Transnational terrorism poses a major challenge to international security. The IISS Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism Programme assesses threats and threat perceptions, state and non-state actors involved in conducting or supporting terrorism, and, ultimately, how members of the international community can align strategies and foster effective cooperation to help counter terrorism.
In March 2006 the IISS initiated a new series, ‘Countering Terrorism in Europe: The Enemy Afar or the Enemy Within?’ The series is designed to develop a wider shared understanding of the nature of the threat, especially as it affects Europe and transatlantic relations, as well as relations between the West and the greater Middle East.
A separate major research effort focusing on terrorism threats to Europe and official responses, as well as technologies useful in countering terrorism, has been undertaken by the IISS in conjunction with consortium partners Thales and Crisis Management Initiative. New European Approaches to Counter Terrorism, the final report of the ESSTRT project, was published in March 2006.
Finally, the Institute’s research will include work on the wider subject of ‘Who Speaks for Islam?,’ a topic that will also figure prominently in the 2006 Global Strategic Review conference in Geneva in September.
The Institute publishes widely on the topic of terrorism and counter terrorism. Selected recent publications include an original Adelphi Paper by Robin Frost, who provides cogent analysis on why nuclear terrorism may be far less likely than some have suggested.
For information about the Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism Programme, contact Dr Patrick Cronin.
Recent publications related to the Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism Programme include:
Adelphi Papers
Survival
Strategic Comments
Strategic Survey
Related Conferences
By 2008, the IISS is planning to host several international dialogues on terrorism and intends to launch a Strategic Dossier that will publish a net assessment of the transnational terrorist threat.
