• FBI, DHS Warn of Likely Terrorist Attacks

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Department of Homeland Security are warning that a copycat terrorist attack could occur similar to the New Year’s Day New Orleans attack.

  • Wildfires as a Tool for Terrorism: Implications for Homeland Security

    In recent years, wildfires have become an increasingly significant concern due to their devastating impacts on communities, economies, and ecosystems. Beyond their natural occurrence, wildfires are also gaining attention as a potential tool for malicious actors, including foreign and domestic terrorists.

  • Islamic State: Despite the Fall of Its Caliphate, the Group Is Still Influencing Terrorism

    The New Yer Day’s attack in New Orleans demonstrates the resilience of IS despite its lack of territorial control, as well as its commitment to inspire lone-wolf attacks in an attempt to gain widespread coverage.

  • Pakistan Slides into New 'Era of Terrorism'

    Northwestern Pakistan, a stronghold of Al-Qaeda and the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), was the scene of deadly Pakistani counterterrorism operations and U.S. drone strikes. Militants, meanwhile, terrorized the local population. Eighteen years on, the TTP is resurgent, and the region has witnessed a sharp uptick in violence.

  • The Militia and the Mole

    A wilderness survival trainer spent years undercover, climbing the ranks of right-wing militias. He didn’t tell police or the FBI. He didn’t tell his family or friends. He penetrated a new generation of militia leaders, which included doctors and government attorneys. Experts say that militias could have a renaissance under Donald Trump. He sent ProPublica a massive trove of documents. The conversations that he secretly recorded give a unique, startling window into the militia movement.

  • Islamic State Group-Inspired New Orleans Attack Revives Familiar Fears

    Even before the shock from the deadly New Year’s Day terror attack in New Orleans could subside, early indications from the investigation pointed to a scenario U.S. law enforcement and security officials have long feared –a plot at least inspired by the Islamic State terror group.

     

  • Vehicle-Ramming Attacks

    Vehicle-ramming attacks have emerged as a significant terrorist tactic in Europe and, to a lesser extent, in the United States. From the perpetrator’s perspective, ramming attacks have several advantages.

  • Vehicles as a Terrorist Weapon: History of the Last 20 Years

    The last twenty years have seen dozens of terrorist attacks in which the perpetrators used a vehicle as a weapon.

  • China’s Counterterrorism Ambitions in Africa

    Africa is now the epicenter of global terrorism due to al-Qaeda and Islamic State militant violence. Jason Warner writes that “China has begun quietly making inroads to become a much more significant counterterrorism partner with African states, promising potential partners increased cooperation under the auspices of its Global Security Initiative (GSI).” The ways that China is seeking to insert itself into the African counterterrorism landscape, thus far, raise no major red flags, although points of friction might emerge.

  • Counterterrorism Implications of a Second Trump Presidency

    As Trump’s longtime friend, the legendary boxer Mike Tyson, once said, “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.” The Trump administration will need to come into the White House on day one with a comprehensive counter-terrorism strategy while preparing to absorb and respond to whatever punches terrorist groups will land during the next four years in office. 

  • Climate of Fear Is Driving Local Officials to Quit – New Study from California Finds Threats, Abuse Rampant

    Threats and harassment are pushing some politicians out of office, scaring off some would-be candidates and even compelling some elected officials to change their vote.

  • We Must Understand Why Youth Are radicalized. It’s Not Just Manipulation

    Youth radicalization and its connection to political violence and terrorism is an urgent concern. Despite consistent warnings from intelligence and law enforcement, public discussion around this issue often falls short. We need to understand why it persists and how to disrupt it before it escalates.

  • Syria After Assad: What to Know About HTS, Hezbollah, and Iran

    The ascendance of Sunni Islamist rebels in Syria should be viewed with great caution by Western powers, but the Assad regime’s collapse disables a critical node in Iran’s regional proxy network.

  • Islamist Terror Incidents Targeting U.S. Increase in 2024

    Islamist terror incidents targeting the United States increased in 2024 after several years of reduced activity, with federal and state authorities arresting individuals in seven different incidents on charges related to five unsuccessful plots and two actual attacks.

  • The Chilling Crime Spree of The Order – and Its Lasting Effect on Today’s White Supremacists

    The new historical crime drama, “The Order,” starring Jude Law and Nicholas Holt, is being described as a riveting “cat-and-mouse thriller.” But for criminologists like us, the white supremacist extremism that takes place in the film is not a nod to a distant past, but a reflection of beliefs and rhetoric that still percolate on social media and inspire acts of terror.