Terrorism & Violent Extremism

Just Security provides expert legal and policy analysis of terrorism, counterterrorism, and domestic and international violent extremism.

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2,306 Articles
William Barr and American flag

“The Beatles” and the Bomber: Barr’s Decisions on Executing Terrorists

Attorney General William Barr announced two troubling death penalty decisions last week in high-profile terrorism cases, one regarding two Islamic State suspects and another on…
A protester watches federal officers through the gate in front of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility early in the morning on August 21, 2020 in Portland, Oregon.

Bringing Abolition to National Security

"Though far less explored, abolition may also be the most promising option for dealing with discriminatory national security laws and policies. Without understanding the historical,…
An aerial view San Quentin State Prison on July 08, 2020 in San Quentin, California.

Hardwired Against Change: Race, Incarceration, and COVID-19

"Given the unique risks of exposure, infection, and death in prisons, jails and detention centers, challenging carceral secrecy is even more important than ever in the midst of…
The U.S. Supreme Court at night.

The Supreme Court’s Attack on Habeas Corpus in DHS v. Thuraissigiam

Refugees are the primary target of the Court’s decision in DHS v. Thuraissigiam, but the the opinion endangers everyone – U.S. citizens included – by reopening settled questions…

Two Regional Human Rights Tribunals Forge Ahead Despite Trump’s Attacks on International Institutions

Regional bodies have crucial opportunities in the coming months to address the violations imposed upon men subjected to the post-9/11 extraordinary rendition program.

The “Beatles” on Trial: Obtaining Justice for Victims of Foreign ISIS Fighters

It is increasingly likely that two ISIS fighters, involved in the killing of several Americans, will be brought to trial in a courtroom in Virginia.
The words "My Government Did This" are displayed on a barrier on the Charles Helou highway in front of the ruined port of Beirut.

The Cost of Resilience: The Roots and Impacts of the Beirut Blast

The Aug. 4 explosion at the Beirut port is not the cause of catastrophe in Lebanon, it is the result. To understand its causes and impacts, we must look to what came before, including…
Two people in camo with guns nearby. Cover of U.N. Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) publication, “Guidelines to facilitate the use and admissibility as evidence in national criminal courts of information collected, handled, preserved and shared by the military to prosecute terrorist offences.”

The UN Guidelines on “Battlefield” Evidence and Terrorist Offences: A Frame, a Monet, or a Patchwork?

In December 2019 the United Nations Counter Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), with the support of the traditional alphabet soup of other U.N. organizations focused…
Empty UN Security Council chamber.

The UN Security Council Is About to Dangerously Undermine Fair Trial Guarantees

Dangerous flaws in a current draft U.N. Security Council resolution on foreign fighters need to be addressed, if the Security Council is to live up to its responsibility to respect…
Somali soldiers enter Sanguuni military base, where an American special operations soldier was killed by a mortar attack on June 8, about 450 km south of Mogadishu, Somalia, on June 13, 2018.

House and Senate Chart Different Courses on US Clandestine Support of Foreign Militias

Special Operations Forces are a prized US military asset that requires careful oversight to prevent abuses, strategic miscalculations, and mission failures.
Iraqis walk past destroyed buildings as they evacuate a neighbourhood in the western part of the northern city of Mosul on April 5, 2017.

Ignoring Iraq’s Most Vulnerable Displaced Families Undermines US Stabilization Agenda in Iraq

U.S. troop numbers and economic reforms will no doubt receive the most attention in the U.S.-Iraq “strategic dialogue” set to continue this month. But the senior officials…
A woman wearing a niqab (full face veil) walks carrying an infant at al-Hol camp for displaced people in al-Hasakeh governorate in northeastern Syria on July 22, 2019, as people collect UN-provided humanitarian aid packages.

The Challenges of a New UN Security Council Resolution on Foreign Fighters

The United Nations Security Council is actively negotiating a new Chapter VII resolution directed at the regulation of so-called “foreign terrorist fighters” this month. The…
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