Publications

This policy brief aims to assess how displacement simultaneously constitutes one of the symptoms & the potentially aggravating factors of the Sahel crisis.

This Perspective delves into the issue of in absentia prosecution (i.e. without the suspect being present) of individuals who travelled to Syria, analysing the law at the international and domestic level.

This Perspective critically examines what type of leader al-Zawahiri has been and what type his eventual successor could be by highlighting five possible successor types.

This Perspective addresses the legal status of foreign individuals joining the conflict in Ukraine, and its legal and political consequences.

This perspective analyses how instability and political tensions are impacting the fight against Terrorism in the Sahel.

This Perspective reviews the current state of the federal investigation into the perpetrators of the Capitol Riot and provides an overview of the shifting US counter-terrorism landscape.

This Perspective proposes four strategic principles and six operational guidelines to guide the Coalition’s mission in Africa.

This Perspective explores the potential implications of another Turkish invasion for both local and international security.

This Perspective focuses on the co-opting of Kaczynski’s ideology by self-styled eco-fascists, why he appeals to these communities, and what the implications could be for potential future eco-fascist threats.

This short article revisits the concepts of terrorism waves and the Zeitgeist, with a view to reflect on what terrorist threat landscape may lie on the horizon.

This research paper seeks to examine the right-wing military-extremism nexus by surveying potential consequences arising from the presence of right-wing extremists within Western militaries.

This Policy Brief outlines several approaches that can be adopted by U.S. policymakers to address the challenges posed by militia violent extremist groups.

This Perspective analyses the Buffalo shooter's manifesto.

Drawing on the Buffalo shooting, this Perspective considers what insights can be gathered to tackle violent right-wing content online.

This article outlines several points of consideration relevant to volunteers in Ukraine which may have implications for European governments.

Cette perspective explore la manière dont les performances des acteurs de la salle d'audience dans l'affaire des attentats de Paris peuvent avoir un impact sur le droit des accusés à un procès équitable, ainsi que sur l'accès des parties civiles à la justice.

Regarded by violent extremist groups as rival governance actors, customary authorities have been targeted by terrorists’ propaganda and violence. This Perspective provides an overview of the types of interactions between customary authorities and terrorist organisations in the Sahel.

This Research Paper examines al-Qaeda commentary on the Hirak through qualitative content analysis and identifies shifts in propaganda messaging. The research also seeks to contribute towards a gap in the literature by addressing a not commonly discussed subject matter within terrorism studies.

Ce document fournit des recommandations politiques pour renforcer la résilience des communautés contre l'extrémisme violent dans les régions frontalières du Mali, du Niger et du Burkina Faso.

This document provides policy recommendations for building community resilience against violent extremism in the border regions of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso.

An interview with Bellingcat journalist Michael Colborne on his book 'From the Fires of War: Ukraine’s Azov Movement and the Global Far Right', in the context of the Russo-Ukrainian war.

This Perspective explores the ways in which the performances of courtroom actors in the Paris attacks trial may impact on the defendants’ right to a fair trial, as well as civil parties’ access to justice.

This report explores how traditional and religious authorities can be valuable for countering extremism and supporting governance in the border regions of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso.

Les autorités traditionnelles et religieuses s’avèrent être des acteurs incontournables en matière d’accompagnement de la gouvernance au Sahel. Ainsi, elles peuvent donc soutenir les efforts de l’USAID en Afrique de l’Ouest en matière de lutte contre l’extrémisme violent, qui applique une approche holistique pour s’attaquer aux causes profondes de l’extrémisme violent

Ce document présente la méthodologie ayant été adoptée pour la réalisation de l’étude “Acteurs coutumiers dans un contexte singulier: La résilience des autorités traditionnelles et religieuses face à l’extrémisme violent au Mali, au Niger et au Burkina Faso”.

This document presents the methodology for “Customary Characters in Uncustomary Circumstances: Traditional and religious authorities’ resilience to violent extremism in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso.”

De toutes les régions incluses dans cette série de rapports, Tillabéri est celle qui détient les meilleurs résultats en ce qui concerne la résilience générale de la communauté et le fonctionnement des autorités traditionnelles et religieuses.

This report explores the successes and challenges faced by Tillabéri in community resilience and the roles played by traditional authorities in countering violent extremism.

Ce rapport s’interroge sur le rôle que jouent les chefs traditionnels et religieux dans la résilience des communautés face à l’extrémisme violent dans la région Nord-Est du Mali.

The Malian state and customary leaders attempt to govern the rural communities in Mali, but are constrained by violence and extremism. This report explores how this extremism may best be countered.

Ce rapport analyse les rôles des autorités coutumières dans la gouvernance municipale et souligne leurs contributions à la résilience des communautés dans la région Centre-Nord du Burkina Faso.

This report explores why Burkina Faso Centre-Nord shows a high level of community resilience and how it can deal with village chiefs being increasingly targeted by violent extremist organisations.

Pour autant, le Sahel obtient des résultats modérément bons pour un certain nombre d’autres indicateurs de résilience. En parallèle, se différencie des autres régions sur un aspect essentiel: les autorités étatiques formelles au niveau local jouent un rôle plus important que dans d’autres contextes. Comment expliquer cette divergence?

The Sahel reports more fatalities than any neighbouring region and has little trust in the authorities. Conversely, traditional authorities are viewed as providing good governance output. This report explores this discrepancy.

The policy brief makes the case that policymakers and practitioners need to consider how P/CVE programmes engage in public relations (PR), specifically in communicating transparently.

This report explores the roles traditional chiefs and religious leaders can and do play in building resilience in Burkina Faso's Est region.

Ce rapport se concentre sur le rôle des acteurs de la gouvernance coutumière – chefs traditionnels et leaders religieux – afin d’évaluer leur contribution à la résilience des communautés face à l’extrémisme violent.

Op 4 februari 2022 heeft Nederland vijf vrouwen en hun elf kinderen uit het kamp al-Hol in Noordoost-Syrië gerepatrieerd om ervoor te zorgen dat deze vrouwen hier terecht zouden staan.

The Netherlands repatriated five women with ties to ISIS along with their eleven children from North-eastern Syria. The five women are being brought back to the Netherlands to stand trial on terrorism charges. This perspective discusses the repatriation of women and children from Syria and the future of returning ISIS foreign fighters to the Netherlands.

ISIS leader al-Qurayshi died in a targeted killing on 2 February 2022. What are the short- and long-term effects of this U.S. counterterrorism tactic?

This Policy Brief explores the large quantities of SALW left behind in Afghanistan and how the Taliban may use these newly acquired weapons.

The ICCT Threat Assessment provides data about the numbers, geographical distribution, and modus operandi of terrorist attacks.

The military coup in Burkina Faso resulted from growing discontent with the state’s capacity to counter terrorism and violent extremism. This perspective analyses the impact of the coup on the evolution of the violent extremist threat.

This policy brief examines prospects for international cooperation with the Taliban in order to counter terrorism in Afghanistan.

This perspective explores the link between the pathways of some female veterans into right-wing extremism and the hypermasculine military environment.

This paper highlights the challenges for training professionals to enable gender-sensitive rehabilitation and reintegration interventions for children returning to Europe from the conflict zone in Iraq and Syria. The paper identifies the need for gender-sensitive training and responses.

This perspective examines the "recognition" of the Taliban as Afghanistan's new government, the preconditions and consequences of this recognition, and how it may affect counter-terrorism efforts.

In our seventh podcast episode, we talk to Ambassador Roya Rahmani, Afghan diplomat, and the first woman to serve as the Afghan ambassador to the United States and Indonesia. She discusses her experiences as a diplomat, her critical work promoting women's rights globally, and what the future holds for Afghanistan.

This perspective analyses how the securitisation of forced migration and the associated political rhetoric fuels an increased likelihood of domestic terrorism.

Administrative measures, when applied in a rule of law compliant manner, can function as a useful and legitimate tool to address a threat to national security, particularly when that threat is of a terrorist nature.

This policy brief explores the phenomenon of armed civilians in Burkina Faso, identifying the rationale behind it, challenges and lessons learned.

Within counter-terrorism, there is little attention given to left-wing extremism. Van Dongen analyses why this phenomenon exists and whether it is justified.

The Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) was established in September 2011. The objective was to to set up a nimble, action-oriented, informal network with a limited membership to operate as an incubator for global counter-terrorism (CT) responses. The question raised in this policy brief is whether the GCTF, ten years since its inception, is still fit for purpose.

In our sixth podcast episode, we talk to Hina Shamsi about her career spent protecting civil liberties and human rights within the framework of national security, and how her work has intersected with counter-terrorism over the past 20 years.

To address the challenges of terrorism, states have adopted a broad set of measures to mitigate posed terrorist risks to national security. How and when can administrative measures can be applied in accordance with human rights?

This Policy Brief analyses the suicide bombing phenomena in the Philippines. The frequency of suicide bombing in January 2019 is unprecedented in Mindanao. This article highlights the three trends of suicide bombing in Mindanao and outlines measures the authorities can take to combat the threat.

Counter-Terrorism After 9/11 is een podcastserie die onderzoekt hoe terrorismebestrijding is veranderd in de nasleep van 9/11. We spreken met ambassadeur Janet Alberda over de relatie tussen internationale diplomatie en contraterrorisme.

In our fifth podcast episode, we talk to Amb. Janet Alberda about her post-9/11 experiences in the Middle East, and the relationship between counter-terrorism and international diplomacy.

This report synthesises the findings of four country case study papers which explored the challenges for journalists in reporting on terrorism in conflict-affected or authoritarian societies in the Middle East/North Africa region.

Taking a detailed look at women in far-right extremism, this perspective explores their roles and impacts in these radical movements across North America and Europe.

In our fourth episode, we speak to Tom Parker, author of "Avoiding the Terrorist Trap: Why Respect for Human Rights is the Key to Defeating Terrorism" and discuss his experience in the post-9/11 security landscape.

In our third episode, we speak to Bruce Hoffman, Professor of Security Studies at Georgetown University and Senior Fellow for counter-terrorism and homeland security at the Council on Foreign Relations.

This policy brief highlights US national strategy for countering domestic terrorism as a blueprint for improving the EU model.

In the second episode of our podcast, we speak to Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Countering Terrorism. In this podcast, we explore critical human rights and challenges related to counter-terrorism after 9/11 with Fionnuala Ní Aoláin.

This perspective traces the evolution of Taliban public relations activity by comparing strategies from their recent takeover of Afghanistan to their previous occupation in 1996-2001.

This perspective examines how regional history and foreign influence explains the current state of Islamist militancy in Indonesia and the Philippines.

In our premiere episode, we speak to Frank Straub, Director of the Center for Mass Violence Response Studies at the US National Police Foundation, and a first responder during the September 11 attacks.

The authors of this perspective offers a comparative analysis between events in Iraq in 2014 and those that took place in Afghanistan last month.

Taking a critical look at terrorism studies’ approach to researching and understanding incels, this Perspective offers a starting point of discussion on incel research.

ICCT staff discuss the regional implications stemming from the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan, and consider what this means for security in the region.

In this article, Sergei Boeke examines counter-terrorism efforts against AQIM and JNIM and these groups' potential pathways of decline.

This perspective explores the implications of the Taliban's capture of Afghanistan for international counter-terrorism and rule of law efforts.

How has the far-right responded to the Covid-19 pandemic globally, and what conclusions can we draw from this? Our latest perspective discusses further.

Based on our year-long research project and report on SALW, this infographic presents a concise overview of our key findings on the nexus between SALW and terrorist financing.

How significant is this pandemic for the rise of right-wing extremism, and what are some of the long-lasting implications for governments, in a post Covid-19 world?

In this report, Mary Fitzgerald explores the use of SALW by non-state actors and the consequences this has had for terrorist financing. 

This perspective analyses potential SADC interventions and private military companies to combat Islamic State terrorism in Mozambique.

This research paper examines the recently-revived doctrine advanced by neo-Nazi ideologue, James Mason, and argues that the terroristic advocacy of “Siege Culture” has a radicalising effect on right-wing extremists.

In the ten years since the 2011 Norway Attacks, have we applied the lessons learned in counter-terrorism? This policy brief examines overlooked lessons from the attack and provides key recommendations for improving policies against far-right extremism today.

In this perspective, the authors look at the understudied phenomenon of Dutch individuals travelling to Ukraine to join the conflict.

In this perspective, Dr Veilleux-Lepage explores the developments of 3D-printed weapons, and what their significance is in the rise of extremism.

How are Dutch political parties addressing issues on counter-terrorism through their manifestos? ICCT Programme Lead Tanya Mehra discusses here.

How is terrorism reported in non-Western countries, and how can the media's response to terrorism be improved? This report examines key lessons from attacks in Nigeria, Kenya and Sri Lanka.

What are the implications of Biden's reversal of the designation of Yemen’s Houthi rebels as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO)?

In the fifth and final part of the Handbook of Terrorism Prevention and Preparedness, the authors explore the required approach to minimize harm should prevention fail.

This paper maps the evolution of jihadism in Finland, where jihadist activism has increased significantly in the last decade as internal organisation and contacts with transnational groups have deepened.

This paper nuances existing understandings of terrorists’ motivations by uncovering the emotional process of ressentiment in the manifestos of far-right violent extremists.

How did the internal conflict within the Islamic State, instigated by the Al-Hazimiyya faction, develop and escalate over time?

What are the weaknesses of the Trilateral Cooperative Arrangement between Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines, against maritime terrorism in the region? This policy brief highlights key challenges and recommendations.

This study highlights key misconceptions about Salafism and policy shortcomings in the Netherlands which enforce an Islamophobic perspective, hampering Dutch Muslims' ability to cooperate with security services.

Ce rapport, basé sur des données primaires collectées par l'UNICRI et l'ICCT sur le terrain dans le cadre de leur projet MERIT, cherche à comprendre l'impact du terrorisme sur les jeunes Maliens. Il révèle que les jeunes sont exposés à des niveaux accrus et à divers types de violence dans toutes les régions couvertes par l'étude et sont souvent contraints d'adhérer à de nouveaux systèmes de gouvernance imposés par les groupes terroristes.

Le nombre de victimes de la violence armée au Mali a été multiplié par quatre entre 2016 et 2019, les jeunes étant parmi les plus durement touchés par la situation. Ce rapport va au-delà des facteurs habituels tels que l'insécurité et examinane entre autres le rôle joué par des facteurs tels que l'identification à son groupe ethnique ou religieux, le cadre géographique et l'exposition à la violence.

White supremacist extremists travel across the border between the United States and Canada to perpetrate violent attacks, spread propaganda, recruit, and network. This cross-border activity threatens to strengthen extremist movements in both countries.

An interview with Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges David van Weel, and NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Clare Hutchinson on NATO, gender and counter-terrorism.

President Joe Biden released his Interim National Security Strategic Guidance last month. Counter-terrorism has been replaced by the threat posed by traditional state actors, such as China and Russia, as well as a looming climate crisis as the main challenge facing the United States today.

Based on ICCT's year-long research project on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) as a source of terrorism financing, this report outlines the phenomenon in the Middle East and West Africa, as well as policies and recommendations for the EU.

This perspective assesses the terrorist trials held in camps and prisons within the territory of North and East Syria, by the non-state armed group in control of the region and considers their legality, adherence to international human rights standards, and the wider implications for the international community.

In the fourth part of the Handbook of Terrorism Prevention and Preparedness, the authors explore the interaction between prevention and preparedness. These chapters explore what can, and what has been done, ranging from early warnings to the prevention of cyber-terrorism.

How has the media landscape changed in the past decades? And to what extent has this been affected by the change in governments throughout the years? The latest report in the Strategic Communications project seeks to answer these questions, and delves deeper into the culture of media reporting on terrorism in Egypt.

Based on primary data collected by ICCT and UNICRI in the field as part of their MERIT project, this report looks beyond the usual factors to explain support for or engagement with violent extremism.

The paper explores how the rise of citizen journalism has impacted reporting of Islamic State terrorism in Syria and Iraq, and the tools and support necessary to help the individuals on the ground to provide first-hand news reporting.

Through a comparative analysis of key publications on foreign fighters, this paper provides a thematic overview of the relevant literature to date. The paper examines and collates the most widely cited explanations and characteristics of foreign terrorist fighters.

This paper explores an increase in abductions of Muslim women and girls in southeastern Niger between March 2019 and the end of April 2020, and what this indicates about jihadist factional dynamics.

Sexual violence in conflict has historically been overlooked with perpetrators often escaping punishment. In his latest perspective, Christophe Paulussen discusses the challenges of sexual terrorism and why the number of prosecutions is still shockingly low.

This paper examines the coverage of the pan-Arab television stations Al-Arabiya and Al-Jazeera regarding events and terrorist attacks in the post-2003 Iraq invasion, including different insurgencies in Iraq.

In order to understand what continuously motivates people to join the far-right, Lorne L. Dawson explores four aspects of the study of extremism: responses to the failure of prophecies; why people adopt extreme beliefs; the role of social dynamics and networks in consolidating extremist movements; and the nature and operation of charismatic leadership and authority.

The terror threat of jihadism is as high as ever in Europe. Here, Thomas Renard highlights why European authorities need to remain vigilant throughout 2021.

In this perspective piece, Donald Holbrook examines far-right ideology its trajectory, and considers how we can think about it more effectively.

In the third part of the Handbook of Terrorism Prevention and Preparedness, the authors explore outline key approaches to the prevention of preparatory acts.

In this perspective, the authors discuss the reprecussions of the criminalisation of staying in an area controlled by a terrorist organisation.

A close examination of the recent events that took place in Washington DC. The storming of the US Capitol on 6th January is discussed in through a legal perspective.

For our Annual Conference, we have created a magazine that showcases our key achievements of 2021. Learn more about our projects, our worldwide impact and our journal publications and the people behind ICCT in this online, interactive magazine.

Libya has struggled to develop a professionalised media sector following the fall of the Gaddafi regime in 2011. This report outlines the struggles the country has faced in regarding reporting on terrorism.

In this perspective, the authors examine the report published by New Zealand's government on the Christchurch terrorist attack of March 2019.

Starting with a unique insight into the latest Algerian reforms on counter-terrorism policies, the authors of this perspective then delve deeper into the complex relationships between Algeria and its neighbours.

This report provides an analysis of media reporting in Kenya. The report looks at governmental, media and "citizen reporting" practices, especially in the context of the terrorist attacks of the Westgate Mall and the DusitD2 hotel.

In the second part of the Handbook of Terrorism Prevention and Preparedness, the authors explore outline key approaches to the prevention of radicalisation.

In the first part of the Handbook of Terrorism Prevention and Preparedness, the authors explore what can be learned from crime prevention, conflict prevention, counterinsurgency and genocide prevention literature.

This paper will argue that for large parts of the West, concerns about the rise of right-wing extremism are misguided because of right-wing extremists' lacking organisational clout and preference for other tactics.

This article examines the transferability of two decades of counter-terrorism policy structures, and illustrates how these policies are challenged by the emergence and resurgence of different threat profiles on the security horizon.

In this study, the authors examine current trends in localised terrorist financing and the counter-terrorist financing tools available to deal with the contemporary shift away from transnational to more local financing.

This paper highlights the adhocratic nature of the Islamic State as a means for understanding the role which the structure and management of IS influences its resilience as a global movement.

This paper examines the pillars of incel ideology through an analysis of incels’ own vocabulary and narratives, and argues that a radical milieu can be an effective analytical framework for studying incel communities.

The recent Vienna attack highlights the challenge of effectively managing the risk posed by known violent extremists. In this Perspective, the authors reflect on the attacker's actions leading up to the attack, and whether the authorities could have prevented it.

What are the possibilities of electoral violence in the 2020 US Elections? This Perspective outlines key scenarios and examines likely reactions by QAnon adherents.

This report examines the limitations and impacts of media reporting on terrorism in Nigeria, through the lens of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign.

Using primary data collected by UNICRI and ICCT as part of the MERIT project, this report examines the socio-economic and psychological impacts of terrorism on Malian youth, who often face increased levels of violence and new systems of governance imposed by terrorist groups.

By highlighting the social media shutdown's limitations, social costs and impact on misinformation, this report presents key recommendations for policy-makers, journalists and other key stakeholders.

As part of ICCT's series of reports on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW), this report synthesises the main observations and trends in the use of SALW by terrorist organisations as a source of finance.

This Policy Brief critically analyses terrorist re-offending in a wide range of international contexts, to inform the wider discussion on terrorist recidivism and rehabilitation.

Recent incidences of incel violence raise questions of whether these acts constitute terrorism. This Perspective compares the ideology and tactics behind incel violence with other key trends in terrorism to understand how we should best address it.

With new developments in the case of the foreign terrorist fighters who have been dubbed 'The Beatles', this Perspective assesses where the 'Beatles' can be brought to justice and the main legal challenges in this process.

This Perspective by Sammie Wicks explores how international violent extremist organisations view current social unrest as an opportunity to highlight social challenges and recruit.

This Perspective delves into the threat posed by improvised explosive devices and explains the need for explosive decontamination to be considered as an active component of counter-terrorism.

This Perspective by ICCT's Julie Coleman and Joana Cook delves into the latest court ruling for Shamima Begum, and the balance between national security and the rule of law.

In this report, Colin P. Clarke uses both historical and contemporary examples to provide an overview of the use of SALW as both a source of terrorist financing and tools of the trade.

This situation report examines the acquisition, possession, and use of SALW as a source of finance by terrorist organisations active in West Africa and the Horn of Africa.

In addition to the vast humanitarian issues associated with Sudanese human smuggling networks: are these illicit flows open to be exploited by extremist groups—either for terrorist financing or for the movement of cells?

In this Research Paper, Richard McNeil-Willson examines the framing processes developed by Far Right groups in response to the COVID-19 health crisis, and calls for more reflection on the role that ‘crisis frames’ play amongst Far Right groups.

This situation report investigates the use of small arms and light weapons as a source of finance for terrorism in South and Southeast Asia.

Après la mort du chef AQMI, Abdelmalek Droukdel, Julie Coleman et Méryl Demuynck analysent sa montée a travers les rangs échelons d'jihadiste et l'impact de sa mort sur le rapport de force dans la région.

Following the recent death of AQIM leader, Abdelmalek Droukdel, Julie Coleman and Méryl Demuynck look back at his rise through the jihadist ranks and ask, how will his death affect the balance of power in the region?

In this Policy Brief, Jessica Davis explores the role of women in the Islamic State and presents an approach to assessing their potential threat.

In this Perspective, ICCT Director Renske van der Veer calls on analysts to make use of incel writings as a means to understand their motivations—as well as to begin to answer the question: are incels terrorists?

This situation report investigates the use of small arms and light weapons as a source of finance for terrorism in the Middle East and North Africa.

This policy brief examines Kosovo’s response to former foreign fighters and lessons EU member states can learn in handling this complex issue.

In this Research Paper, Samantha Kutner explores the scripts and narratives that attract the members of crypto-fascist extremist organisations with an in-depth analysis of the Proud Boys.

In the wake of the April 15 arrest of four suspected members of an IS cell, what is the state of the Jihadist threat in Germany today?

This Perspective explores the links between misogyny and right-wing extremism, highlighting important caveats which should be kept in mind when discussing incels in the wake of the Hanau shooting.

In this paper, Rebecca Mignot-Mahdavi highlights the missing legal perspectives which should be applied to France's counter-terrorism efforts.

This Report analyses the extent to which the terrorist threat in the West has continued to democratise, highlighting trends and developments in terrorist modus operandi in the post-9/11 era.

This policy brief uses data gathered from the growing number of Violent Extremist Offenders in Malian prisons to provide an overview of and recommendations for implementing rehabilitation interventions.

This policy brief examines the role of online communities of the extreme-right in radicalising individuals, particularly in the aftermath of offline events.

The Russian Imperial Movement marks the first time the US State Department has designated a white supremacist extremist organisation as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) entity.

Quel est l'impact de la pandémie COVID-19 sur les groupes terroristes du Sahel tels qu'al-Qaïda et l'État islamique?

What impact does the COVID-19 pandemic have on terrorist groups in the Sahel like al-Qaeda and the Islamic State?

In this essay, Tim Wilson traces the evolution of right-wing violence from its emergence in the 19th century to present day. It asks the questions: just how tactically innovative is rightist violence in the 21st century?

In this report, ICCT and UNICRI analyse data from their field work in Mali to determine the implications of social media use on violent extremism in Mali.

In this Policy Brief, Jacob Ware assesses far right manifestos for common themes, before discussing implications for counterterrorism scholars and practitioners.

Dans une nouvelle Perpsective, Méryl Demuynck and Julie Coleman analysent le paysage complexe du terrorisme au Sahel.

In a new Perspective for the ICCT, Méryl Demuynck and Julie Coleman map out the Sahel's terrorism landscape.

This Policy Brief focuses on the Dutch approach to dealing with extremist offenders, and analyses Dutch policy choices that have been made from the perspectives of prosecution, rehabilitation, and reintegration.

Focusing on Indonesia, Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, Colin P. Clarke, and Samuel Hodgson analyse the threats returning foreign fighters from South East Asia pose after the fall of the caliphate

This ICCT Perspective examines male supremacism as a right-wing extremist ideology, one that has contributed to terrorist attacks, primarily in the US, but also in Canada and Europe.

In this Perspective, Paul Rexton Kan de-bunks the theory that drug cartels should be classified as terrorist organisations.

In this Perspective, Nadia al-Dayel and Andrew Mumford warn that it is no longer sufficient to be concerned about just the physical liberation of territory from groups like ISIS—the human liberation of victims of slavery must also become a counterterrorism priority.

To celebrate ICCT's ten year anniversary, we are looking for papers for a special edition of The ICCT Journal. Deadline for submission is Tuesday 14 April. Send to editor@icct.nl.

This policy brief provides an overview of the sociological issues underpinning the issues of far right and Islamist reciprocal or cumulative radicalisation in the Western European context.

In this paper, Colin P. Clarke takes a novel approach to the analysis of al-Qaeda's longevity; using McKinsey's 7S Framework to analyse the organisational characteristics of arguably the world's most high-profile terrorist group.

In this Perspective, the interaction between counter-terrorism and international humanitarian law will be discussed, as well as the opportunities that the latter field of law can provide in the prosecution of foreign fighters.

In this Report, for Clingendael's Strategic Monitor 2019-2020, ICCT Director Renske van der Veer aims to put the threat posed by the use of technology in terrorism to the West, more specifically to The Netherlands, in perspective.

The International Centre for Counter-Terrorism – The Hague (ICCT) developed a baseline Terrorism Threat Assessment.

This Perspective is part of a larger effort on ICCT’s behalf to engage with its readership in order to further improve its ability to provide policy and practice relevant academically informed output.

This Perspective presents what IS-Hind may entail based on the existing characteristics of IS and militant groups in the region.

In this Policy Brief, ICCT Programme Manager Faisal Khan & Isioma Kemakolam present policy recommendations implementable by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs on community inclusion in R&R programming across Nigeria & the Sahel after conducting on the field research.

From early dial-up bulletin board systems to contemporary social media and messaging apps, this Policy Brief traces how Western right-wing extremists have exploited the power of the internet.

This collaborated T.M.C. Asser - ICCT Research Paper analyses speech restrictions in Europe in the context of counter-terrorism policies.

In this Perspective, Joe Whittaker and Lisah Elsayed contend that strategic communications in CVE can sometimes have limited effectiveness or even worse, a detrimental effect, and offer ways to ensure credible undermining of violent propaganda.

In the Perspective, Tanya Mehra critically analyses the European approach to repatriating foreign fighters.

In this Policy Brief, Sam Jackson presents a schema of three main forms of right-wing extremism in the United States in order to more clearly understand the landscape: racist extremism, nativist extremism, and anti-government extremism.

In this Report for Clingendael's Global Security Pulse, Reinier Bergema maps out emerging trends and threats in the age of technology.

In this Policy Brief, Willemijn Tiekstra critically analyses current EU border management in the context of terrorist attacks that have hit the EU since 2015.

In this Policy Brief, Gina Vale charts the evolution of women’s ideological commitment, adopted roles, and activism for Islamic State from the ‘caliphate’ to post-territorial internment camps.

In this Policy Brief, Daniel Koehler assesses the current and historical links between the extreme right and the military across Europe and North America.

In this Policy Brief, Reinier Bergema and General (ret.) Tom Middendorp warn of how climate change opens a dangerous window of opportunity for terrorist organisations—as witnessed by the recent renewal of interest of the Islamic State in the Western Sahel.

In the wake of a Utøya memorial being defaced with a swastika, Jeanine de Roy van Zwuijdewijn writes on the commemoration and memoralisation of terrorist events in the case of Norway and Anders Behring Breivik.

In this policy brief, Tore Bjørgo and Jacob Aasland Ravndal highlight the distinctions between extreme-right violence and Jihadi violence and provide recommendations for practitioners working in this area.

In this Perspective, William C. Banks and Katja Samuel warn of the hybrid threats posed by terrorists and other malicious groups to today's critical infrastructure interdependencies and vulnerabilities.

In this paper, the authors critically compare seven widely used risk assessment tools for violent extremism; better enabling policymakers and practitioners to navigate the often muddy, copyrighted, and expensive waters of the world of risk assessment.

New Research Paper by Fiore Geelhoed, Richard Staring, and Bart Schuurman provides an in-depth look at convert radicalization using extensive interviews.

In the Part 2, Dr. Rumyana van Ark focuses on such decision in the context of children who were en route to Syria before they and their parents were prevented from travelling further.

This joint paper synthesises research on post-incident communications from a range of fields – including terrorism, crisis communications, mass-shooter incidents, serial offenders, and suicide studies – to identify guidelines for the development of a post-terrorist incident communications framework.

In this paper, Asaad Almohammad employs Game Theory to perform a novel quantitative analysis of the global Salafi Jihadist Movement, and predict the future directions of the groups within.

In Part 1, of a two-part series, Dr. Rumyana van Ark (née Grozdanova) evaluates the role that family courts can play in de-radicalisation efforts through an analysis of the case of B, a sixteen year-old girl who attempted to leave the UK for Syria in 2014.

In this Policy Brief, Jacob Ware assesses the rising threat posed by far-right extremism in the United States, using the Atomwaffen Division as a case study.

In this feature-length Perspective, Prem Mahadevan examines the findings related to the 2008 Mumbai Attack and explores the potential state involvement.

In this Perspective, Martin Gallagher explores the contradiction between ideological rhetoric and self-serving criminal practice that exists between organised criminals and terrorist groups.

In this Perspective, Dr. Rumyana van Ark warns of the potential security and CT implications that have been thus far overlooked in Britain's exit from the EU.

In this Perspective, ICCT Associate Fellow Colin P. Clarke analyses the recent changes in IS' organisational structure and discusses how this relates to the transformation undergone by al-Qaeda.

In this Research Paper, Jan Ilhan Kizilhan discusses the need for better psychosocial support for former child soldiers living in post-IS Iraq as rehabilitation and reintegration measure.

This ICCT Research Paper tries to find the links between lone actors and the organisation's main leadership through examining the changes in the ways IS has claimed credit for violent incidents in Western countries.

In this Perspective, ASM Ali Arshaf explores the emergence of paramilitary police units as a salient feature of the South Asian counterterrorism sphere and the complexity of it.

In this Research Paper, Pieter Nanninga argues that the Islamic State’s multi-faceted response to its setbacks as reflected in the decline of their video production might ensure the groups’ appeal to its target audience in the years to come.

In this perspective, Kilian Roithmaier offers his thoughts on the recent agreement of the German Federal Government to introduce the statutory forfeiture of citizenship for German Foreign Terrorist Fighters and on the broader German repatriation landscape.

In this Policy Brief, Marina Tapley and Gordon Clubb examines the role former extremists and former combatants have in countering violent extremism (CVE).

In this Perspective, ICCT Director Renske van der Veer and Edwin Bakker discuss the Dutch approach in counter-terrorism when dealing with returning foreign terrorist fighters.

In this policy brief, Nick Brooke examined the benefits of studying failed terrorist campaigns to have a more informed counter-terrorism policy by using the case studies of Scotland and Wales.

Using exclusive and original information provided by the Italian Ministry of Interior, this report thoroughly analyses the profiles of individuals with ties to Italy who traveled to join the ranks of Islamic State and other armed groups from 2011 up to October 2017.

In this Perspective ICCT Associate Fellow Dr. Haroro J. Ingram uses the notion of 'responsibility to protect' to frame and understand modern jihadist appeals and their implications for radicalisation and mobilisation.

In this perspective Dr. Rumyana van Ark discusses the revocation of Shamima Begum's nationality by the UK government and her prospects of appeal. More generally, she reflects on issues regarding statelessness and deprivation of nationality as a counter-terrorism measure.

In this Perspective, Tanya Mehra and Christophe Paulussen discuss the issue of (possible) repatriation of foreign fighters and their families, especially from Syria. They address several policy options by taking into account legal, moral and (long-term) security perspectives.

Using Germany as a main case study, Daniel Koehler argues that far-right violence has a potential risk of being misunderstood and under-classified as a form of political violence and terrorism. He also offers several recommendations on how to avoid this potentially resulting in an elusive threat.

Phil Gurski offers his thoughts on the issue of returning foreign fighters by discussing the different challenges countries are facing, taking a closer look at the situation in Canada.

In this Perspective, Cameron Sumpter discusses the transitions back into society among recently released extremist prisoners in Indonesia.

In this report, an overview is provided of fusion centres in six European countries. It takes a closer look at their roles in the wider security and counter-terrorism landscape and what challenges they face.

In this Policy Brief, Kurt Braddock emphasizes the importance of rigorous social scientific methods within terrorism research and describes methods of experimentation that can be put into practice to aid in the study of terrorism.

To round up our year, we have compiled a document highlighting our 2018 achievements and a message from our Director. Relevant projects, events and publications are grouped together under the three thematic programmes; Define and Detect, Prevent and Protect, and Respond and Reflect.

In this Perspective Colin P. Clarke explores scenarios with regard to the future global jihadist movement. He concludes that its future is likely to resemble its past.

In this Perspective, Laurence Bindner and Raphael Gluck assess the efficacy of IS’ sustained effort to spread its propaganda online, by looking at the types of platforms that are exploited and how long IS propaganda lingers online before it is removed.

ICCT Associate Fellow Nafees Hamid discusses current issues with counter-messaging and why strategic communication should place more emphasis on counter-engagement.

This Perspective, written by George Washington University Research Fellow Bennett Clifford, looks at the necessity for U.S. prison counter-terrorism authorities to strengthen in-prison responses to prepare incarcerated extremists for release.

In this Perspective Rumyana Grozdanova gives her thoughts on the Choudary case in the UK, cautioning to not only focus on more immediate restrictive responses to incitement.

In this Report, Liesbeth van der Heide, Charlie Winter and Shiraz Maher analyse the continued risk posed the Islamic State (IS), in light of its territorial collapse. The authors present 5 conclusions to policy makers.

In this Perspective, Eva Entenmann and Willem van den Berg analyse the threat of Virtual Currency usage by terrorist organisations. They conclude that although Virtual Currencies are not used extensively by terrorist organisations currently, the potential for increased usage exists, and must be further explored.

In this report, commissioned by CT Morse, Dr. Andrew Glazzard and Dr. Alastair Reed assess the relevance, coherence, efficiency and impact of the European Union's external response to counter-terrorism.

Citizenship stripping is being used in Western Countries with increasing frequency. In this perspective, Dr. Christophe Paulussen explores why citizenship stripping is ineffective and counter-productive, and suggests academics, practitioners and policy makers engage more effectively to fully understand the complexity of the issue.

In this Policy Brief, EJ Hogendoorn suggests what the EU could do to address the drivers of the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria. Hogendoorn argues that although the EU has increased its humanitarian support to those affected by Boko Haram, it has thus far refrained from becoming to involved in a direct counter-terrorism response.

This Global Security Pulse, published with The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies and the Clingendael Institute, tracks emerging security trends worldwide. This month's edition focuses on the crime-terror nexus, the rise of right wing extremism and FinTech abuse.

Behnam T. Said and Hazim Fouad examine Germany's approach to preventing and countering violent extremism. This policy brief outlines the framework for prevention within Germany's federal system and gives an overview of the development of the German approach to CVE and PVE challenges.

Associate Fellow Seran de Leede explores the importance of women in contemporary jihadism. de Leede assesses how women's facilitative and supportive contributions have maintained and propagated jihadist ideology.

In this Research Paper, Dr. Craig Whiteside builds on the work of the ICCT Counter-Terrorism Strategic Communications Project to examine how the Islamic State reshaped identity among Sunni Iraqis to delegitimize and discredit Sunni rivals of the Islamic State within its caliphate.

In this Research Paper, Alex P. Schmid explores the links between organised crime groups and terrorist groups since the mid 1990s, noting key similarities and differences between the two types of groups.

This report examines the role of civil society organisation (CSOs) in the rehabilitation and reintegration of those associated with and affected by violent extremism. It builds on the work conducted by ICCT and the Global Center on Cooperative Security, together with four subregional partners over the past two-and-a-half years in Africa and South-East Asia.

ICCT Research Fellow Prof. em. Alex P. Schmid reflects on his 2013 Research Paper "Radicalisation, De-Radicalisation, Counter-Radicalisation: A Conceptual Discussion and Literature Review" and offers suggestions for further reading.

In this Perspective, Martin Gallagher uses his own experiences as a police officer in Scotland to outline factors he believe are crucial to understand the crime-terror nexus in its present form.

ICCT Associate Fellow Donald Holbrook reflects on his 2017 Research Paper 'What Types of Media do Terrorists Collect? An Analysis of Religious, Political, and Ideological Publications Found in Terrorism Investigations in the UK".

In this Policy Brief, Cameron Sumpter analyses the impact of returning Foreign Fighters to Indonesia. Sumpter recommends that intrastate coordination of CVE and CT initiatives is required to clearly define the role of stakeholders.

This workshop report reflects on the discussions held during the workshop on 'Investigating and Prosecuting Cases of the Nexus between Organised Crime and Terrorism: Best Practices and Lessons Learned for Practitioners' held in Doha, Qatar on the 24 April 2018. The workshop was co-hosted by ICCT, the Netherlands embassy in Qatar, the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Center (ROLACC) and by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

In this perspective, Dr. Alastair Reed explores the existing knowledge gaps within the counter-narrative discourse. He advises caution should be exercised when implementing counter-narratives to avoid repeating mistakes, and rigorous standards should be enforced to ensure counter-narratives continue to be effective.

As a service to ICCT’s readers, Colin P. Clarke and Paul R. Kan summarise their 2017 Policy Brief and offer suggestions for further reading.

In this Perspective, Laurence Bindner and Raphael Gluck assess Europol's operation to disrupt ISIS propaganda. The operation, led by Belgian Federal Prosecutor’s Office and coordinated with six European countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, France, the Netherlands, Romania and the United Kingdom), as well as Canada and the United States, enables actors like Europol to target online sources of propaganda.

In this third, and final installment to her trilogy of Op-eds, Tanya Mehra emphasizes the importance of carefully collecting all relevant information and evidence from (post) conflict situations. Where investigators and prosecutors are unable to collect evidence from battlefields, any information that the military, NGO's and international mechanisms established by the Security Council collect, could be used as evidence in court.

In this Policy Brief, Dr. Lorne L. Dawson asks: with the military defeat of the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria, what will become of the remaining fighters? Will IS remain a significant terrorist threat, especially outside of Syria and Iraq? And, how will the demise of IS affect the future of jihadism in general?

In this Policy Brief, authors Pieter Van Ostaeyen and Guy Van Vlierden explore the backgrounds of Belgian foreign fighters and find that while most Belgian foreign fighters are linked to Morocco, the second most prominent ancestral link is Russia.

In this Perspective, ICCT Research Fellow Phil Gurski argues why the 'war on terrorism' cannot be won.

In his Paris speech, Dr. Haroro J. Ingram addresses the ways in which the media can both amplify or disrupt violent extremist propaganda.

In this Policy Brief, Walle Bos, Dr. Bibi van Ginkel and Tanya Mehra address capacity-building challenges in relation to the implementation of good practices in dealing with (returning) Foreign (Terrorist) Fighters.

In this Perspective, ICCT Research Fellow Stef Wittendorp examines recent developments in the "comprehensive" approaches to counter-terrorism and counter-radicalisation that have been adopted in many European countries and the United States.

In this Perspective, ICCT Visiting Fellow Elena Dal Santo expands our understanding of the multiple (and often overlooked) factors underlying conflict and instability in Mali.

In this Perspective, Rik Coolsaet and Thomas Renard comment on the risks posed by returning Foreign Terrorist Fighters, and examine how Germany, Belgium and The Netherlands have attempted to address these risks.

In this Research Paper, Marieke Liem et al. provide a bivariate analysis of lone actor terrorists and common homicide offenders. Liem et al's findings problematise the classification of lone actors as an entity fundamentally different from the sample of single homicide offenders and call for future in-depth assessments of possible differences in homicidal drive.

In countering the communications of terrorist organisations, states face a number of distinct challenges. Blatant lying can be at the expense of a state's authority, credibility, and instrumental effectiveness. Effective state communications need to be integrated, multidimensional and persuasive. Often they are anything but.

This paper provides a quick reference guide to IS’s English-language magazines released between June 2014 and September 2017 examining key themes and propaganda strategies deployed across three issues of Islamic State News, four issues of Islamic State Report, fifteen issues of Dabiq and thirteen issues of Rumiyah.

A range of social, cultural, religious, economic, political, demographic drivers and identity factors converged to create a fertile ground for receptive radicals to emerge and break away from democratic values. Informed by these issues, this Policy Brief aims to identify avenues of further development for the French counter-terrorism strategic communication strategy.

In this Research Paper, Asaad Almohammad uses a unique data-set made up of interviews and naturalistic observations from ISIS-held territories in Syria to explore the process of child recruitment and deployment.

In this Perspective, Pieter Van Ostaeyen and Tore Hamming analyse jihadists' response to Trumps recognition of Jerusalem. They argue that the majority of Jihadi groups call for the unification of Muslims worldwide and urge for a Jihad to liberate Jerusalem.

In this Research Paper Christophe Paulussen and Kate Pitcher provide a critical assessment of the underlying legal frameworks and the concrete prosecutions of (potential) foreign fighters at the national level. The authors argue that magistrates and prosecutors should have a greater role in assessing whether actual prosecution or adjudication is appropriate in specific cases.

In this second installation of her trilogy of op-eds, Tanya Mehra LL.M explores how terrorist fighters can be prosecuted by foreign national courts. In this piece, Mehra analyses active nationality principle, passive nationality principle, territoriality principle and universal jurisdiction in the context of Syria and Iraq.

In this Perspective, Tanya Mehra LL.M explores how foreign terrorist fighters can be brought to justice in the post-conflict landscapes of Iraq and Syria.

Despite the fact billions of euros have been sent to Somali over the last two decades, the country remains a "failed state". This Policy Brief argues that to be more effective, the EU needs to become more adept at understanding local political dynamics.

While suicide attacks have long been considered the hallmark of jihadist terrorism, this Research Paper analyses a recent, dual trend towards suicidal and self-preserving attacks and discusses implications for the operational response to these attacks.

This Perspective discusses the drivers of violent conflict in the Philippines and argues that the policy response needs to take into account the underlying socio-economic motivations for militancy, rather than focusing on superficial claims of IS-affiliation.

This Action Agenda discusses the background of the conflict in Mali as well as some of the issues faced in Mali with regards to violent extremist offenders in prison. It provides recommendations and proposed activities in four action areas to address concerns and needs identified by ICCT and UNICRI throughout the initiatives implemented by both organisations so far.

This study provides an overview of current approaches to countering terrorist narratives. It highlights a number of policy recommendations to enhance the effectiveness of countering terrorism strategic communication.

Uighurs, specifically individuals of Turkic decent from China’s northwest province of Xinjiang, have become a noticeable part of the constellation of globally active jihadist terror groups. This Policy Brief explores the scope and scale of Uighur Foreign Fighters (UFF) activity in various locations, its implications and how their participation in global jihadist groups may evolve.

This Perspective argues that the recent creation of an Office of Counter Terrorism (OCT) to coordinate the overall United Nations response creates a fitting opportunity to redress the current fractious approach of the many entities within the UN system with counter-terrorism mandates.

In ICCT's latest Policy Brief, Kiriloi Ingram analyses how IS recruits Western women through a detailed qualitative narrative analysis of the contents of all fifteen issues of a Dabiq magazine. Ingram argues that counter-terrorism strategic communications must be paired with community based initiatives.

In this Perspective, ICCT Associate Fellow, Craig Whiteside, analyses the effectiveness of Iraq's Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) in countering IS. He aims to find out to what extent CTS still possesses reasonable capacity to strategise further counter-terrorism acts in the post-caliphate fight against IS.

This Perspective by Leon Bystrykh looks at journalists' use of material provided by the A'maq News Agency and asks whether Western media should be using A’maq; whether this a shortcut for investigative reporting, and whether, by citing its content, Western media may be reinforcing violent extremist propaganda.

In her latest Perspective, ICCT Research Fellow Dr. Bérénice Boutin questions the appropriateness of using broad counter-terrorism laws to prosecute parents of FTFs on the ground of terrorism financing.

ICCT Visiting Fellow Donald Holbrook’s Research Paper presents results from the study of media usage by convicted terrorists in the UK, shedding light on the nature of the media environment in which convicted terrorists operated prior to their arrest.

In ICCT's latest Policy Brief, Dr. Lorne L. Dawson discusses the underlying vision of IS in propagating an apocalyptic struggle for its followers. He argues this cosmic struggle is characterised by the "caliphate legacy" which will survive despite military defeat.

This Report, prepared jointly by the Global Center and ICCT, puts forth guiding principles, recommendations, and considerations for the detention, rehabilitation, and reintegration of juveniles convicted of terrorism and violent extremism-related crimes in a manner that upholds the principles and safeguards of juvenile justice.

ICCT Visiting Fellow EJ Hogendoorn analyses the EU's efforts in countering violent extremism in Somalia and argues that, unless the EU becomes more adept at understanding local political dynamics, its expensive technical assistance and training programmes may have only temporary and limited impact.

In this Perspective, Phil Gurski discusses a new wave of vehicular terrorist attacks and argues that, rather than ramping up security and law enforcement measures, we should think more about resilience after the bomb goes off.

In this Research Paper, Liesbeth van der Heide and Jip Geenen assess what sets young or juvenile Islamic State (IS) returnees apart from adult returnees or young criminals and discuss the potential for rehabilitation.

This Policy Brief focuses on a linkage-based analysis of a 2017 audio message by Islamic State spokesperson Abu Hasan al Muhajir and outlines potential insights into crafting effective content for competing and alternative messages.

In his latest Research Paper, ICCT Research Fellow Dr. Alex P. Schmid examines various aspects of moderation in Islam including how Islamist extremists view moderate Muslims and how the latter resist the former, and argues for humanism to be the middle ground for moderates of all faiths and political persuasions.

In this Report, Dr. Haroro Ingram makes a comparative analysis of ISIS's Dabiq and Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula's Inspire magazines in order to 'reverse engineer' lessons for CT-CVE strategic communications.

Craig Whiteside examines how counterinsurgency tactics such as population expulsions, extrajudicial killings and mass incarceration, currently being used by the Iraqi government’s security forces, could impact on the future return of another “Islamic State” organisation.

With the defeat in Mosul and the noose tightening around IS' stronghold in Raqqa, the tide has begun to reverse and the steady trickle of returnees is beginning to pick up pace. This Perspective looks at ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ approaches to dealing with them.

The battle of Mosul marks more than a military victory for the anti-ISIL coalition: it is a crucial inflection point calling for an invigorated strategic communications campaign. ICCT Visiting Fellow, Craig Whiteside uses recent ICCT research by Ingram and Berger to highlight so-called Islamic State's dramatic failure to produce and secure a working caliphate - as a key theme to further develop.

In this Report, Dr. Alastair Reed explores the lessons that can be learned from past communication experiences to aid Counter-Terrorism Strategic Communications (CTSC) campaigns targeting the current propaganda threat from so-called “Islamic State”.

In this Perspective, ICCT Research Fellow Joe Whittaker argues against the current indiscriminate use of the term “echo chamber” in relation to terrorism and radicalisation, but for its potential constructive use in relation to future research.

This Report examines instructional material used by Islamic State and Al Qaeda and outlines strategic communications recommendations to undermine this type of messaging and respond to directed and inspired attacks.

This Report examines the construction of extremist identity in Islamic State propaganda using a linkage-based approach.

This report by Lorenzo Vidino, Francesco Marone and Eva Entenmann examines all jihadist-motivated terrorist attacks carried out in Europe and North America since the declaration of the Caliphate by the Islamic State group in June 2014.

In this Policy Brief, Alastair Reed, Johanna Pohl and Marjolein Jegerings provide a concise outline of four main threats related to the issue of foreign fighters with the aim of clarifying the parameters of the phenomenon in its current manifestation.

In his latest Perspective ICCT Associate Fellow JM Berger argues for a more grounded approach to combatting extremist ideologies.

Dr. Andrew Glazzard argues that, if counter-narrative is to succeed in presenting an alternative to the propaganda of violent extremist groups, it is essential to bring the tools and techniques of literary criticism to the analysis of such propaganda.

In this Perspective, Yousif Kalian and Omar Alhashani analyse the narrative propagated by Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMUs) and argue that, despite the image of unity they project at the moment, the PMUs may shift towards a more sectarian outlook to remain relevant in Iraq's political future.

In his latest Perspective, ICCT Associate Fellow Phil Gurski argues that, as it is not possible to prevent all terrorist attacks and given their relative infrequency, the public should become more resilient so as to ensure terrorists do not achieve their goals of spreading fear and anxiety.

J.M. Berger's Research Paper examines how mainstream movements become extremist through a process of identity construction. The paper presents a framework for analysing extremist texts and designing strategic counter-terrorism communications.

This CT Morse report examines the connection between organised crime and terrorism, and its implications for EU Programming.

Dr. Haroro Ingram's Research Paper examines the strategic logic of the “linkage-based” approach to combating militant Islamist propaganda by exploring the conceptual and empirical foundations of this approach.

James Garrison’s Research Paper examines the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Unit’s (PMU) messaging on the organisation’s website and social media platforms to develop a more nuanced understanding of the PMU’s outlook, both present and future.

Nicholas Farnham and Dr. Marieke Liem look at how a copycat effect – established within the field of suicide studies – may manifest itself in terrorist suicide attacks, and take an exploratory approach in evaluating the prospect of incorporating open-data resources in future counter-terrorism research.

This new study commissioned by the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee of the European Parliament, and produced by PwC and the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism – The Hague (ICCT), analyses the coherence and effectiveness of the European Union’s counter-terrorism policy.

In this latest ICCT Perspective, Acting Director Dr. Alastair Reed looks at the use of counter-narratives in relation to IS propaganda and underlines the inadequacy of such a simplistic response.

In his latest Perspective, ICCT Visiting Fellow Francesco Marone discusses the specificities of Italy's use of administrative deportation of foreign citizens as a counter-terrorism policy.

This seminar report by Christophe Paulussen, Janne Nijman and Karlien Lismont explores the suggested link between radicalisation, the foreign fighter phenomenon, terrorism and mental health problems, taking the situation in the Netherlands as a case study.

In his latest Perspective, ICCT Visiting Fellow Phil Gurski looks at Trump's immigration ban and discusses the reasons why it is unlikely to make the US safer.

Islamic extremists returning from fighting in Iraq and Syria pose a massive problem for European policymakers. But there are no quick fixes, argue Dr. Alastair Reed and Johanna Pohl in an article originally published as part of the RUSI Newsbrief Series.

This Research Paper from ICCT Associate Fellow Charlie Winter explores IS’s use of suicide tactics over the course of 12 months – from 1 December 2015 to 30 November 2016 – and, through statistical evaluation, demonstrates its attacks are now primarily perpetrated by local operatives against military targets, marking a new phase of operationalisation for suicide warfare.

ICCT Research Fellow Dr. Alex P. Schmid's latest Research Paper explores what ‘sympathy’ and ‘support’ actually mean when it comes to jihadist terrorism and concludes that better instruments for measuring such sympathy and support are needed to inform counter-terrorist strategies.

Perspectives written by two students of the Terrorism and Counterterrorism course at Leiden University argue the case for and against the FARC being on the EU list of designated terrorist organisations.

In this Research Note, Dr. Lorne L. Dawson argues the merits of adopting an ecological approach to organising and extending our grasp of the social and social psychological factors influencing the career of potential jihadists.

Responding to earlier Perspectives by Wells and Gurski, ICCT Programme Manager Eva Entenmann makes the case against offering plea-bargaining to returning foreign fighters and for more long-term and individualised approaches aimed at reintegration back into society.

In this Perspective, ICCT Associate Fellow Charlie Winter discusses IS's use of suicide tactics and looks in some detail at the group’s three main suicide modi operandi: vehicle-borne IEDs, inghimas operations and human-borne IEDs.

This Report, which was developed for the Global Counterterrorism Forum's Foreign Terrorist Fighters Working Group, takes stock of the current trends and dynamics related to the foreign terrorist fighter phenomenon and identifies some of the gaps that still need to be addressed.

This Research Paper analyses the increasing use of administrative measures in counter-terrorism and, based on a review of their use in the United Kingdom, France, and the Netherlands, and after identifying where their use might be justified and the impact of their use on the protection of human rights, concludes by recommending the establishment of appropriate limits and safeguards.

In this Perspective, ICCT Visiting Fellow Phil Gurski compares violent extremists in Scandinavia to those in Canada and, noticing a divergence, discusses the implications for policy makers in dealing with violent extremism.

ICCT Associate Fellow, Colin Clarke, discusses the “crime-terror nexus” in Europe and examines how the problems of cooperation against terrorism across Europe and the rise of populism and nationalism may impact our ability to tackle this nexus.

Developed for the Global Counterterrorism Forum’s Detention and Reintegration Working Group, this paper puts forth guiding principles, recommendations, and considerations for the detention, rehabilitation, and reintegration of juveniles convicted of terrorism and violent extremism-related crimes in a manner that upholds the principles and safeguards of juvenile justice.

In this Perspective, Louisa Tarras-Wahlberg discusses the seven clear promises delivered to women in official IS propaganda - promises that paint a picture of a young nation state resembling a paradise on earth - and argues that affected European states need to counter IS paradisiac claims while providing better opportunities for young women at home.

As so-called Islamic State (IS) suffers devastating losses of land, personnel and resources across Iraq and Syria, it may seem that its end is near. ICCT Visiting Fellow Haroro Ingram argues to the contrary, explaining how IS’ recent video “You must fight them o muwahhid” offers yet another indicator that the group is again strategically transitioning.

This Perspective by David Wells discusses the benefits of a foreign fighter plea bargain as a policy option that proactively reduces the threat through ensuring immediate incarceration of returning foreign fighters.

This Policy Brief outlines a “linkage-based” approach to combating militant Islamist propaganda tailored for practitioners in order to help them synchronise campaign planning and message design.

This Research Paper develops a history of so-called Islamic State’s media department by examining primary documents and other media throughout its existence. Based on this history, six observations are made aimed at helping in the efforts to combat IS and its inevitable future imitators.

Visiting Fellow Phil Gurski discusses potential consequences of the election of Donald Trump as US president, focusing specifically on what his election means for counter-terrorism and US strategic interests abroad.

This Research Paper explores the repression of the foreign fighters phenomenon and terrorism more generally in Western Europe and argues that only a response based on human rights will be effective in countering this global problem in the long run.

Visiting Fellow Phil Gurski discusses three challenges in offering amnesty to returning foreign fighters: determining the true intent of returnees, determining what acts they were involved in, and dealing with the public reaction.

As the battle for Mosul rages, the West faces a key turning point in the struggle against the so-called Islamic State (IS). The strategic choices made in the coming months to counter the risk posed by IS are likely to have ramifications that will be felt – good or bad – for years to come. As such it is an apt time to reflect on the lessons learned from past mistakes.

In this Perspective, ICCT Visiting Fellow Phil Gurski argues that Islamophobia is a type of ignorance and prejudice, a fear of the Other, against which we must fight in the interests of national security.

This report examines targeted killings in light of human rights law; the precise requirements of transparency, oversight and accountability; and European countries’ human rights obligations when assisting other countries in drone strikes.

Analysing YouTube videos, Kim Mans and Reuben Tuitel provide new insight into the phenomenon of foreign fighters, answering basic questions such as: ‘who are these foreign fighters?’, ‘why do these foreign fighters travel to Syria?’ and ‘where will they go next when the fight is over?’, and thereby adding to so-called thick descriptions in foreign fighter research.

At least for the moment, it seems Rumiyah is part of a contracting Islamic State (IS) propaganda campaign characterised by telling shifts in key messaging themes. In this analysis of Rumiyah’s second issue, Haroro J. Ingram argues that these trends reflect important changes in IS’s propaganda strategy.

In this Perspective, Wittendorp examines issues surrounding the EU's and specifically the Commission's new ‘Security Union’: what is the broader context in which it emerged, what are the assumptions informing it, and what trouble might lie ahead?

While the increasing influence of Islamic State in Bangladesh has attracted global attention, this Perspective looks at the agendas of various actors implicated in recent attacks.

This Research Paper analyses how strategies of meaning, credibility and behavioural change are deployed in militant Islamist propaganda and concludes by outlining crucial lessons for understanding both the siren call of militant Islamist propaganda and counterterrorism strategic communications design.

Examining the case study of one Italian woman who travelled to Syria, Dr. Marone sheds light on some of the particularities concerning Italy’s jihadists, including the relevance of foreign recruitment networks operating within the country and the prevalence of individual pathways of radicalisation over group mechanisms.

In this Perspective, Dr. Boutin argues that, while there can be valid reasons to apply so-called 'administrative measures' to foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs) in France and elsewhere, it is essential for policy makers to give further consideration to issues of human rights in the application of such measures.

The Turner Diaries, the infamous racist dystopian novel by neo-Nazi William Luther Pierce, has inspired more than 200 murders since its publication in 1978. This paper documents the books that directly and indirectly inspired Turner and examines the extensive violence that the novel has inspired.

As governments devise ways to address the issue of foreign fighters and terrorism at home and abroad, the phenomenon of juvenile violent extremist offenders is becoming increasingly important and the question of what to do with them once they are apprehended more and more pertinent.

This NATO research project focused on assessing how military interventions can best prepare the ground for an effective long term counter-terrorism policy, looking at the interventions in Libya, Afghanistan and Mali.

This exploratory ICCT Research Paper examines the current extent of Italy’s foreign fighters in Syria through four case studies.

This Policy Brief lays out a multi-tiered framework for counter-terrorism strategic communications programmes and concrete evaluation of programme results.

Kiriloi M. Ingram argues for a more nuanced understanding of IS’s appeal to Western women, in particular of the five categories of female archetypes into which IS tend to group women.

Nine months after the downing of the Russian A321 civilian aircraft, Metrojet flight 9268, in the Sinai Peninsula, Egyptian authorities still need to address the challenges relating to the vulnerability of airport facilities and to managing the fear of the traveling public.

The latest issue of Dabiq celebrates a summer of terror in the West, speaks directly to Islamic State’s (IS) “crusader” enemies with a mix of condemnations and ultimatums, and is filled with appeals to converts. But what Dabiq’s latest issue doesn’t say is just as telling.

Addressing recent attacks in Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel was widely criticised for repeating her mantra ‘we can do this’, facing a population increasingly worried by Islamist terrorism. This Perspective analyses the tension between fear management and polarisation, challenging existing assumptions on how to communicate to citizens after terrorist attacks.

After years of rumours, Syrian jihadist group Jabhat al Nusra is expected to sever its longstanding affiliation with al Qaeda at any moment. ICCT Associate Fellow J.M. Berger analyses the implications of the impending split on the future evolution of jihadist ideology and strategy.

In this Op-Ed, ICCT Research Fellow Bibi van Ginkel compares the profile of the perpetrator of the Nice Attacks to existing research on Foreign Fighters, pointing to the limits of the security-centered approach France has adopted.

ICCT Fellows and Associates have written articles, op-eds and interviews on the topic of Counter-Terrorism Strategic Communications:

As part of the Counter-Terrorism Strategic Communications Project, this Policy Brief lays out key policy-relevant lessons for developing effective counter-terrorism strategic communications.

This Policy Brief provides an overview of what is known about converts’ involvement in homegrown jihadism and the foreign fighter phenomenon, analysing data from various Western countries.

This Research Paper explores the history of propaganda during conflict and draws out key lessons for improving counter-terrorism strategic communications.

This Research Paper develops a narrow approach to Countering Violent Extremism (CVE), focusing on disengagement and the disruption of recruitment.

This Research Paper explores and questions some assumed causal links between terrorism on the one hand and (forced and irregular) migration on the other. It also offers recommendations that can go some way towards disentangling the issues of (refugee) migration and terrorism.

This Policy Brief sheds light on and increases understanding of al-Qaeda Central's (AQC) latest affiliate al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS).

Now that the Islamic State appears to be losing ground, and the most imminent threat for the Kurdistan Region in Iraq seems to be over, the time has come for the Kurdistan Regional Government to develop a plan to counter violent extremism.

This policy brief focusses on the difficulties of prosecuting Foreign Terorrist Fighters, and the role that the military can play in assisting prosecutors in collecting evidence and arresting suspects in countries of destination.

This report outlines a comparative theoretical framework of lone actor terrorists and related non-terrorist lone actor phenomena, with the aim of enabling policy transfer with regard to detection, prevention and treatment.

This paper presents three sets of recommendations offering guidance for mental health practitioners and social workers to prevent lone actor terrorism by sharing information, fostering engagement and awareness and a multi-agency approach.

ICCT's Research Fellows Liesbeth van der Heide and Daan Weggemans offer their insights on Anders Behring Breivik's quest for lifelong attention, following his court case victory against the Norwegian government.

Analysing the cases of Libya, Afghanistan and Mali, these three Reports assess how military interventions can best prepare the ground for an effective long-term counter-terrorism policy.

This Research Paper analyses the development of militancy in Egypt's North Sinai governorate, focusing in particular on Ansar Bayt al Maqdis/Wilayat Sinai and how it has changed from the 2011 uprising to the present day.

In this Report commissioned by the Netherlands National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism (NCTV), ICCT analyses the numbers and characteristics of foreign fighters, how the EU and Member States assess the threat as well as their policy responses regarding security, preventive and legislative measures.

This Research Paper aims to analyse in depth the global propaganda strategy of the so-called “Islamic State” by looking at the methods through which this grand strategy is carried out as well as its objectives.

This Research Project Report analyses personal variables of perpetrators of lone actor terrorism, resulting in a number of policy recommendations. It is the fifth publication in the Countering Lone-Actor Terrorism (CLAT) project.

Report on the workshop on effective implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions 1624 (2005) and 2178 (2014) that took place in Tunisia in November 2015. This workshop was convened by ICCT, UN CTED and HSC.

In this Clingendael paper, ICCT Fellows Knoope and Chauzal explore how Ghana and Benin are dealing with politics, identity and societal stress, in response to the Sahel crisis and regionalisation of Boko Haram.

This Policy Brief aims to inform the current debate on integrating rehabilitation into the overall approach to foreign fighters by highlighting the challenges and opportunities within the criminal justice sector response.

In this Research Paper, ICCT Research Fellow Dr. Alex P. Schmid analyses the widely diverging foreign fighter estimates. Having identified push and pull as well as resilience factors that facilitate or inhibit young Muslims joining ISIS, he argues that stopping them from departing to Syria is not enough; political solutions have to be sought.

New Report: On 2 and 3 September 2015, the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism – The Hague (ICCT) and the Center for Security Programs (CSP) in Astana convened a NATO Advanced Research Workshop titled 'Violent Extremism in Central Asia: Indicators, Trends and Possible Responses', with support of the NATO Science for Peace and Security Programme. The main aim of the workshop was to identify to what extent radicalisation and violent extremism are on the rise in the region, what can and should be done about it and how actors can advance on a countering violent extremism (CVE) agenda in the future.

New Report: From 6 to 7 October 2015, the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT), Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies (ACPSS) and Netherlands Institute of International Relations ‘Clingendael’ convened a NATO Advanced Research Workshop in Brussels. This workshop was titled ‘(Counter-)terrorism in the post-Arab Spring context’ and supported by the NATO Science for Peace and Security Programme.

In this Policy Brief, experts of ICCT and Clingendael shed light on some of the pressing questions that currently take central stage in the debates following the Paris attacks.

In this Op-Ed, ICCT Research Fellow Dr. Alastair Reed outlines three potential responses that the so-called "Islamic State" may want to provoke with the Paris attacks.

Once more, after the attacks on Charlie Hebdo and a Jewish supermarket in January, Paris has been shaken by a series of terrorist attacks. Contrary to the events earlier this year, the 13 November events were much more complex and coordinated, reminding us of the Mumbai 2008 attacks.

In this Op-Ed, ICCT Director Mark Singleton elaborates on how to read into the assumed bombing of the Russian Metrojet 9628 flight by the Sinai franchise of the so-called "Islamic State" on 31 October 2015.

In this Research Paper, Prof. Dr. Edwin Bakker and Jeanine de Roy van Zuijdewijn explore the threat that returning foreign fighters may pose to Western societies. By analysing four distinct areas where the impact of this phenomenon is most visible, the authors determine the extent of the threat in physical, political and social terms.

In this Policy Brief, Dr. Alex P. Schmid discusses various definitions of Foreign Terrorist Fighters (FTFs) by disaggregating the “foreign”, “terrorist” and “fighters” elements of the UN Security Council definition in resolution 2178 (2014). Subsequently, an attempt is made to bring structure to the widely diverging estimates of the numbers of foreign fighters and their origins.

In this article published in the framework of George Washington University's Program on Extremism, ICCT Research Fellow Dr. Tinka Veldhuis discusses rehabilitation and reintegration programmes for violent extremist offenders.

In this Research Paper, Dr. Isabelle Duyvesteyn and Bram Peeters study seven conflicts that in the past 35 years have triggered Muslims worldwide to leave their home country and become a so-called foreign fighter.

In this Article published by Leiden University's Centre for Terrorism and Counterterrorism, ICCT Research Fellow Sergei Boeke and Bart Schuurman discuss the French military intervention in Mali, launched in 2013.

In this Policy Brief, Prof. Dr. Edwin Bakker and Peter Grol studied several cases of potential foreign fighters. These observations form the basis of policy suggestions that could contribute to the prevention policy within the framework of the “Comprehensive Action Programme to Combat Jihadism” of the Dutch government.

In this Research Paper, Visiting Research Fellow Tom Keatinge asks what barriers exist to greater partnership and information sharing between the security authorities and the financial-services industry in tackling terrorism.

Dr. Alex Schmid identifies a dozen narrative themes of ISIS and discusses them from different angles in an attempt to show vulnerabilities and point the way towards developing convincing counter-arguments.

In this Commentary, Dr. Alex Schmid discusses the recently passed reformed law on Islam in Austria and the possibilities these reforms give for developing a so-called "European Islam".

In this Research Paper, by Dr. Bibi van Ginkel and Dr. Christophe Paulussen, the role of the military when performing law enforcement activities in terms of collecting evidence and/or securing suspected terrorists is analysed.

The number of young Western women travelling abroad to join the "Islamic State" (IS) continues to increase. However, little is known about these women, including their motivations and roles within organisations such as IS. This Background Note provides preliminary answers and explain what is known so far.

In this Research Paper, Jessica Dorsey and Dr. Christophe Paulussen gauge the extent to which European Union Member States share the position of the United States on armed drones and targeted killings.

In this Policy Brief, Dr. Alastair Reed, Jeanine de Roy van Zuijdewijn and Prof. Dr. Edwin Bakker look at the different pathways foreign fighters could take once they have arrived in Syria or Iraq.

In this Commentary Dr. Christophe Paulussen gives a quick snap-shot of the foreign fighters phenomenon, which is a complex and multi-faceted issue.

Research Fellow Dr. Bibi van Ginkel analyses the role of the internet and social media in processes of radicalisation.

In this commentary, ICCT Research Fellow Dr. Bibi van Ginkel discusses deterrence as an instrument against terrorism: does implementing new policies and laws deter potential terrorists or does this have little effect?

In this Commentary, Ms. Floor El Kamouni-Janssen and Ms. Iba Abdo discuss the complex situation in Libya.

In this opinion piece, Erwin van Veen and Iba Abdo analyse the religious credibility and message of the "Islamic State".

This Research Paper provides a detailed examination of the armed conflict in Libya between the Operation Dignity and Libya Dawn military coalitions.

The authors discuss recent military operations in Mali and warn against the temptation to treat the various jihadists as a homogenous group.

In this Commentary, Research Fellow Jessica Dorsey responds to the recently released CIA "Torture Report" and discusses the accountability and transparency in the counter-terrorism strategy of the United States.

In this Op-Ed, Mark Singleton discusses the downside of increased securitisation and the need for a comprehensive approach to counter-terrorism.

A Policy Brief based on the expert meeting at the European Union to discuss the implications of UN Security Council Resolution 2178 (2014) on foreign fighters and to explore responses to the threat foreign fighters pose.

Meeting Note of an expert meeting to discuss appropriate and effective responses to the threat of Foreign Terrorist Fighters (FTFs).

Associate Fellow Peter Knoope discusses whether the "Islamic State" group (IS) represents a new form of terrorism, one that deviates from previous terrorist organisations.

The side event to the UN Counter-Terrorism Strategy Review includes a short introduction of the multi-stakeholder approach to prevent and mitigate extreme violence, and closes with recommendations.

Peter Knoope discusses the potentially long term involvement of Europe in the complex conflict in Syria and Iraq.

This Commentary tests the validity of the specific US self-defence arguments against the Khorasan group in Syria, examining both Article 51 of the UN Charter and customary international law on this issue.

This Commentary reviews the new UN Security Council Resolution 2178 (2014) on foreign terrorist fighters.

The "Islamic State" (IS), with its violent attacks, strong uprise and even stronger media campaign, shows the need for an effective counter-narrative strategy to prevent the spread of violent extremism and radicalisation.

The past two decades have shown that it is arguably easier to start a military intervention than to end one. In this Research Paper, Sergei Boeke looks at exit strategies from a counter-terrorism perspective.

In this Background Note, Jeanine de Roy van Zuijdewijn and Prof. Dr. Edwin Bakker investigate three historical cases of foreign fighting: Afghanistan (1980s), Bosnia (1990s) and Somalia (2000s).

In the latest policy measure against the perceived threat of foreign fighters, the UK passed a law that could result in terrorism suspects becoming stateless. Dr. Christophe Paulussen and Dr. Laura van Waas analyse the bill.

This Research Paper seeks to obtain a clearer understanding of what “Islamist extremism” entails.

This Commentary argues that governments should trust non-governmental actors to a greater extent with sensitive information to ensure the most informed responses to terrorism.

In this Policy Brief, Research Fellow Seran de Leede examines the position of women in Afghanistan towards the Taliban to a better understanding of the role of women in (countering) political violence in Afghanistan.

This Commentary argues that the problem of returning foreign fighters to Europe will only increase and policymakers should look towards civil society and local communities for solutions.

This Research Paper analyses the current threat emanating from the Sinai Peninsula by mapping the various violent actors and their international connections.

This Research Paper analyses the likely future of the conflict between the most significant salafi jihadist group in the country, Ansar al-Sharia in Tunisia, and the Tunisian state.

The Paper identifies and analyses governmental approaches to managing fear in relation to terrorist incidents.

In this Research Paper efforts by governments and non-governmental bodies to challenge al Qaeda's narrative are discussed by Research Fellow Dr. Alex P. Schmid .

The increasing amount of foreign fighters brings the possibility that returnees have radicalised which makes them a potential threat.

This Commentary discusses the announcement of a new jihadist organisation the Al-Mourabitoun.

A court in The Netherlands recently convicted two men who wanted to travel to Syria to join the jihad. This Commentary analyses the two judgements and their wider implications.

ICCT, together with the T.M.C. Asser Institute, drafted a guidance paper to support the curriculum development of the to be established International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law.

In this Research Paper, Former Visiting Fellow Akinola Olojo examines the key drivers of public support for Boko Haram in northern Nigeria.

The Court of Justice of the EU made its final judgement in the case of Mr. Kadi: what does this mean for the burden of proof in placing individuals on sanctions list and for the implementation of the UN sanctions list?

This Research Paper examines to what extent the Breivik trial attained the goals of criminal justice and also aims to determine if the trial contributed to the need for closure in society.

Intelligence information about Al Qaeda in the Arabic Peninsula (AQAP) caused a security stir in the past weeks leading to embassy closures and evacuation of personnel in Yemen.

This Commentary looks at the elections and explains why various terrorist groups missed the opportunity to disrupt the democratic process in Mali.

In this Policy Brief, Dr. Howard Stoffer emphasises the need for a global UN Counter-Terrrorism Coordinator to oversee the smooth and efficient running of all UN counter-terrorism related activities.

Following the Boston Marathon and Woolwich attacks in 2013, some commentators proclaimed the end of the concept of radicalisation as the root cause for terrorism. Dr. Alex Schmid takes a closer look at this claim.

What implication has the Arab Spring had on jihadist movements in northern Africa? Daveed Gartenstein-Ross looks at regional developments and the relationship between countries of dawa (missionary work) and lands of jihad.

Conducting empirical research in the field of terrorism is not an easy task: gaining access to police files, interviewing (former) terrorists or accessing intelligence information can be arduous.

This Commentary examines the role of women in the ongoing conflict in Northern Nigeria.

Associate Fellow Dr. Daveed Gartenstein-Ross examines the activities, organisation and possible future of Tunisia's largest salafi jihadist organisation: Ansar al-Sharia Tunisia (AST).

This Commentary discusses the available options in Nigeria and the contradictions of state policy thus far.

During the first US Congressional hearing on the Boston bombings and in media reports, Boston’s police commissioner, Mr. Edward F. Davis III, advocated for stronger visual monitoring of public spaces.

This Meeting Note reports on the expert workshop on The Role of Psychology in Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Violent Extremist Offenders, which was convened together with the Hedayah centre.

This Research Paper is a detailed report of a two-day symposium by the same title, which was convened in The Hague in January 2013.

This Commentary analyses the exodus of young European jihadists that are inundating Western intelligence services.

Based on an in-depth literature review, Research Fellow Dr. Alex P. Schmid explores the terms "radicalisation", "de-radicalisation" and "counter-radicalisation" and the discourses surrounding them in greater detail.

The strategy of the most prominent jihadist organisation in Tunisia, Ansar-al-Sharia Tunisia (AST), has thus far mainly focussed on dawa (missionary work) instead of violent acts.

Research Fellow Dr. Bibi van Ginkel and Clingendael Senior Research Fellow Ivan Briscoe analyse the relationship between the development and counter-terrorism sectors in light of the changing nature of terrorism.

In the Francophone press, jihadists and rebels in Northern Mali are frequently referred to as "narco-terrorists". This Commentary discusses the use of such terminology and its implications.

The authors suggest that increased and structural data analysis is essential to produce evidence-based policies that are tailored to countering violent extremism.

The first judgement against a state (Macedonia) for its involvement in the CIA's extra-ordinary rendition programme was handed down earlier this week. Dr. Bibi van Ginkel analyses the implications of the ECHR judgement.

Last week's decision against the extradition of Muslim cleric Abu Qatada in the UK was a controversial one. What does the case mean for evidence obtained by torture, human rights, extradition and anticipatory justice?

In their Commentary, Bart Schuurman and Dr. Isabelle Duyvesteyn examine peace negotiations in conflicts between governments and terrorist organisations.

In this Commentary, former Director Peter Knoope argues that the shooting of Malala Yousafzai by the Pakistani Taliban further decreases its legitimacy.

What is the impact of the final verdict in the Anders Behring Breivik trial? How does it affect the coping mechanisms in society and are the goals of criminal justice achieved?

Dr. Bibi van Ginkel examines the role of the exchange of intelligence between states, the applicable human rights framework, and the dilemmas involved.

In this Research Paper, Dr. Christophe Paulussen explores whether the current international legal framework is sufficiently equipped to effectively deal with the threat of terrorism and counter-terrorism practices.

In this Research Paper Dr. Bibi van Ginkel takes an in depth look at how multi-lateral institutions engage with civil society to counter violent extremism.

Following terrorist attacks, governments are often quick to express their solidarity with victims but as the memory of a terrorist atrocity fades, attention for the victims also ebbs away – in both government and society.

In the latest Commentary, Dr. Alex Schmid argues that exploring the utility of situational crime prevention - widely used in the field of criminology - maybe the future of terrorism prevention.

This Commentary discusses the trial against four terror suspects of the so-called Düsseldorf terror cell.

The Research Paper aims to provide a general review of publications on the future of terrorism by academics, think tanks and government agencies over the past ten years.

This Research Paper discusses the challenges of countering far-Right political violence.

This Research Paper explores violent extremist “narratives” within the Indonesian context by interviewing a convicted terrorist and one currently undergoing trial.

In early April 2012, the first conference of the Working Group for Countering Violent Extremism was attended by representatives from the 29 countries which are part of the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum.

In this Commentary, 2012 Visiting Research Fellow Dr. Arun Kundnani analyses Breivik's ideology as contained in his 1,500-page manifesto, 2083 – A European Declaration of Independence.

This Commentary analyses the trial against Anders Behring Breivik, the Norwegian violent extremist who carried out bomb and gun attacks that left 77 people dead last year.

This Research Paper discusses several of the key questions related to the subject of impunity of international terrorists, taking both a fundamental and a more practical approach within the context of international law.

In the aftermath of the terrible attacks in Southern France, French intelligence agencies are facing calls for an investigation into alleged intelligence failures.

This Commentary reviews Sections 1021 and 1022 of the "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012" (NDAA 2012) – probably the act’s most controversial counter-terrorism provisions.

It is no secret that violent extremists – whether Jihadists or Neo-Nazis – make intensive use of the internet as a platform for discussion, planning, propaganda and recruitment. Dr. Bibi van Ginkel discusses different approaches to counter this.

In recent years commentators have begun to suggest that Africa will be the next haven for al Qaeda, with al Shabaab, al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and Boko Haram all having affiliations with al Qaeda in varying degrees.

In this Research Paper, Dr. Tinka Veldhuis makes an argument for a Realist approach to rehabilitation and reintegration programmes for violent extremist offenders in prison.

In this Policy Brief, Research Fellows Prof. Dr. Edwin Bakker and Dr. Tinka Veldhuis explore the dynamics of fear in response to terrorism.

Ten years after 9/11, we seem to be witnessing an important turning point in the strategic thinking about counter-terrorism policies and measures.

In this Discussion Paper, Dr. Quirine Eijkman discusses the use of surveillance, storage of personal information, biometrics, satellite technology and other forms of ICT technology used in the fight against terrorism and the risks that come along with them.

Since 9/11 and the London and Madrid bombings a wide variety counter-terrorism measures have been taken, including the implementation of many technical tools.

Dr. Bibi van Ginkel analyses the relevant research and policy question related to the criminalisation of incitement to terrorism.

In this Commentary, Dr. Beatrice de Graaf and Eelco Kessels MA emphasise that, although we might label Anders B. Breivik a lone wolf, he certainly does not perceive himself to be a loner operating in complete isolation.

The trial of Anders Behring Breivik posed many questions, one of them being if the hearings should be in public or behind closed doors.

The incorrect, one-sided and partly over-optimistic picture of "the" terrorist as a Muslim male connected to al Qaeda was smashed to pieces by the deadly attacks in Norway, Prof Dr. Edwin Bakker argues in this Commentary. Terrorism in Europe is – and always has been – a very diverse phenomenon.

This study briefly discusses the concept of preventive counter‐terrorism, after which it will go on to consider the use of preventive counter‐terrorism measures in the EU as well as their potential discriminatory side‐effects.

In this guest Commentary, Dr. Noorhaidi Hasan looks at terrorism and violent extremism developments in Indonesia, as well as the government's policies.

In his statement, US President Barack Obama stipulated that the targeted operation he authorised was aimed at bringing Osama bin Laden “to justice”.

After its irrelevance in the Arab Spring and the death of its iconic and unifying leader and the lack of a strong successor with similar stature is the ultimate blow to al Qaeda.

Shaykh Anwar Al-Awlaki in the Islamist Glossy "Inspire Magazine", is on the defence, trying desperately to convince his readers – and probably himself – of his interpretation of the events unfolding.

On 30 March 2011, ICCT hosted an Expert Meeting applied a performative perspective to three well known and recent trials in different parts of the world.

The popular uprisings in Northern Africa and the Middle East are showing us, professionals involved in the field of counter-terrorism, and our politicians the best way forward in our struggle against political violence.

This Research Paper focuses on the special procedures of Canada, France, the Netherlands and the UK for the use of intelligence in terrorism-related court cases.

In this Research Paper, Prof. Dr. Beatrice de Graaf emphasises the importance of effective communication and performance in the fight against terrorism and the fear it aims to induce.

Over 200 high-level international experts from various governments, counter-terrorism agencies, academic institutions and NGOs gathered to discuss the status of counter-terrorism.

This Research Paper is an updated version of the discussion paper that was prepared for the ICCT Expert Meeting on ‘Joint Investigation Teams: Added Value, Opportunities and Obstacles in the Struggle against Terrorism’.

There is one profound conclusion missing in most of the news reports and expert opinions analysing the political, social and/or historical reasons for and consequences of the events taking place in Egypt and Tunisia.

In this Commentary, Dr. Bibi van Ginkel analyses the proceedings of the Kadi trial and the impact of the most recent ruling.

Dr. Quirine Eijkman analyses the retrial and discusses the consequences of the verdict for counter-terrorism measures.

In this Commentary, Bart Schuurman argues that legislation specifically designed to address terrorism-related violence is a powerful instrument that governments can use in the struggle against violent extremism.

In this Research Paper Prof. Dr. Edwin Bakker and Prof. Dr. Beatrice de Graaf examine the rise of terrorist acts perpetrated by individuals.

In a new Commentary, Dr. Mark Dechesne, Senior Researcher at Campus The Hague / Leiden University explores the effects of terrorist attacks. What does terrorism do to people? What happens if people are terrorised?

The Commentary tries to explain the reasons for the (delayed) outburst of anti-Islamic emotions and demonstrations in various parts of the world.

This Commentary analyses the recent announcement of a convicted member of the Dutch jihadist Hofstad group, who stated that he from now on accepts the judicial system and is certain that he will receive a fair trial.

This Commentary analyses whether the appointment of an ombudsperson pursuant to Security Council Resolution 1904 will in fact improve the due process standards of the UN terrorist listing and de-listing procedure.

In the first ICCT Commentary, Prof. Dr. Edwin Bakker reflects upon the conclusions by Insurance Company Aon that counter-terrorism efforts have caused a decrease in the global terrorism threat level.

Dr. Bibi van Ginkel and Federico Rojas analyse the different policies on diplomatic assurances in countries that are representative of a trend and clarify the criteria that have to be fulfilled before assurance may be used.