Terrorism & Violent Extremism
Just Security provides expert legal and policy analysis of terrorism, counterterrorism, and domestic and international violent extremism.
2,228 Articles
Protections Fall for Vietnamese Immigrants as Trump Pushes Deportations
The Trump administration has reinterpreted a 2008 agreement with Vietnam in multiple ways to expand the categories of refugees it can deport. The effort appears to have affected…
“Domestic Terrorism” Bills Create More Problems Than They Solve
Lack of will and focus are the real impediments to investigating and prosecuting perpetrators. What's more, proposals to expand the definition of “terrorism” could harm activity…
The Tit-for-Tat Dynamics of 21st Century Extremism
After two decades of focus on militant jihadist terrorism, a broader understanding is developing of another form of extremism – that of the violent far-right or ultra-nationalist…
Part III: The Muddy Middle: A New Framework for Use of Force
We may not have wanted to land in this muddy middle between peace and war that we currently find ourselves in, but this is the reality of the current moment in the counterterrorism…
Part II: The Muddy Middle: Challenges of Applying Use of Force Policy Guidance in Practice
In part two of a three-part series, the authors explain how new operational models for both why and how the U.S. used force outside areas of active hostilities created tensions…
The Muddy Middle: The Disappearing Lines in America’s Counterterrorism Wars and How to Restore Order
In three articles, the authors explain how the lines have blurred between U.S. military operating procedures for use of force in hot war zones versus outside areas of active hostilities…
A Post-Mortem on UN Security Council Resolution 2482 on Organized Crime and Counter-Terrorism
The creeping conflation of armed conflict, terrorism and organized crime does not lend legal clarity to complex legal and political challenges. In the long run, it may, in fact,…
To Avoid Future “El Pasos” and “Daytons,” It’s Time to Invest in Prevention
Because darkness is sure to strike again, the nation needs political leaders who can take us all towards viable and comprehensive solutions. Violent extremism requires additional,…
Trump’s Encouraging QAnon May Result in Violence—Just ask the FBI
"A few hours after the FBI assessment leaked, the President held a campaign rally in Cincinnati, where the pre-rally speaker Brandon Straka called out the phrase, 'Where we go…
Border Agents’ Secret Facebook Group Highlights Social Media Vetting Risks for Immigrants
Government social media monitoring is ripe for abuse in any context, but the implications of Customs and Border Protection's environment of racism and lack of oversight demand…
The International Security Echo-Chamber: Getting Civil Society Into the Room
It is time to make sure the public fully understands the harmful impacts of their governments’ interventions on the lives of others, and to reaffirm that security can be built…
Revisiting General Counsel Ney’s Speech in Light of New Pentagon Leadership
Former Department of Defense official (OSD) Luke Hartig critiques General Counsel Paul Ney's recent speech on the framework governing US military operations.