Terrorism

Policy Analysis on Terrorism

Michael Knights

Sanctions Relief Isn’t Necessary to Assist Iran’s Coronavirus Response

Washington can facilitate aid without fundamentally altering the sanctions infrastructure, in part by clarifying the rules on allowable humanitarian trade, expanded NGO activities, and Tehran’s existing financial options.

Mar 31, 2020

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Katherine Bauer
Dana Stroul

Articles & Testimony

U.S. Policy in the Middle East Amid Great Power Competition

Viewing regional issues through this broader strategic lens will require Washington to accept painful trade-offs and take a tougher stance with difficult allies.

Mar 30, 2020

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Michael Singh

Brief Analysis

Khamenei Securitizes the Pandemic as the IRGC Mulls Regional Action

With the regime leadership accusing the United States of using bioweapons and fomenting other hateful disinformation, the potential for violence against U.S. forces and interests will likely escalate.

Mar 27, 2020

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Farzin Nadimi

Maps & Graphics

Brief Analysis

A Year Since Baghuz, the Islamic State Is Neither Defeated nor Resurging (Yet)

Although attack statistics have declined, the continued lack of stable governance in Diyala and Deir al-Zour shows that Washington and its partners have not absorbed the lessons provided by previous insurgencies.

Mar 25, 2020

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Aaron Y. Zelin

Maps & Graphics

In-Depth Reports

Honored, Not Contained:

The Future of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces

In this detailed Policy Focus, meant as a primer for Iraqi and international agencies, leading scholars examine the current status of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces.

Mar 23, 2020

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Michael Knights
Hamdi Malik
Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi

Articles & Testimony

How Ansar al-Sharia in Tunisia’s Message Framing Primed Its Members to Become Recruits for the Islamic State

By the time IS came to the fore in Iraq and Syria, many of its themes and activities were already second nature to Tunisian jihadis who had heard similar messaging at home.

Mar 19, 2020

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Aaron Y. Zelin

Articles & Testimony

How the U.S. Can Stop the Surge of Deadly Rocket Attacks in Iraq

Congress and the Trump administration should privately agree to some ground rules for timing deterrent strikes on truly high-value targets, while quietly deploying more force-protection assets like Patriot missiles.

Mar 13, 2020

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Michael Knights

Articles & Testimony

How Is the U.S. Targeted Killing of Qassem Soleimani Likely to Affect Hezbollah’s International Activities and Operations?

Revelations from a recent terrorism trial suggest that the group will be patient in avenging his death, but could eventually use the preoperational surveillance it regularly collects to carry out an attack.

Mar 11, 2020

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Matthew Levitt

Brief Analysis

Hezbollah Has a New Strategy to Survive Lebanon’s Financial Crisis

Unless Washington and its allies respond to the protestors’ legitimate demands for reform, the group will survive through measures such as expanding its smuggling activity, promoting its financial institutions, and selectively scapegoating corrupt politicians.

Mar 2, 2020

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Hanin Ghaddar

Video

Brief Analysis

Inside the DHS Prevention and Protection Mission Addressing Targeted Violence and Terrorism

A senior Department of Homeland Security official discusses how the government is dealing with white supremacist and anti-Semitic attacks, continued threats from terrorist groups in the Middle East, and other challenges.

Mar 2, 2020

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Elizabeth Neumann

◆ Counterterrorism Lecture Series

Articles & Testimony

‘Fighters Without Borders’: Forecasting New Trends in Iran Threat Network Foreign Operations Tradecraft

To hide its fingerprints on future attacks against U.S. interests, the regime is focusing on its regional 'Shia Liberation Army' and potentially seeking to radicalize lone actors.

Feb 27, 2020

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Matthew Levitt

Maps & Graphics

Brief Analysis

The Search for Extremism: Deploying the Redirect Method

Results from a new terrorism prevention project in the United States show how targeted online advertising tools can be used to undermine white supremacism and Islamist-inspired extremism.

Feb 27, 2020

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Ryan Greer
Vidhya Ramalingam

Brief Analysis

FATF’s Approach to Iran Should Mix Engagement with Pressure

Although it is time for the international standard-setter to act, returning Iran to the blacklist need not be seen as the end of FATF engagement with the country.

Feb 18, 2020

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Katherine Bauer

Articles & Testimony

Ultra Extremism Among Tunisian Jihadis Within the Islamic State

A deeper look into how one of the organization's Tunisian factions in Syria adopted and practiced an even more radical distortion of Islamic thought than its parent group.

Feb 18, 2020

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Aaron Y. Zelin

Video

Brief Analysis

Tunisia's Missionaries of Jihad

How did a democratic bright spot in the Arab Spring become a leading source of Islamic State fighters? Read or watch an in-depth conversation with two jihadism experts.

Feb 14, 2020

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Aaron Y. Zelin
Rukmini Callimachi

Brief Analysis

Death of AQAP Leader Shows the Group’s Fragmentation—and Durability

Although the Yemeni terrorist franchise has splintered and weakened in recent years, its fragments may be adapting to new conflict conditions, raising the risk of a comeback.

Feb 14, 2020

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Elisabeth Kendall

Brief Analysis

Establishing a Response Ratio for Iranian and Proxy Attacks

Enhancing deterrence and protecting Americans in Iraq and Syria requires a more formalized system for rationing out retaliatory strikes at the proper intensity, time, and place.

Feb 13, 2020

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Michael Knights

Maps & Graphics

Brief Analysis

Latest Battle for Idlib Could Send Another Wave of Refugees to Europe

Various displacement scenarios may unfold as the fighting escalates, each carrying a high risk of negative humanitarian and economic consequences even if the parties live up to their promises.

Feb 10, 2020

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Fabrice Balanche

In-Depth Reports

Your Sons Are at Your Service: Tunisia’s Missionaries of Jihad

How did Tunisia, a democratic bright spot of the Arab uprisings with very little history of terrorist violence within its borders before 2011, become one of the largest sources of foreign fighters for the Islamic State? This groundbreaking book presents the first history of the Tunisian jihadi movement and challenges simplified views of jihadism's appeal and success.

Feb 7, 2020

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Aaron Y. Zelin

Supported by the

Jeanette and Eli Reinhard Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence

The Washington Institute's Jeanette and Eli Reinhard Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence serves as Washington's premier center for the study of international terrorism.

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Featured experts

Matthew Levitt

Matthew Levitt is the Fromer-Wexler Senior Fellow and director of the Reinhard Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence at The Washington Institute.

Devorah Margolin

Devorah Margolin is the Blumenstein-Rosenbloom Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute.

Aaron Y. Zelin

Aaron Y. Zelin is the Gloria and Ken Levy Senior Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy where his research focuses on Sunni Arab jihadi groups in North Africa and Syria as well as the trend of foreign fighting and online jihadism.

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Terrorism

Policy Analysis on Terrorism

Jeanette and Eli Reinhard Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence

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Regions & Countries

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Terrorism

Policy Analysis on Terrorism

Jeanette and Eli Reinhard Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence

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