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On 31 July 2017, ICCT Associate Fellow Haroro Ingram published an article in The National Interest arguing that despite the defeat of so-called ‘Islamic State’ (IS) in Mosul, continuing to devise effective ways to combat IS propaganda remains critical. Because IS has been weakened, it will seek new ways to disseminate its propaganda. The article gives a comprehensive overview of Ingram’s […]

On 6 July 2017, ICCT Research Fellow Liesbeth van der Heide was cited in Newsweek. In the context of so-called ‘Islamic State’ (IS) indoctrinating and using children in their campaigns, IS poses a much greater challenge than other extremist groups that try to radicalise communities. Van der Heide argues that because IS “was literally running a state-like operation, providing […]

On 3 July 2017, ICCT Research Fellow Dr. Bibi van Ginkel joined the Dutch Radio talk-show NOS Het Oog, discussing general dilemmas of dealing with foreign fighters wanting to return to their countries of origin. Now that so-called ‘Islamic State’ (IS) is on the brink of losing Raqqa and Mosul, governments in Europe and the United States, for […]

On 4 July 2017, the  French newspaper Le Figaro reported on the report “Fear Thy Neighbor: Radicalization and Jihadist Attacks in the West”, which was published jointly by George Washington University’s Program on Extremism, the Italian Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI) and the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism – The Hague (ICCT) in June 2017. Le Figaro […]

On 3 July 2017, ICCT Associate Fellow Charlie Winter published an article in The Atlantic discussing how so called Islamic State’s (IS) recent loss of Mosul is not as detrimental to the group as one may initially think. The fall of Mosul, argues Winter, was a foreseeable development for IS, as it was more a question of when the city […]

On 19 June 2017, ICCT Associate Fellow J.M. Berger published an article in The Atlantic discussing the emerging pattern of reciprocal and escalating violence between various extremist groups. Berger argues that while Jihadist extremism is a mature extremist movement, anti-Muslim extremism is currently more diffuse. However, the symbiotic relationship between warring extremist groups sets a dangerous precedent. […]

On 5 June 2017, ICCT Associate Fellows Colin P. Clarke and Daveed Gartenstein-Ross were cited in the Boston Herald. Gartenstein-Ross argues that the attacks that occurred the United Kingdom over the past three weeks should no longer be considered as “lone-wolf” attacks, given their rapidity and the way in which they tie into a group strategy. Similarly, Clarke argues that anticipating […]

On 5 June 2017, ICCT Research Fellow J.M. Berger was featured in an article by The New Yorker about how terrorism is changing. As so-called “Islamic State” (IS) is rapidly losing ground, this does not mean that the group will be any less dangerous. “The West can do things on the margins to be safer,” Berger said, but it still […]

On 3 May 2017, ICCT Associate Fellows Colin P. Clarke and Craig Whiteside published an article  titled “Charting the Future of the Modern Caliphate” in War on the Rocks. The article explores the future of so called ‘Islamic State’ (IS) and what will be most likely future scenarios for the jihadi group. According to Clarke and Whiteside, IS’ future survival […]

On 5 May 2017, ICCT Research Fellow J.M. Berger was interviewed by The Loopcast to discuss his ICCT Research Paper ‘Extremist Construction of Identity: How Escalating Demands for Legitimacy Shape and Define In-Group and Out-Group Dynamics’. Berger explains how the idea for his paper came to be, and why he examines the white supremacist movement Christian Identity in […]

On 11 April 2017, ICCT Research Fellow Bibi van Ginkel commented in an article by the Dutch news broadcaster NOS about radicalisation in Central Asian countries.

On 12 April 2017, ICCT Associate Fellow J.M. Berger was interviewed by ABC News, discussing the Russian influence campaign behind the ‘#SyriaHoax’ hashtag on Twitter.

J.M. Berger argues that Islamic State is losing its appeal, reflected in its decreased ability to recruit new followers.

On 29 March 2017, ICCT Research Fellow Prof. Dr. Edwin Bakker joined the Dutch talk-show Pauw, discussing his and Mr. Peter Grol’s latest book publication.

On 27 March 2017, ICCT Research Fellow Dr. Bibi van Ginkel was cited in the Dutch NRC newspaper with regards to the EU’s policy on counter-terrorism.

ICCT Research Fellow Dr. Alex P. Schmid was interviewed by the Club de Madrid’s platform Stop Violent Extremism where experts on PVE/CVE can express and disseminate their ideas on how to tackle violent extremism. Dr. Schmid’s contribution centred on what is needed to build an effective new narrative to counter violent extremism. Read the full interview.

On 26 February 2017, ICCT Research Fellow Dr. Alex P. Schmid was featured in article for PBS Newshour on defining ‘terrorism’.

On 7 February 2017, ICCT Research Fellow Prof. Edwin Bakker was featured in the article “A file on Islamic State’s ‘problem’ foreign fighters shows some are refusing to fight”, published in The Washington Post.

On 9 February 2017, ICCT Associate Fellows Dr. Haroro Ingram and Dr. Craig Whiteside published an article in The Atlantic discussing the enduring propaganda value of Anwar al-Awlaki in connection with the recent US-led ground action targeting AQAP in Yemen. Ingram and Whiteside argue that even unintended actions, such as the death of Awlaki’s daughter […]

On 25 January 2017, ICCT Associate Fellows J.M. Berger and Charlie Winter were featured in an article published by The Huffington Post. The article “Trump’s Talk On Terror And Iraq Has Experts Worried About A Coming Backlash” examines the rhetoric of the US President in relation to the current battle against the so-called Islamic State (IS). J.M. […]

On 3 February 2017, ICCT Associate Fellow J.M. Berger comments in The Washington Post on the current US administration’s re-branding of the countering violent extremism programme to countering Islamic extremism only. J.M. Berger argues that this allows the US government to specifically target “radical Islamic terror”, symbolically ignoring or even accepting the increasing presence of white nationalism […]

On 31 January 2017, ICCT Associate Fellows Charlie Winter and Dr. Colin P. Clarke discussed the future of the so-called Islamic State (IS) in an article published in Foreign Affairs by providing an analysis of IS’ media coordination and productivity over the past years. The Associate Fellows conclude that the amount of propaganda outlets is decreasing as the centre of the […]

On 2 February 2017, ICCT Research Fellow Dr. Haroro J. Ingram published an article in The Strategist. “Obama’s foreign policy legacy in three quotes” examines the rhetoric used by the Obama administration in the context of the Syrian war, the perceived threat from Russia and the rise of so-called Islamic State (IS). To maintain credibility and legitimacy, Dr. Haroro […]

On 30 December 2016, ICCT Research Fellow Bart Schuurman was featured in the Middle East Eye. In the article ‘The terror forecast for 2017’, Bart Schuurman and other terrorism scholars were invited to comment on terrorism prospects in 2017. Besides discussing current and expected developments of the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, the scholars also commented […]

On 20 November 2016, the Spanish newspaper El País published an article that examines the preparedness within Europe for a potential increasing influx of returning foreign fighters when the so-called Islamic State looses its power in Syria and Iraq. In the article, ICCT Research Fellow Dr. Christophe Paulussen states that prosecution and detention of returning foreign […]

On 30 December, the Italian news broadcaster Rai News published an article referring to the latest ICCT Policy Brief by ICCT Research Fellow Tanya Mehra. The article casts a look back at the death of Saddam Hussein ten years ago and the political situation today in Iraq, characterised by sectarian strife and the atrocities committed by the […]

On 20 December 2016, ICCT Associate Fellow J.M. Berger was featured in The Washington Post article: “Tech companies ‘profit from ISIS,’ allege families of Orlando shooting victims in federal lawsuit”. The article examines the role that social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter play in the recruitment process of so-called Islamic State and the revenue they […]

On 28 December 2016, ICCT Associate Fellow J.M. Berger was interviewed by David Greene of NPR. In the Morning Edition, J.M. Berger explored how counter-terrorism policy may change under the new US president-elect. During the interview, J.M. Berger comments on the dangers of the public narratives with its focus on ISIS and their claimed attacks in recent months, […]

On 20 December 2016, ICCT Research Fellow Dr. Alex P. Schmid was featured on the WJLA news website. The article “Linking terrorism to immigration after Berlin attack may not align with facts, experts say”, explores the often perceived link between migration and terrorism. Based on his previous ICCT Research Paper Links between Terrorism and Migration: an Exploration, Dr. Schmid argues that […]

On 25 November 2016, ICCT Associate Fellow J. M. Berger was featured in an article by The Boston Globe. The article “Should Twitter ban the alt-right? The case for online censorship” explores the role of social media platforms with regard to free speech and radicalisation. J. M. Berger argues that “social media give extremists some powerful tools for growth: […]

On 12 December 2016, ICCT Associate Fellow Dr. Craig Whiteside was featured in War on the Rocks. His article shares six findings based on his research on the so-called Islamic State (IS) and its media enterprise. Dr. Craig Whiteside is part of ICCT’s Counter-Terrorism Strategic Communications project and has recently authored the Research Paper: Lighting the Path: the Evolution of the […]

On 25 November 2016, ICCT Associate Fellow Seran de Leede commented in an article by the Dutch news broadcaster NOS. The article examines ‘Layla M.’, a new fictional movie that captures the radicalisation process of a young Dutch girl. The creators aimed to decrease the taboo and encourage dialogue within society. Thus far, the movie has received positive reviews. […]

On 9 November,  ICCT Research Fellow Wietse van den Berge‘s interview with the Habilian Association was published by Mehr News Agency. The article “Jihadist groups fragmented, but sharing common goal” explores different types of radicalisation: Wietse van den Berge believes that ‘neither ideology nor religion is actually a cause for radicalisation’. Additionally, he comments on […]

In an article for The Strategist from 7 November 2016, ICCT Director Dr. Alastair Reed explores the possibilities of using strategic communications in countering the activities of the so-called Islamic State (IS) in Bangladesh.

An October article in Politico Magazine by ICCT Associate Fellow J.M. Berger explores the relationship between American white nationalists and the current Republican nominee for the U.S. presidency, Donald Trump. Presenting that at first the two parties were at odds, Berger elaborates on how many white nationalists have come to not only accept, but love Trump. The […]

On October 23, ICCT Associate Fellow Charlie Winter featured in the Toronto Star newspaper on the use of counter-Islamic State (IS) propaganda by the American and Canadian governments. The article “Countering Daesh propaganda, and skeptics at home” critically explores the propaganda battleground and previously applied counter-terrorism narrative strategies. Charlie Winter argues for the need to remain innovative […]

On 13 October 2016, ICCT Research Fellow Liesbeth van der Heide was featured in the Dutch newspaper Trouw. The article examines the case of a Dutch foreign fighter who fled from territory controlled by the so-called Islamic State (IS) and is currently in interned in an IS defector camp in Syria. Van der Heide comments on the role of the government […]

On 14 October 2016, the Washington, D.C. based U.S. military newspaper Stars and Stripes published a piece that examines the notable absence of terrorist attacks in Italy since the establishment of ISIS – a fact that has not been shared by a number of its European neighbours. Drawing from the findings detailed in the ICCT Foreign Fighters Report, the […]

On 18 October 2016, ICCT Research Fellow Prof. Dr. Edwin Bakker joined the Dutch talkshow Pauw, discussing the battle of Mosul and the wider ramifications of the fight against the so-called Islamic State.

In a recent interview with Bob Garfield on WNYC’s show On the Media, ICCT Associate Fellow Charlie Winter discusses newly published figures concerning IS propaganda and recruitment reductions. Attributing these changes to significant losses in territory, the cyber war, and the killing of key IS figures through targeted strikes, Winter also anticipates increased retaliation from the group. Touching on the 2016 U.S. presidential election, the […]

A New York Times article presents newly published figures that indicate significant drops in the media output of so-called Islamic State (IS) and in the number of foreign fighters either joining or part of IS forces. Recognising this trend, ICCT Associate Fellow J.M. Berger comments that the group’s move away from selling itself as a utopia […]

Writing in The Atlantic, ICCT Associate Fellow J.M. Berger presents the historical context of white nationalism before focusing on an analysis of the famous racist novel The Turner Diaries.

A Time Magazine article of 15 September 2016 examines the position of mothers and their unique role as actors who can help prevent the radicalisation of children and young adults, relying on data from ICCT’s Foreign Fighters Report.

Today, ICCT Associate Fellow Seran de Leede appeared in an article on Western Women drawn to ISIS in the Dutch news broadcaster NOS

In an article published by the Business Insider, ICCT Associate Fellow Charlie Winter commented on the approach taken by some technology companies to counter extremism. In particular, incubator Jigsaw’s development of a Redirect Method allows them to target individuals on a path to extremism with ads that debunk the mythology of ISIS. However, Winter stresses that while the Redirect […]

19.9.2016: In the StarTribune, ICCT Associate Fellow J. M. Berger comments on the effects of educational and mental health programmes on communities at risk of home-grown terrorism. Berger argues that while these programmes are beneficial to the communities involved, they do not necessarily lead to a reduction in violent extremism. Read the article. 

18.7.2016: in an article for the Spanish newspaper El Periodico, ICCT Fellows Edwin Bakker and Alex P. Schmid commented on the latest terrorist attack in Nice. While Alex Schmid focused on France’s historical role in the division of the Middle East, the secular character of its society and its involvement in the coalition against the so-called Islamic State […]

Both last week and this week, ICCT Research Fellow Bibi van Ginkel was interviewed by two Dutch newspapers as well as by Radio 1 to share her expertise: In an interview with NRC and Radio 1, she spoke on new legislation being discussed by the Dutch Parliament concerning the introduction of administrative measures against terrorists. These measures, argued […]

ICCT launched its Report ‘The Foreign Fighters Phenomenon in the European Union: Profiles, Threats & Policies’ in the presence of (inter)national policymakers, counter-terrorism experts, ambassadors, academics and media representatives. The event took place at the international press centre Nieuwspoort in The Hague, where the first copy was handed to the Netherlands National Coordinator for Security and […]

ICCT Director Mark Singleton and Research Fellow Dr. Christophe Paulussen commented on the efforts of the Netherlands to prevent radicalisation and counter-terrorism in several Dutch newspapers.

The analysis in the media by ICCT experts related to the Brussels attacks that took place on Tuesday 22 March 2016 can be found on this page.

Today, ICCT Research Fellow Dr. Bibi van Ginkel appeared in an article on the capture of Salah Abdeslam in the Dutch national newspaper Algemeen Dagblad.

On 17 March, ICCT Research Fellow Dr. Bibi van Ginkel was interviewed by the Dutch daily newspaper Trouw for an article on the threat of new attacks of the so-called “Islamic State” in Europe.

On 10 March 2016, ICCT Director Mark Singleton and Research Fellow Bibi van Ginkel commented on the leaked identities of Islamist State recruits in an article by the Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant.

ICCT Research Fellow Dr. Bibi van Ginkel called the revealed identities of IS recruits a “smoking gun”, that can make the conviction of jihadists in the Netherlands more likely.

ICCT Research Fellow Dr. Alex P. Schmid is interviewed by Global Affairs Mexico about the relationship between terrorism and the media and the current state of the art in terrorism research.

ICCT Research Fellow Liesbeth van der Heide underlined the need for de-radicalisation programmes in an interview by Dutch public broadcaster Omroep WNL.

On 16 January 2016, ICCT Director Mark Singleton was interviewed by Peter de Bie and Meike van der Weij of the Dutch news broadcast Nieuwsshow on NPO Radio 1.
In the interview, Mark Singleton comments on the recent attacks in Istanbul and Jakarta, and gives a broader assessment of current Western counter-terrorism policies.

On 17 January 2016, ICCT Research Fellow Bibi van Ginkel was interviewed by the Dutch news radio channel NPO Radio 1 on policy measures in the fight against terrorism. Specifically, van Ginkel differentiates between threat levels and states of emergency and explains the ramifications of each measure.

Following the terrorist attacks in Jakarta on 14 January 2016, ICCT Director Mark Singleton was invited by the Dutch news agency RTL Nieuws to discuss the background of this attack.

On 13 January 2016, Dr. Bibi van Ginkel was interviewed by RTL Nieuws on the new report of the Dutch General Intelligence and Security Service on life under the so-called “Islamic State”.

ICCT Senior Portfolio Manager Marco de Swart was interviewed by the Dutch radio station Den Haag FM about the uniqueness of the joint meeting of the GCTF and the Global Coalition Against ISIL.

ICCT Director Mark Singleton was interviewed by the Dutch news radio station BNR on account of the joint meeting of the Global Counterterrorism Forum and the Global Coalition Against ISIL/Da’esh.

Mark Singleton was interviewed by the Belgian daily newspaper De Standaard on the document of the so-called “Islamic State” that outlined principles for governing territory and a strategy for becoming a viable state.

On 19 November 2015, a day after a female terrorist that was linked to the Paris attacks bombed herself in Saint-Denis, Seran de Leede elaborated on the phenomenon of female suicide bombers.

On 9 November 2015, Mark Singleton was interviewed by Dutch TV. He elaborated on the bombing of the Russian Metrojet 9268 flight and the situational circumstances and history of the Sinai region.

On 17 November 2015, ICCT Director Mark Singleton joined the NPO Radio 1 evening programme Met Het Oog Op Morgen, giving his impression of the state of affairs in Hannover regarding the cancellation of the friendly match between Germany and The Netherlands.

On 13 November, IS militant Mohammed Emwazi, also known as “Jihadi John”, was confirmed dead after being hit in a US drone strike. Mark Singleton and Dr. Bibi van Ginkel commented on his killing in the media.

In an article published by the Belgian newsmagazine Knack on 10 November 2015, ICCT Associate Fellow and former Director Peter Knoope discussed the potential motivations of terrorists and the anti-Western sentiment.

All media appearances of ICCT experts on the Paris attacks that took place during the night from Friday 13 to Saturday 14 November 2015 can be found on this page.

On 20 October 2015, Jeanine de Roy van Zuijdewijn was interviewed on the large “Jihad court case” in the Netherlands in the news programme De Nieuws BV of Dutch radio channel NPO Radio 1.

  ICCT Research Fellow Bibi van Ginkel was interviewed for the Dutch national newspaper de Volkskrant as well as on the news of NOS Radio 1 Journaal at radio channel NPO Radio 1. The interviews concerned the debate about the  risk of Islamic State fighters using the migrant routes as refugees to enter Europe. In her comment, Dr. […]

ICCT Associate Fellow Peter Knoope was interviewed on Al Monitor about the IS recruitment tools in Central Asia.

On 17 August 2015, Peter Knoope joined the programme “No Place is Far” (Italian: Nessun Luogo è Lontano) on the Italian all-news radio station Radio 24 to speak about the leadership of terrorist organisations.

  At the occasion of a UN Counter Terrorism Committee‘s special meeting held in Madrid, state representatives, representatives of other UN organisations and agencies, and regional organisations, as well as researchers, implementing parties and civil society representatives, participated in three technical meetings that were held to discuss the challenges and threats posed by foreign terrorist […]

ICCT Director Mark Singleton and Research Fellow Dr. Bibi van Ginkel attended the Counter-Terrorism Expert Conference of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe in Vienna.

Research Fellow and Leiden University Researcher Daan Weggemans and Beatrice de Graaf conducted one of the first scientific studies on the societal reintegration of former jihadist detainees.

On Sunday 17 May, Tom Keatinge provided an analysis to BBC about banks helping to identify possible jihadi fighters.

Research Fellow Dr. Bibi van Ginkel on the GCTF Administrative Unit in newspaper “Trouw” (in Dutch).   Find the whole article here.

On Friday 1 May, Christophe Paulussen was quoted by Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad in an article about new counter-terrorism legislative proposals in the Netherlands.

Associate Fellow Dr. Daveed Gartenstein-Ross provided analysis about the Islamic State and Boko Haram in Africa in Foreign Policy.   Read the full article here.

Associate Fellow Peter Knoope was interviewed about the situation in Yemen in the International Business Times.   Find the article here.

On 19-20 March 2015, ICCT together with ASC organised a two-day event on ‘Governance and Connections in Africa’s Contemporary Conflicts’ that explored the multi-dimensional connections between conflict zones ranging from the Sahel to the Horn of Africa and from Central Africa to the Great Lakes Region. On the second day, a public lecture ‘Globalised Conflict Situations – Nigeria’s […]

On 16 March 2015, ICCT Research Fellow Dr. Christophe Paulussen was invited by the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly’s Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy to participate in a hearing at the French Senate in Paris on the issue of foreign fighters in Syria.

On Syria and Counternarratives, interview with ICCT Research Fellow Dr. Bibi van Ginkel: “Schakel ex-Syriestrijders in contrapropaganda“, in De Morgen (in Dutch).

ICCT welcomes three new Fellows including Dr. Elaine Pressman, Ms. Seran de Leede and Mr. Daan Weggemans, and Ms. Naziha Laribi as Communications Intern.

On 27 January, the Court of Appeal in The Hague sentenced 23-year old Omar H. from Amsterdam to 18 months unconditional imprisonment for, amongst others, participation in training for terrorism. It is the first decision in which a Dutch court has issued a judgement on the participation in and assistance to terrorism.

ICCT Research Fellow Dr. Christophe Paulussen provided an interview on returning jihadists in NOW Media. Read the article here.

ICCT Associate Fellow Peter Knoope in the IBTimes on the possible impact of the Paris Attacks. Read the article here.

ICCT Director Mark Singleton on Storify on the future of EU counter-terrorism policies. Listen to the interview here.

Jason W, a convicted member of the Dutch home-grown Hofstad Network, has sent an open letter to a newspaper in the Netherlands renouncing his Jihadi beliefs, in the wake of a trial which reopens today. In this case, the court will explore if the Hofstad Network should be classified as a terrorist organisation.