her position as deputy director. Before joining this

team she had worked in the management of the local administration.

She has a degree in law and a master's degree in public leadership.

She speaks English, in addition to her mother tongue.

She is married and has 3 children.

Sonia Ramos Piñeiro

Spanish Director General of support for victims of terrorism

Ministry of Interior

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Philippe Vansteenkiste

Director of V-Europe

International association by and for victims of terrorism

Philippe Vansteenkiste lost his sister Fabienne at the Brussels Airport attacks of 22 March 2016.

Fabienne was the only employee of the airport that did not survive. During the months following the

attacks he realized that there was no effective or adequate support in Belgium for victims of terrorism.

Neither existed in Belgium any form of official recognizance as a victim of terrorism. It was even

impossible to get somehow in contact with other victims due to the privacy laws. Unwilling to accept

this as a fact Philippe created the association V-Europe.

Philippe grew up in Zaire (actual D.R. Congo). He started his professional career as an active Belgian

Army reserve Officer in Germany. Afterwards he worked for some years in the private security sector.

Oddly enough he was at a certain moment 2nd in command of the internal security unit (policing and

inspecting) and in charge of writing and establishing security procedures at the Brussels airport. From

1993 to 2016, he worked in the international business development. He specialized in Central/Eastern

Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Southern Pacific. He insists that understanding and bridging cultural

differences are key elements to assure successful communication and thus bilateral cooperation.

In 2015 his sister Fabienne felt very uncomfortable with the airport security and asked Philippe if he

would not reconsider working for the airport security. Since the fatal date of 22.03 Philippe has solemnly

been working for the victims of terrorism.

V- Europe The association represents about 200 victims, 23 nationalities and it is managed by and for

the victims. It focusses mainly on all the victims from the Belgian attacks but also Belgian victims of

foreign attacks. First, the aims of the association were to bring the victims of the Belgian attacks together

to allow speaking with a unique voice but also to create the possibility to develop the urgently needed

peer-to-peer support. V-Europe immediately focused on advocacy regarding urgent needs and rights of

victims of terrorism. Within weeks the association managed to re-open the 22.03 Parliamentary Enquiry

Commission conclusions regarding the victims of the terrorist attacks and to give it a 360-degree turning.

V-Europe made Belgian politicians and society aware of the unacceptable current situations for victims.

Today it assures a constructive but realistic communication platform with the Belgian authorities to build

and implement new rights and laws for the victims of terrorism. V-Europe is a strong advocate of setting

up the urgently needed psychological and social support. V-Europe is a strong believer in the need to

create a European uniformity regarding recognition, rights and support for victims of terrorism. V-

Europe closely collaborates with established associations across Europe and beyond but also shares its

experiences with victims in the UK, Sweden and Germany who are in need of creating associations

specifically for victims of terrorism.