Terrorism and counterterrorism

A View from the CT Foxhole: William Braniff, Director, Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
The decade after 9/11 was largely about integrating our special operations community with our intelligence community. “The decade after the decade after 9/11, we started to really integrate our federal law enforcement efforts so that we could find, fix, finish, exploit, analyze, and prosecute here in the United States,” says William Braniff.
- Read more
Germany: Islamist Terror Poses 'Persistently High' Risk
German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has warned that Germany remains a target for Islamist terrorists. Her comments follow the cancellation of three Austrian concerts by US pop star Taylor Swift.
- Read more

‘Killer Robots’ Are Becoming a Real Threat in Africa
The use of drones in the Sahel, a region of Africa that has been plagued by violence driven by jihadist insurgency for much of the past decade, has become a real problem. But even more concerning is the fact that their AI-powered variants, which are known as lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS), have been deployed in Africa in recent years.
- Read more
Terrorists Target Music Venues
Taylor Swift fans are disappointed after three Vienna concerts were canceled due to a possible terror threat. Europe has seen several deadly attacks on music venues in recent years, raising security concerns.
- Read more

Potential Terrorists Can Be Identified from Social Media Posts
Researchers have identified signals in social media posts that can predict when someone posting on far-right forums is likely to go on to commit a terrorist act.
- Read more
Alarmism about Terrorism Is Risky and Unjustified
The annual chance of being murdered in an attack committed by a foreign-born terrorist is about one in 4.5 million—about 323 times lower than the chance of being murdered in a normal homicide during that 1975–2023 timeframe. The U.S. ought to be more realistic about the foreign-born terrorist threat. Alarmism in the face of small and manageable risks that probably haven’t arisen is a tremendous vice that policymakers should avoid.
- Read more

France Investigates 'Massive Attack' on Fast Train Network
French intelligence is working to identify who is behind acts of intentional vandalism on several high-speed rail routes. The incidents, which have led to a disruption, come ahead of the opening of the Paris Olympics.
- Read more
Protecting Major Sporting Events from Terrorism: Considerations for the Paris Olympics and Beyond
As France prepares to host the Summer Olympic Games next month, recent developments have highlighted the challenging threat environment that exists for the country’s security services. The scale of the events planned during the Paris Olympics, in a tense terrorist environment, presents a series of unique challenges for French security services under the scrutiny of an international audience.
- Read more

Far-Right Influencers on X Promote Anti-Zionism, Hate and Conspiracy Theories
An analysis identified five influencers on X whose engagement spiked in the days and weeks after Hamas’s attack on Israel, with content that included virulent anti-Zionism alongside antisemitic tropes, disinformation and other forms of hateful or harmful rhetoric.
- Read more
How AI Can Aid Decision Making in Mass-Casualty Events
EMTs and paramedics are sometimes confronted with a series of life-and-death questions and dilemmas at the scene. Researcher Omer Perry says his team’s study on paramedic behavior during high-stress situations helped them develop a potentially lifesaving algorithm.
- Read more

Trump Assassination Attempt Poses New Test for U.S. Democracy
After a shooting that injured former President Donald Trump and killed a spectator at a campaign rally, leaders of both parties must unite behind efforts to calm and stabilize the political climate.
- Read more
Want to Spot a Deepfake? Look for the Stars in Their Eyes
In an era when the creation of artificial intelligence (AI) images is at the fingertips of the masses, the ability to detect fake pictures – particularly deepfakes of people – is becoming increasingly important. So what if you could tell just by looking into someone’s eyes?
- Read more

How 'Islamic State' Uses AI to Spread Extremist Propaganda
Groups like the “Islamic State” and al-Qaeda are urging followers to use the latest digital tools to spread their extremist message, avoid censorship and recruit.
- Read more
Anti-Israel Sentiments Emerge as the Strongest Predictor of Belief in Anti-Jewish Tropes Among Students
Belief in classic antisemitic tropes increased on four University of California (UC) campuses after Oct. 7, 2023, as did negative sentiments toward Israel. This change in attitude is happening in a broader context of dramatically increasing antisemitism across the country.
- Read more
Denial and Distortion of the Hamas-led October 7 Attack: An Overview of False Narratives
Since October 7, extremists and conspiracy theorists have promoted mis- and disinformation narratives about the reality of Hamas’s unprecedented, multi-pronged attack on Israel, attempting to deny or minimize the tragedy and shift the blame towards victims, a majority of whom were innocent civilians.
- Read more

More headlines