Terrorism & Violent Extremism

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

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2,268 Articles

“With a Little Help from Our Friends”: Prosecuting the ISIL “Beatles” in U.S. Courts

Civilian prosecution in U.S. courts remains by far the best option for reliably bringing the two ISIL detainees in U.S. custody to justice. The DoJ should look closely at whether…
The Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany.

The German Constitutional Court on the Right of Self-Defense Against ISIS in Syria

German Constitutional Court concludes that the government has a reasonable claim that the UN Charter permits use of force in self-defense against non-state actors — at least…
Razor wire tops the fence of the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay on October 23, 2016 at the U.S. Naval Station at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

18 Years After 9/11, Why Is Guantánamo Still Open?

That a child born on that day the planes hit would by now have gained the right to vote, but there has yet to be a trial of the alleged attackers, serves to highlight how painfully…
Sara al-Abdullah, a volunteer caring for 24 orphaned children reportedly linked with foreign fighters of the Islamic State (IS) group, carries one of them at a camp in the northern Syrian village of Ain Issa, on September 26, 2019.

Returning Foreign Fighters and Their Families Takes on New Urgency After Trump’s Syria Decision

As countries contemplate what appears to be the potential for an abrupt and unruly dismantling of the SDF camps in Syria, and the likely security, ethical and moral dilemmas that…
A sign at the new International Spy Museum during a media preview ahead of its opening in Washington, DC, May 7, 2019 reads, “Are you prepared to enter the shadow world?”

New Spy Museum’s Torture Exhibit Glosses Over Depravity

If any visitor to the new International Spy Museum in Washington D.C. leaves the exhibit without a clear understanding that the CIA torture program was immoral, illegal, and counterproductive…
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Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism’s ‘Transparency Report’ Raises More Questions Than Answers

The Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism doesn’t go far enough in allaying concerns about the negative impacts on freedom of expression facilitated by this opaque, private…
Bishop Martin Hein speaks at the coffin of murdered German politician Walter Lübcke at Lübcke's memorial service at St. Martin church on June 13, 2019 in Kassel, Germany.

Stop Blaming Immigrants for Right-Wing Extremism

While the connection between immigration and Islamist terrorism has been challenged, the assertion that immigrants are also to blame for right-wing extremism is just as dishonest…
A picture shows an empty courtroom at Baghdad's Karkh main appeals court building in the western sector of the Iraqi capital on May 29, 2019 where French jihadists accused of belonging to the Islamic state are being tried.

Condemned to Death Abroad: The Case of French ISIS Members in Iraq

Iraq reportedly intends to carry out the execution of seven French nationals who are currently charged with being members of the Islamic State. The Iraqi government has denied…
US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo brief the media on September 10, 2019, at the White House in Washington, DC.

What’s the New Terror Financing Executive Order All About?

Last week, the Trump administration updated E.O. 13224 to expand both State and Treasury’s ability to wield sanctions against terrorists. What are the practical implications…
A collection of FBI rubber stamps reading, “Secret,” “Top secret material attached,” “Confidential material attached,” “Training,” and more.

Constitution Day 2019: The Hidden Domestic Surveillance Crisis

As we mark the 232nd anniversary of the signing of America’s governing charter, we have ample evidence that it continues to be violated by the federal officials charged with…
Protestors led by a coalition of interfaith religious leaders demonstrate against US immigration policy that separates parents from their children, June 23, 2018 outside the Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego, California. A sign reads, “Stop caging families,” and many protestors wear shirts reading, “& Vote.”

Fear and Loathing on the Border: A First-Hand Look at the Travesty

Far from the loophole-ridden sieve described by the administration, the asylum system we saw was a Kafka-esque labyrinth designed to punish migrants who dare to exercise their…
FBI agents check vehicles outside the Cielo Vista Mall Wal-Mart where a shooter killed 23 people in El Paso, Texas, on August 4, 2019.

Leaked Documents Contain Major Revelations About the FBI’s Terrorism Classifications

New revelations about the FBI’s classification system for domestic terrorism investigations raise questions about its treatment of the white supremacist threat.
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