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Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Office of Counter-Terrorism (Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵOCT) held a training to strengthen Iraqi law enforcement officials¡¯ skills in Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) techniques, on 27-29 September 2026 The training was delivered in Baghdad, Iraq, under the CTTECH+ initiative jointly implemented by the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre (Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵCCT) in Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵOCT with INTERPOL, and funded by the European Union.
In the fight against terrorism, information is one of the most powerful tools available to investigators. It is therefore crucial that the information is collected and preserved in a safe and timely manner. OSINT training aims to equip law-enforcement officials with the skills to identify, assess and responsibly use information available in public sources. As terrorist networks increasingly exploit digital platforms, developing strong OSINT capabilities enables investigators to respond more quickly, make better-informed assessments and support investigations more effectively.
The CT TECH+ OSINT training addressed:
- Search, Monitoring, and Social Media Intelligence (SOCMINT)
- Image and video OSINT, Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT)
- Dark web and cryptocurrency investigations
- Applying artificial intelligence to OSINT
Participants engaged in practical exercises to apply the newly acquired OSINT techniques and solve various case studies, bridging theory and practice.
Besides OISNT, the CT TECH+ initiative has already trained Iraqi law enforcement officials on artificial intelligence, dark web, and cryptocurrencies investigations. It has also provided capacity-building support on addressing the threats stemming from terrorist use of new technologies, prioritizing risks, and developing policy responses to address these risks, in compliance with international law and human rights.
Through the CT Tech+ initiative, the partnership between Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵOCT and Iraq has strengthened national capacities to address threats stemming from the use of new technologies for terrorist purposes, assess and prioritize the risks and to develop effective, human rights-compliant policy responses.
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"Technology is constantly changing the security environment. Strengthening the skills of Iraqi law enforcement to identify, assess and responsibly use information from open sources supports more effective investigations and contributes to our shared objective of a safe and stable Iraq,"
