Latest Terrorism Monitor Articles
Afghanistan and Pakistan Face Threat of Talibanization
The bilateral relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan remains frozen and is governed by the two countries' geopolitical rivalries, which have unwittingly helped Taliban militancy in the region. As a result, both states are in danger of "Talibanization" (Dawn, April 27). The immediate challenges that face... MORE
Understanding Somali Islamism
The security situation in Somalia flared up dramatically in the past few weeks, following a number of acts of provocation between Mogadishu's newly-formed coalition of warlords, dubbed the Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism, and gunmen allied to the Islamic Courts Union. As... MORE
Bin Laden’s African Folly: Al-Qaeda in Darfur
Could a United Nations peacekeeping mission face al-Qaeda's fighters in Darfur? According to Osama bin Laden, if a UN force deploys in the region, al-Qaeda will attack UN troops. On April 23, al-Jazeera television broadcast a bin Laden audiotape in which he called for al-Qaeda... MORE
Emerging Terrorist Trends in Spain’s Moroccan Communities
Recent counter-terrorism operations in Spain have spotlighted an increasing presence of Salafi-Islamists and al-Qaeda "loyalists" in Andalucia and, more alarmingly, in the Spanish autonomous communities of Ceuta and Melilla (located on the northern coast of Morocco). Since the 2004 terrorist attacks in Madrid, Spanish security... MORE
Al-Qaeda and the Threat to Mass Surface Transportation
The March 2004 attack on commuter trains in Madrid and the three simultaneous bombings on the London underground in July 2005, which collectively killed 243 people, dramatically underscored the acute terrorist threat to mass surface transportation (MST) in the contemporary era. According to the Mineta... MORE
Prosecuting Terrorism: Yemen’s War on Islamist Militancy
Any observer of Yemen's political scene cannot help but notice that Yemen appears to be awash with al-Qaeda suspects. Mass trials follow mass arrests as hundreds of suspects flow through Yemen's legal system. Some are selected for execution and others for lengthy prison sentences, but... MORE
The Importance of the Western Sahara to Maghrebi Security
On March 11, 2004, as the world focused on the Madrid commuter bombings, there were reports that armed forces from Chad, Niger, and Mali had engaged a large group of operatives from the Algerian Salafist Group for Call and Combat (GSPC), and had inflicted significant... MORE
The Presence of Saudi Nationals in the Iraqi Insurgency
This article is based upon extensive research with knowledgeable sources that dealt with the author only on the strict condition of anonymity and non-attribution. It is widely recognized that Saudi nationals are currently participating in the Iraqi insurgency and have been involved in operations that... MORE
Christian Converts and Islamic Terrorism in the Philippines
For several years now, the Republic of the Philippines has attracted the attention of regional and Western authorities as an emergent hub—both logistically and operationally—for cross-border jihadist extremism in Southeast Asia. Most of this focus has been directed toward the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), largely... MORE
Maritime Terrorism in Southeast Asia: Potential Scenarios
In Southeast Asia, home to one of the world's most strategic sea lanes—the Straits of Malacca, and the world's second largest port, Singapore—the vulnerability of the maritime sector is of great concern. As a result, over the last few years various scenarios of how terrorists... MORE