Obama Aims To Broaden World Approach To Extremism

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is focusing Wednesday on the need to combat the underlying ideologies that entice otherwise modern individuals — including many disaffected youth — to join violent extremist movements.

Obama is convening a White House summit on the threat of violent extremism. It is not the summit he envisioned.

Planned for last October, the summit never happened before the midterm elections. In the months since, the situation has just gotten worse, with the Islamic State group metastasizing and European cities learning firsthand that extremism's reach is not confined to the Middle East.

During the three-day conference, Obama is highlighting local models for preventing radicalization. Community leaders will present "pilot programs" they've put in place in Los Angeles, Boston and Minneapolis.