China's international terrorist problem

The pattern of terrorist attacks in Pakistan shows that it is those motivated by separatist or other political motivations – and not jihadist ones – that are currently the ones that pose the most serious threats to Chinese interests around the world.Published versio

End of Al Qaeda era?

The reported passing of more of Al Qaeda’s senior leadership marks the almost complete passing of a generation. Yet a series of attacks in Europe point to a threat now happening beyond directed terrorist networks. Thus while Al Qaeda might be withering, the problems driving its emergence in the first place persist.Published versio

Responding to Streatham : Managing Low-Tech Terrorist Threat

The 2 Feb Streatham attack in south London does not appear to have been part of a larger plot. But it has once again shone a negative light on the UK’s approach to counter-terrorism and de-radicalisation, this time under the newly appointed government.Published versio

What Have We Learned about Lone Wolves from Anders Behring Breivik?

<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><em>Anders Behring Breivik&rsquo;s massacre on July 22, 2011 showed the danger that a well-organized Lone Wolf could cause. The methodical and calculated way with which he prepared and justified his act awoke security services the world over as to the potential menace that this form of terrorism can pose. As they revise their strategies, this article casts a preliminary eye on the case using a particular Lone Wolf prism of analysis to try to see what lessons can be learned from the case. Drawing on Breivik&rsquo;s own writing and public sources, the article analyses his biography, the ideology he used to justify his act, the degree to which he seems to have been connected to others, his effectiveness, what role the Internet played and his mental competence all to try to draw some early lessons from the case. In concluding it offers some possible lessons learned that might offer practitioners some ideas of how to counter this sort of a threat in the future.</em></span></p

Central Asia among giants: taking a leaf from ASEAN

Sandwiched between China and Russia, with which they have just held high profile engagements, and eager to develop relationships further afield, the five countries of Central Asia – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan – feel at the heart of international tensions. They are currently juggling a complicated web of relationships both locally and further afield, but in a world of growing geopolitical tensions between great powers, a more durable answer is going to have to come from within. Looking to emulate the ASEAN model could be one way to navigate these choppy waters.Published versio

Terrorism in Europe: a very different kind of threat

For three weeks in a row this year, Europe has been hit by a highly public act of attempted mass murder. With the United States reeling from its latest bout of grim mass shootings, what exactly can be concluded from the fact that most terrorist incidents in the West are increasingly indistinguishable from apolitical mass murders?Published versio

Incels and terrorism : sexual deprivation as security threat

Canada’s decision to prosecute a February attack by a machete-wielding Involuntary Celibate (Incel) as a terrorist act has fed an ongoing debate about whether Incels are terrorists, and if the community demands a dedicated national security effort.Published versio

ISIS in the Maldives?

The February 2020 stabbing of three tourists in the Maldives has raised the prospect of terror in paradise. There are numerous indicators to suggest a potential threat in the Maldives, but it remains unclear whether this incident was simply a one-off or the beginning of something more serious.Published versio