“Terror tagging” refers to labeling Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). We argue that terror tagging of Iranian institutions and individuals would facilitate the growth of liberal democracy in Iran, e.g., provide real guarantees to the people of Iran
In this time of international, national and interpersonal conflicts where bombast and vagaries are the norm, we need specific, actionable solutions for global problems. We suggest that sustainable stability in the Middle East is possible through a process that calls on regional integration through a
Hamas (“Islamic Resistance Movement”) is a radical Islamist terror organization that strives to establish a shari’a-based society from the Nile to the Euphrates. The rise of Hamas has been noticeable for several years but the substantial change occurred with the local elections of December 2005,
The assassination of arch-terrorist Imad Mughniyeh was welcome news in Washington, Buenos Aires, Tel Aviv, and, albeit quietly, Beirut and Baghdad. For Hizballah and Damascus, however, the loss of Mughniyeh — who was a brilliant military tactician, a key contact to Tehran, and a successful
Iran has been transferring in recent years large amounts of weapons to well-known terrorist groups in Lebanon and Gaza by various means. One of the ways Iran has found to be very effective is using maritime containers which ship through intermediate ports on their way
After making astounding territorial gains in its war against the Iraqi government, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria – which has refashioned itself “the Islamic State” – declared that it had reestablished the caliphate. The group’s gains put a spotlight on several questions related
On December 4, 2002, Bruce Hoffman, Daniel Benjamin, and Matthew Levitt addressed The Washington Institute’s Special Policy Forum. Hoffman is vice president of external relations at RAND and author of Inside Terrorism (Columbia University Press, 1998). Benjamin is a senior fellow at the Center for
Parallel to the Palestinian armed struggle against Israel is a power struggle between Hamas and Fatah. Years of tensions have culminated in Gaza street clashes between the two organizations in recent weeks. An Egyptian-sponsored summit designed to achieve rapprochement between the two groups sputtered in
Recently, a well-known Saudi cleric issued a religious edict (Fatwa) granting legal legitimacy to the use of weapons of mass destruction against the US and Britain and against their citizens. Sheik Nasser bin Hamd al-Fahad is recognized as one of the senior Muslim clerics in
At the beginning of July 2003, a new Bin Ladin audiotape roughly 30 minutes long was disseminated via the web sites identified al-Qaida supporters. It is unclear when the tape was recorded, nor whether the speaker is in fact Osama bin Ladin. However, the tape
A radicial Islamic group, the Shahid Abu Hafas al-Masri Brigades, recently claimed responsibility for the July 20th plane crash in Kenya that killed twelve American tourists and the plane’s two South African pilots. Their statement was published on the on the FAROQ web site which
Cooperation between Egyptian and Israeli rescuers following the recent simultaneous terrorist attacks in the Sinai was not worked out in advance, and after a rocky start, significantly improved in real-time in the days following the attacks.
Hizballah emerged in Turkey’s predominantly Sunni Kurdish southeast in the 1980s and according to recent intelligence, might have established links with al-Qa’ida. Why has the organization been able to recover from the 2000 crackdown and what kind of threat does it pose to Turkey and
In the aftermath of the devastating attacks of 11 September 2001, governments around the world began scrambling to assess their vulnerability to terrorist groups. Security agencies now view maritime transport as a prime target for future attacks. By Ophir Falk and Yaron Schwartz
While the next few days will no doubt produce more questions than answers surrounding the attempted car bombing in Times Square, one thing is certain: the public awareness campaign created by the NYPD and MTA known as “See Something-Say Something” is working. Written by Mr.
Prof. Erroll G. Southers is currently visiting Israel and serving as a Visiting Fellow at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT). He was the first Presidential nominee for Assistant Secretary of the TSA, Governor Schwarzenegger’s Deputy Director in the California Office of Homeland Security and
The popular uprisings in Northern Africa and the Middle East carry a very strong message. They are showing us, professionals involved in the field of counter-terrorism, and our politicians the best way forward in our struggle against political violence. The message is that the best
As developments unfold in the Arab World, first and foremost in Egypt and Tunisia, there is one profound conclusion missing in most of the news reports and expert opinions analysing the political, social and/or historical reasons for and consequences of the events; the popular revolts
The wave of uprisings in the Arab world, which began when the wick of popular revolutions was ignited in Tunisia in January 2011, has challenged Al-Qaeda’s strategy advocating the waging of an armed and violent campaign for bringing down the Muslim governments. By Moshe Covo
Clearly, the dramatic changes the Israel-Turkey relationship have undergone over the past three years have a lot to do with the man who has been prime minister of Turkey since 2003. Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been especially outspoken in his criticism of Israel, and has
The passage of time since September 11, 2001, has not diminished the distrust many of us feel surrounding the official story of how 9/11 happened and, more specifically, who financed and supported it. After eleven years, the time has come for the families of the
News reports today have linked the Toulouse gunman responsible for the murders of seven people, now identified as French citizen Mohammed Merah, to a recently banned French extremist group with connections to Britain. Named Forsane Alizza (FA – the Knights of Pride), the group bears
Mr. Fred Burton and Mr. Scott Stewart It has been a rough couple of weeks for the Egyptian al Qaeda contingent in Pakistan. On Aug. 12, Pakistani security sources confirmed that an Aug. 8 operation in Bajaur resulted in the death of al Qaeda leader
The Human Security Brief for 2007 , released in May 2008, declared that terrorist attacks are on the wane due to declining support for al-Qaida. If true, this is good news for Western governments, which have placed great emphasis on countering al-Qaida’s public appeal in
Written by Dr. Ely Karmon and Yael Shahar A cult established in 1987 by Shoko Asahara, Aum aims to take over Japan and then the world; its organizational structure mimics that of a nation-state, with “ministries” and a “pope secretariat.” Followers are controlled by a mix
Psychological Point of View
While the efficacy of strikes against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (also known as Daesh – Al Al-Dawla Al-Islamiya fi al-Iraq wa al-Sham – in Europe) is questioned, lawyers have, in the past months, grappled with the legal frameworkforming the basis of the
Approximately 100 terrorist attacks have been perpetrated at hospitals worldwide, in 43 countries on every continent, killing approximately 775 people and wounding 1,217 others. The large number of patients, visitors and medical staff on hand all but ensure that an attack on a hospital will
Despite the global focus on the dangers of systematic and organised crime, the pharmaceutical industry has revealed itself to be vulnerable to acts of terrorism. Dr. Miri Halperin Wernli, Dr. Boaz Ganor and Mollie Shields- Uehling reveal the steps that the industry should take to
Written by Dr. Miri Halperin Wernli and Dr. Boaz Ganor Slowly and steadily, terrorism, like a malignant cancer, has entered our lives. What once was an occasional event on the other side of the world can no longer be ignored as someone else’s problem. Terrorists, alone,
Written by Dr. Boaz Ganor and Dr. Miriam Halperin Wernli. As the knowledge of manufacturing drugs and the processes behind it increase, the industry could be leaving itself wide open to a potential terrorist attack if proper security controls are not implemented. First published in
How vulnerable is Big Pharma to the predations of organized terrorist groups or that rogue malcontent with an agenda to wreak havoc on society? Two international security experts say it may only be a matter of time—and that the best protection against that vulnerability is
On January 7, 2015, Said Kouachi and Cherif Kouachi (two brothers born and raised in France) entered the headquarters of the French satirical newspaper “Charlie Hebdo” and opened fire, killing twelve people and injuring eleven. Written By Prof. Boaz Ganor & Dr. Miri Halperin Wernli
Medtech manufacturers and users need to be ever alert to the risk of theft of intellectual property, regulatory violations, and loss of proprietary information assets. Security should be a top priority for executives thinking of entering the market with innovative medical devices, according to Miri
Written by Dr. Miri Halperin Wemli and Prof. Boaz Ganor As terrorist plots dominate the headlines, biopharma companies remain vulnerable to a wide range of intrusions motivated by criminal objectives. The industry cannot afford to neglect any data access gaps, or front door and inside
Written by Dr. Miri Halperin Wernli and Prof. Boaz Ganor The phenomenon of modern terrorism, in the framework of which non-state actors use violence targeted against civilians in order to achieve political goals by spreading fear and panic among the general public, is not new.
By Javier Jordán and Fernando M. Mañas, University of Granada (Spain) Translated by Peter Billerbeck, University of St Thomas (USA) Is it possible to know if we are before a jihadist judging solely by exterior appearances? It is, in fact, very difficult to respond to
By Lauren Ballback & John Ransom This paper aims to analyze the process of radicalization among Muslims in the United States. After providing an overview of the Muslim population and community structure, the paper examines overall trends and cases In order to explain the causes and
While monitoring Bitcoin address 1LaNXgq2ctDEa4fTha6PTo8sucqzieQctq, an irregular increase in the scope of activity has been identified compared to a previous review. A deeper review showed that the same address served a seemingly legitimate financial website by the name of cash4ps, which has been active in
