• Antioch, Tenn., Shooter Inspired by Broad Extremist Beliefs and Previous Mass Killers

    On January 22, 2025, a 17-year-old student opened fire inside the cafeteria at Antioch High School in Nashville, Tennessee. The shooter subscribed to broad accelerationist beliefs, which hold that society is irrevocably broken and must be destroyed to be rebuilt.

  • Bystander Reporting Helps Prevent Mass Violence

    Bystander reporting’s role in mitigating mass violence deserves much more attention –because peers, bystanders, and “bystanders of bystanders” often know a lot about a person’s concerning behavior, and because they often choose not to report because they perceive authority figures are not receptive or are unlikely to be helpful.

  • Southport Attack: Changing the Definition of Terrorism Won’t Stop the Violence

    Axel Rudakubana, who killed of three young girls in Southport in a stabbing attack in 2024, had been referred to the Prevent counter-terrorism program three times, but failed to meet the threshold for intervention. Some want to change terror laws to deal with lone, violent killers. But as a researcher of counter-terrorism laws, I argue there is little point to widening what is already a broad definition of terrorism.

  • What Is Seditious Conspiracy, Which Is Among the Most Serious Crimes Trump Pardoned?

    The full effect that the pardons will have on militia actors and related groups in coming years is uncertain: Will the pardons send the message to all Americans that political violence is acceptable, or at least that it can be overlooked or forgiven if the right political figures are in power?

  • Proud Boys: A Big Tent for Hate

    Some of those pardoned by President Trump are leaders and members of the Proud Boys, a right-wing extremist group with a history of using violence, targeted harassment, and intimidation to achieve their political goals and combat perceived enemies – Jews, Muslims, gays, progressives, and feminists.

  • 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.