Across Asia, Europe and Africa, movements seeking to fuse politics with a strict reading of Islamic law are reshaping societies. In Afghanistan, the Taliban have imposed a draconian regime. Women and girls are virtually erased from public life: they are the “only country where girls and women were banned from secondary and university education”. Under […]
Turkey, Jihad Movements, and the Geopolitical Implications
Geopolitical and Regional Implications Turkey’s struggle with jihadist movements cannot be divorced from its geopolitical context. The country’s unique position – bordering Syria, Iraq, and Iran, and straddling Europe and Asia – has made it both a target and a conduit in the broader jihadist landscape. One major implication is Turkey’s role in the saga […]
Turkey, Jihad, and Counter-Terrorism
Major Jihadist Attacks and Security Operations in Turkey Turkey endured a string of jihadist attacks from 2013 to 2017, prompting massive counter-terrorism operations nationwide. Key incidents include: Reyhanlı Bombings (May 2013): Two car bombs exploded in the border town of Reyhanlı (Hatay province), killing 52 people. The Turkish government blamed a network linked to Syrian intelligence, […]
Jihadist Movements in Turkey: Evolution, Threats, and Responses
Turkey stands at the crossroads of Europe and the Middle East, a position that has profoundly shaped its encounters with jihadist movements. Over the past several decades, Turkey has witnessed the rise of various Islamist extremist groups – from homegrown networks rooted in local grievances to transnational cells linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State […]
Europe: Balancing Security and Liberty
Part one is here. Government Responses: Balancing Security and Liberty Surveillance and Intelligence Operations: In response to the growing domestic terror threat, European governments have significantly expanded surveillance and intelligence efforts targeting individuals and networks deemed suspicious. These measures include wiretapping, internet monitoring, and physical tracking. After the 2015 Paris attacks, France declared a state […]
The Jihad Threat Within Europe: The Dilemma of Security and Social Cohesion
Introduction In recent years, Europe has been confronting a jihadist terror threat that has emerged from within its own borders. This “enemy within” is fueled by the adoption of jihadist ideology among certain segments of Muslim communities. The perpetrators of major terror attacks have often not been foreign infiltrators, but rather young individuals born or […]