International terrorism
All topics-
Extortion and intimidation in Swat Valley
Pakistan Taliban racketeering hits borderlands
A lawmaker in Pakistan's rugged northwest was sipping tea with voters when his phone chirped to life – the Taliban were calling with a demand for 'donations'. "We hope you won't disappoint" read the chilling text from a shady go-between of the Pakistan chapter of the Islamists, known as Tehreek–e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)
-
America’s partisan war
Benghazi 9/11 casts a long shadow
Cries of "Benghazi!" still resonate across the USA ten years after a deadly terrorist attack in Libya killed the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans. Ethan Chorin re-tells Benghazi as a watershed moment, one that has helped create today's America: polarised, fearful and dangerously unstable. Sherif Dhaimish read the book
-
Confessions of an ex-jihadist
What makes someone a jihadist?
Charting his own descent into extremism, former Moroccan jihadist Adil El Hasani reveals how he was ultimately able to extricate himself from the grasp of those peddling religious illusions. Mohamed Taifouri read the book
-
Geopolitics and jihadism
Biden’s dangerous embrace of Pakistan
The Biden administration could have used Pakistan’s economic crisis to compel the country to sever its longstanding ties to terrorist groups. Instead, the U.S. protects and rewards it, putting short-term geopolitical considerations ahead of long-term interests. Commentary by Indian analyst Brahma Chellaney
-
Rizwaan Sabir's "The Suspect"
Muslims post-9/11 subject to blanket targeting
"The Suspect" by criminology lecturer Rizwaan Sabir is the harrowing account of the author's own experiences at the hands of the UK's counterintelligence agencies. At the same time, the book is a carefully researched analysis of how the Muslim community was targeted by those supposedly working to protect society. Richard Marcus read the book
-
Which country will be next?
Lebanon and Sri Lanka share economic collapse
Lebanon and Sri Lanka may be a world apart, but they share a history of political turmoil and violence that has led to the collapse of once-prosperous economies bedevilled by corruption, patronage, nepotism and incompetence. By Zeina Karam and David Rising
-
Afghanistan in free fall
Since the Taliban took power, Afghanistan has been isolated internationally, and the situation in the country is deteriorating: Almost half the population is starving, and the regime continues to restrict women's rights. By Philipp Boell
-
Ukraine war
The deep desire to declare a state of emergency
Russia's attack on Ukraine took Germany by surprise. The "end of an era" has shifted the political focus to the military, bringing back stale memories of the Western response to the attacks of 9/11. Essay by Stefan Buchen
-
Berlinale 2022: "Rabiye Kurnaz vs. George W. Bush"
The Guantanamo mother
Andreas Dresen's Berlinale film "Rabiye Kurnaz vs. George W. Bush" is the gripping portrayal of a mother determined to get her son released from Guantanamo. By Torsten Landsberg
-
America and the War on Terror
Guantanamo's "forever prisoners"
The notorious U.S. prison camp is 20 years old. Over the years, several plans to close it have been rejected. For the detainees, little has changed in the last two decades. Oliver Sallet reports from Guantanamo Bay
-
Terrorism in Pakistan
Afghan Taliban do little to stop Pakistan Taliban
The Pakistani Taliban, known by the acronym TTP, are regrouping and reorganising, with their leadership headquartered in neighbouring Afghanistan, according to a U.N. report from July. That is raising fears among Pakistanis of a return of the horrific violence the group once inflicted
-
France and terrorism
No time to heal
The many terrorist attacks France has faced over the last ten years have poisoned the political discourse, especially when it comes to migration. Since 2012 a relentless stream of attacks has given public confidence little chance to recover. So how is this affecting the presidential campaign? Nadia Pantel reports