Terrorism & Violent Extremism

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

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Side by side images of a man leaving flowers at a memorial near the Walmart in El Paso, Texas, where 23 people were killed in a mass shooting on August 16, 2019, and flowers and messages placed on the Lakemba Mosque wall in tribute to the victims of the Christchurch attacks on March 22, 2019 in Sydney, Australia.

18 Years After 9/11, We Face a New International Terrorist Threat

"We as a society should be talking about a new form of international terrorism—white supremacist terrorism—rather than insisting on calling it 'domestic terrorism.'"
Popular Mobilization Forces members stand by a burning truck after a drone attack near Qaim border crossing, in Anbar province, Iraq Sunday, Aug. 25, 2019.

Questions on Legality of Israeli Strikes in Iraq and Lebanon

A flurry of news reports during the final week of August detailed recent Israeli air strikes against Iranian affiliated groups in Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria. The Washington Post…
A graphic details information that goes into the Terrorist Screening Database (TSDB) and informs other databases. Two way arrows are shown connecting the following information and the TSDB. Visas, government benefits, borders, airlines, state and local police, passports, firearms, hazmat, port workers, and special events.

Why a Judge’s Terrorism Watchlist Ruling is a Game Changer: What Happens Next

Leading expert and author of a book on the subject, Jeffrey Kahn explains what happens now that a court declared a major terrorist watchlist unconstitutional.
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agent checks an overseas visitor's fingerprints and image in a database January 5, 2004 at JFK airport in New York City.

Q&A on Court Decision Invalidating Administration’s Terrorism Watchlist

Expert Backgrounder on the big questions coming out of the court's ruling. The case involved US citizens. How might the ruling affect foreign nationals? What were the judge's key…
This picture taken on April 19, 2018 shows commuters on mopeds along a street in central Ho Chi Minh City.

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…
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“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…
A photo of Serb war crimes suspect Ratko Mladic is held on a poster during a demonstration in front of Serbian Parliament on May 29, 2011 in Belgrade, called by ultra-nationalists against Mladic's arrest late May 26.

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…
An Afghan National Army officer, right, informs his U.S. Army counterparts from the 4th Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, left and center, about ANA troop movements May 6, 2013 while pursuing Taliban fighters in Babus, Afghanistan.

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…
A picture taken near the Iraqi city of Qaim at the Iraqi-Syrian border on November 11, 2018, shows US Army vehicles patrolling the Syrian side of the border.

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…
A US Predator unmanned drone armed with a missile stands on the tarmac of Kandahar military airport on June 13, 2010.

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…
Security Council meeting on Threats to international peace and security.

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,…
People pay their respects at the makeshift memorial for victims of the shooting that left a total of 22 people dead at the Cielo Vista Mall WalMart (background) in El Paso, Texas, on August 6, 2019.

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,…
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