The Naval Air Station Pensacola Shooter Shows That Al-Qaeda Is Still a Significant Threat
We now know that Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani was working for AQAP.
Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev
Orlando Terrorist May Have Been Radicalized and Gay
During a press conference Tuesday, President Obama said the terrorist responsible for the massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando was inspired by propaganda produced by the Islamic Stat...
Op-eds
Al-Qaida Leader Threatens To Attack America If Boston Bomber Is Executed
Aging al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri threatened the “gravest consequences” for America if the Boston Marathon bomber is executed. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 21, is sentenced to de...
Op-eds
The Orlando Shooter’s Desire for ‘Martyrdom’
After each jihadist attack in the West, our society rehearses the same ritualistic debate over what the terrorists' motivations really are. It is true that "radicalization," as it is often d...
Op-eds
Divided We Fall?
“Divide and conquer” describes an age-old military concept: If your enemies are fighting among themselves, they can’t effectively battle you. Phillip II of Macedon, Julius Caesa...
Op-eds
Jihadist Blowback?
On May 24, a deadly shooting occurred at the Brussels Jewish Museum that left four dead: an Israeli couple, a French volunteer worker, and a Belgian museum employee. A few days later, as the susp...
Op-eds
One Year On: Mystery Still Shrouds Boston Bombers
One year ago today, two backpack bombs were detonated at the Boston Marathon, killing three people. More than 260 others were wounded or maimed. In the months since, many man-hours have been spen...
Op-eds
The Limitations of al Qaeda’s New English Webzine
Al Qaeda announced this weekend the forthcoming publication of a new Englis...
Policy Briefs
Why Alleged Boston Bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, If Convicted, Deserves to Die
It began as an action movie, transformed into a slasher flick, and ended as a courtroom procedural. The criminal protagonists were despicable — though not in equal measure. On July...
Op-eds
Is the Terrorist Threat Declining? The Use and Abuse of Statistics
Earlier this month, terrorism analyst Peter Bergen wrote at CNN that the declining number of...
Op-eds
The Disinformation Age
Walter Cronkite, the great CBS anchorman from 1962 to 1981, was called “the most trusted man in America” — and polling supported that claim. He’d conclude his CBS Even...
Op-eds
Self-Radicalization Chic
The president has described the Boston terrorists as “self-radicalized,” and his voice is but one in a great chorus insisting that we face a major threat from Americans gone bad, almo...
Op-eds
Notes on the Tsarnaevs’ Radicalization
The investigation into the radicalization of the Boston Marathon bombing’s Tsarnaev brothers has only just begun. While the picture of the radicalization of th...
Op-eds
Defense in the Age of Jihad
It starts with a clear-eyed recognition of the threat.
Op-eds
Homegrown, Foreign, or Both?
CNN’s headline this morning reads, “Boston suspect: It was just us.” The headline links to...
Op-eds
Bombing Suspects Lauded Jihad
While police in and around Boston hunt for celebrate...
Op-eds
In Boston Terrorism Case, Too Easy to Jump to Conclusions
The fact that both Boston Marathon bombing suspects are now either dead or in custody does not mean that the reporting on the story will be sure to get the story right. The rate of error, unfortu...
Op-eds
Dagestani Jihadist Group Issues Statement on Boston Bombings
Vilayat Dagestan, a jihadist group that is part of the Caucasus Emirate, an al Qaeda-linked group operating in the North Caucas...
Op-eds
Investigating the Boston Bombers’ Foreign Ties
There is still much we don’t know about the Boston Marathon bombers. It will take time to piece together a more complete picture of their backgrounds. But the investigation has taken an imp...
Op-eds
Manhunt Continues in Boston, as Analysts Turn to Social Media for Clues
The manhunt for one of the two chief suspects in this week's Boston Marathon bombings has continued throughout the day. And as the younger of two brothers is pursued by authorities, analysts...