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TERRORISMWhat We’ve Learnt About Lone-Actor Terrorism Over the Years Could Help Us Prevent Future Attacks
Politically motivated attacks, carried out by lone individuals lacking direct affiliation with any terrorist group, have become more common in Europe during the last few decades. Lone-actor attacks are difficult to prevent precisely because they are not a systemic threat in the way that coordinated, group-based terrorism can be. Its danger lies in isolated bursts of violence rather than in sustained campaigns. But there are patterns worth following that could help prevent future incidents.
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EXTREMISMContinued Post-Oct. 7 Spike in Antisemitism: 84% Increase in Incidents on Campus; 21% Increase in Physical Assaults
The massive spike in antisemitic incidents following the Oct. 7 massacre in Israel continued in 2024, with totals again exceeding any other annual tally in the past 46 years. This is the fourth year in a row that antisemitic incidents increased and broke the previous all-time high.
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DEPORTATIONSWhy Is Trump So Intent on Sending Illegal Immigrant Noncriminals to Prison Camps in El Salvador?
The myth of the illegal immigrant crime wave persists in the face of overwhelming evidence. Where are the hordes of terrorists and murderers that Trump promised to deport? Abrego Garcia, who probably isn’t an angel, is reminding everybody that there just aren’t that many illegal immigrant terrorists and criminals. The truth is, the administration is trying to deport illegal immigrant criminals who simply aren’t here.
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CYBERSECURITYNeed for National Information Clearinghouse for Cybercrime Data, Categorization of Cybercrimes: Report
There is an acute need for the U.S. to address its lack of overall governance and coordination of cybercrime statistics. A new report recommends that relevant federal agencies create or designate a national information clearinghouse to draw information from multiple sources of cybercrime data and establish connections to assist in criminal investigations.
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GENOCIDE PREVENTIONTrain Law Enforcement in Genocide Prevention
Rutgers Miller Center and UVA Center for Public Safety and Justice launch global initiative to train law enforcement in ethical leadership, community protection, and genocide prevention.
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ASSASSINATIONSDeclassified JFK Files Provide “Enhanced Clarity on CIA Actions, Historian Says
Fredrik Logevall, Pulitzer winner writing three-volume Kennedy biography, shares takeaways from declassified docs.
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TERRORISMThe Trump Administration Says Tren de Aragua Is a Terrorist Group – but It’s Really a Transnational Criminal Organization. Here’s Why the Label Matters.
The U.S. declared the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, as well as some Mexican drug cartels, as foreign terrorist organizations. But classifying Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization has sparked debate among observers: Tren de Aragua is primarily a profit-driven group, not an ideological one –placing the organization more firmly in the transnational organized crime category rather than a political terrorist group.
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TERRORISMU.K. Counter Terrorism Officers Call on Parents to Be Aware
Counter Terrorism officers from the Met Police are urging parents across London to be aware of the signs that might indicate that their child could be vulnerable to radicalization or being drawn into dangerous forms of violent extremism.
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SECURITY OFFICERSFormer SPFPA’s Official Pleads Guilty to Illegal Labor Payments
A Florida couple pled guilty earlier this week to conspiracy to provide and receive prohibited labor payments. The husband, Ricky Dallas O’Quinn, served as both an officer and employee of International Union, Security, Police and Fire Professionals of America (SPFPA), a labor organization which represents protective security officers at federal workplaces.
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IMMIGRANTS & CRIMERisk Analysis of Mass Shootings Committed by Immigrants and Native-Born Americans
Foreign-born people are not disproportionately responsible for deaths or injuries caused by mass shootings. The chance of being murdered in a mass shooting committed by a native-born American was about 1 in 10.5 million per year, about 6.5 times higher than the chance of being killed by a foreign-born mass shooter, which was about 1 in 68.4 million per year.
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DEPORTATIONSUnder Pressure from Trump, ICE Is Pushing Legal Boundaries
Confrontations with judges are grabbing attention, but more quietly a pattern of questionable arrests shows the extent to which the administration is willing to test norms and laws.
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EXTREMISMThe Rise and Fall of Terrorgram: Inside a Global Online Hate Network
White supremacists from around the world used Telegram to spread hateful content promoting murder and destruction in a community they called Terrorgram. ProPublica and FRONTLINE identified 35 crimes linked to Terrorgram, including bomb plots, stabbings, and shootings. After several arrests of alleged Terrorgram members and reforms by Telegram, experts expect that extremists will find a new platform for their hate.
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POLITICIZING THE FBIThe Parallels Between Kash Patel and William J. Burns, a Scandal-Mongering 1920s FBI Director — an FBI Historian Explains
As an FBI historian, I have researched political influence on the FBI. It’s still early days, but Kash Patel’s confirmation has one clear, if century-old, comparison in FBI history. It is not J. Edgar Hoover, but Hoover’s immediate predecessor, William J. Burns, who served as director from 1921 through 1924.With bogus charges and spurious probe, Burnsused the FBI to go after lawmakers who wanted to investigate the Teapot Dome Scandal. Trump’s and Patel’s own words portend the FBI returning to the open political targeting of the Teapot Dome era. History whispers a warning.
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TERRORISMIs “Fake” Terrorism Still Terrorism? Here’s What the Sydney Caravan Incident Tells Us
The recent discovery of a caravan full of explosives in Dural, in Sydney’s northwest, caused significant fear about the possibility of a mass casualty attack. The Australian Federal Police declared it and 14 antisemitic attacks a “con job” by organized criminals who were trying to distract police or use it as a bargaining chip to influence prosecutions. Can “fake” terrorism still be terrorism, especially if it causes significant fear?
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TERRORISMFrom Home to Horror: The Association Between Domestic Violence and Terrorism
Domestic violence is an under-recognized early indicator of terrorism. It is not a reliable solitary indicator, but when observed alongside risk factors, it can prompt authorities to take a closer look at a potential terrorist.
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The long view
ARGUMENT: REINING IN DHS I&A How DHS Laid the Groundwork for More Intelligence Abuse
I&A, the lead intelligence unit of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) —long plagued by politicized targeting, permissive rules, and a toxic culture —has undergone a transformation over the last two years. Spencer Reynolds writes that this effort falls short. “Ultimately, Congress must rein in I&A,” he adds.
VIOLENT ATTACKSSouthport Attacks: Why the U.K. Needs a Unified Approach to All Violent Attacks on the Public
The conviction of Axel Rudakubana for the murder of three young girls in Southport has prompted many questions about how the UK handles violence without a clear ideological motive. This case has also shown up the confusion in this area, and made clear the need for a basic reframing of how we understand murderous violence against the public today.
SCHOOL VIOLENCEStrengthening School Violence Prevention
Violence by K-12 students is disturbingly common. Ensuring that schools have effective ways to identify and prevent such incidents is becoming increasingly important. Expanding intervention options and supporting K-12 school efforts in Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM) would help.
DEMOCRACY WATCHMemory-Holing Jan. 6: What Happens When You Try to Make History Vanish?
The Trump administration’s decision to delete a DOJ database of cases against Capitol riot defendants places those who seek to preserve the historical record in direct opposition to their own government.
MASS ATTACKSEvidence-Based Solutions to Protect Against Mass Attacks
Mass attacks like the New Year’s Day incident in New Orleans stir public emotion and have tragic consequences. While the investigations into this case will take time, we know from our work that there are things law enforcement and the public can do to mitigate and perhaps stop mass casualty events.