Overview

Given the political imperatives and speed with which counter-terrorism policies and strategies are implemented, often in response to terrorist attacks, counter-terrorism instruments are rarely evaluated and are often based on untested assumptions. To address the lack of systematic analyses of past and current activities, ICCT has created a Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning programme to assess the effectiveness of various strategies, policies and individual implementation activities.

Furthermore, ICCT is involved in the European Commission-funded project on Counter-terrorism Monitoring, Reporting and Support Mechanism (CT MORSE), and has published several research papers on the topic.

Please contact info@icct.nl for more information.

Featured

Policy Brief | 26 Mar 2019

Learning the Lessons of Terrorist Failure: The Dogs that Didn't Bark in Scotland and Wales

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.

Research Paper | 16 Dec 2022 Deadly Detours: Why Terrorists Do Not Attack US Bridges and Tunnels
This article provides an unprecedentedly in-depth examination of terrorist decision making vis-à-vis American bridges and tunnels, using foiled plots as case studies to explain why these schemes fail and, more importantly, what deters terrorists from pursuing them.
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Perspective | 26 Aug 2022 One Year of Taliban Rule in Afghanistan: A Predictable Disaster
This Perspective will assess five common predictions of the Taliban's rule in Afghanistan when they took over a year ago and consider whether things turned out as badly as many believed.
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Perspective | 7 Jul 2022 Counter-Terrorism in the Sahel: Increased Instability and Political Tensions
This perspective analyses how instability and political tensions are impacting the fight against Terrorism in the Sahel.
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Perspective | 29 Jun 2022 A Global Strategy to Address the Islamic State in Africa
This Perspective proposes four strategic principles and six operational guidelines to guide the Coalition’s mission in Africa.
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Perspective | 28 Jun 2022 Turkish Military Offensive in Syria: Consequences for Counter-Terrorism Operations
This Perspective explores the potential implications of another Turkish invasion for both local and international security.
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Policy Brief | 25 Nov 2021 Civilians on the Front Lines of (Counter-)Terrorism: Lessons From the Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland in Burkina Faso
This policy brief explores the phenomenon of armed civilians in Burkina Faso, identifying the rationale behind it, challenges and lessons learned.
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Perspective | 24 Nov 2021 We Need to Talk About Left-Wing Extremism. Or Do We?
Within counter-terrorism, there is little attention given to left-wing extremism. Van Dongen analyses why this phenomenon exists and whether it is justified.
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Report | 1 Jul 2020 ICCT Situation Report: The Use of Small Arms & Light Weapons by Terrorist Organisations as a Source of Finance in West Africa and the Horn of Africa
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.
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Policy Brief | 2 Jun 2020 Kosovo’s Experience in Repatriating Former Foreign Fighters
This policy brief examines Kosovo’s response to former foreign fighters and lessons EU member states can learn in handling this complex issue.
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Report | 10 Dec 2019 Terrorism Threat Assessment 2018 – 2019
The International Centre for Counter-Terrorism – The Hague (ICCT) developed a baseline Terrorism Threat Assessment.
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Perspective | 5 Dec 2019 Counterterrorism Professionals on Terrorism Research: An End-User 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.

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Report | 1 Nov 2019 Terrorism in the Age of Tech
In this Report for Clingendael's Global Security Pulse, Reinier Bergema maps out emerging trends and threats in the age of technology.
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Policy Brief | 17 Oct 2019 Women in Islamic State: From Caliphate to Camps
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.

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Perspective | 26 Aug 2019 The Caliphate’s Women and Children—What Role can the Family Courts play? (Part 2)
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.
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Perspective | 7 Aug 2019 The Caliphate’s Women and Children – What Role can the Family Courts play? (Part 1)
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.
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Perspective | 19 Jun 2019 Terrorism, Organised Crime, and Necessity
In this Perspective, Martin Gallagher explores the contradiction between ideological rhetoric and self-serving criminal practice that exists between organised criminals and terrorist groups.
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Policy Brief | 26 Mar 2019 Learning the Lessons of Terrorist Failure: The Dogs that Didn’t Bark in Scotland and Wales
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.
Read more
Policy Brief | 24 Jan 2019 A Brief Primer on Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Methods in the Study of Terrorism
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.
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Report | 6 Nov 2018 The Cost of Crying Victory: Policy Implications of the Islamic State’s Territorial Collapse
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.
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Policy Brief | 26 Sep 2018 Countering Islamist Radicalisation in Germany – A Guide to Germany’s Growing Prevention Infrastructure
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.
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Policy Brief | 2 May 2018 Capacity-Building Challenges: Identifying Progress and Remaining Gaps in Dealing with Foreign (Terrorist) Fighters
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.
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Research Paper | 1 Jul 2015 Identifying foreign terrorist fighters: The Role of Public-Private Partnership, Information Sharing and Financial Intelligence
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.
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Research Paper | 30 Apr 2015 Towards a European Position on Armed Drones and Targeted Killing: Surveying EU Counter-Terrorism Perspectives
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.
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Perspective | 22 Jan 2015 Accountability and Transparency in the United States’ Counter-Terrorism Strategy
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.
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Perspective | 5 Jun 2014 UK Measures Rendering Terror Suspects Stateless: A Punishment More Primitive Than Torture
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.
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Perspective | 18 Apr 2014 Terrorism Research and Government
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.
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Research Paper | 25 Feb 2013 The Need for More & Structural Data Analysis in Detention and Rehabilitation of Extremist Offenders
The authors suggest that increased and structural data analysis is essential to produce evidence-based policies that are tailored to countering violent extremism.
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Research Paper | 19 Jul 2012 Forecasting the Unpredictable: A Review of Forecasts on Terrorism 2000 – 2012
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.
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Policy Brief | 20 Feb 2012 A Fear Management Approach to Counter-Terrorism
In this Policy Brief, Research Fellows Prof. Dr. Edwin Bakker and Dr. Tinka Veldhuis explore the dynamics of fear in response to terrorism.
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Research Paper | 3 Feb 2011 Report ICCT International Launch Conference
Over 200 high-level international experts from various governments, counter-terrorism agencies, academic institutions and NGOs gathered to discuss the status of counter-terrorism.
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Perspective | 17 Sep 2010 9/11 Nine Years On
The Commentary tries to explain the reasons for the (delayed) outburst of anti-Islamic emotions and demonstrations in various parts of the world.
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