A consortium of researchers dedicated to improving the understanding of the human causes and consequences of terrorism

START News: Paris attacks; Terrorism in Mali; Core Capabilities of ISIL

November/December 2015

 
FEATURED RESEARCH

 
Mass-Fatality, Coordinated Attacks Worldwide, and Terrorism in France
On Nov. 13, assailants carried out a series of coordinated attacks at locations in Paris, France, killing more than 120 people and wounding more than 350 others. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) claimed responsibility for the attack.  To provide contextual information on coordinated, mass-fatality attacks, as well as terrorism in France and the attack patterns of ISIL, START has compiled the following information from the Global Terrorism Database (GTD). Read more.
 
Terrorism in Mali
In response to the attack on a hotel in Bamako, Mali, on Nov. 20, START released this fact sheet that discusses the 199 terrorist attacks in Mali between 1990 and 2014, as well as targets, victims and perpetrators. Read more.
 
Core Capabilities and Potential Durability of ISIL
START has released a free, short online training series that explores research-based findings on the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and examines two key questions:  What makes ISIL so magnetic, inspirational, and deeply resonant with a small, but significant, portion of the Muslim population? Is ISIL a durable organization, and what are the characteristics of ISIL that can help us anticipate its durability? Access the training.


DISCUSSION POINT
 
Moving Toward a Society with NO HATE – A Proposal for Advancing U.S. Domestic CVE

In this editorial piece, START Researcher Alejandro Beutel discusses the concept and associated policies of Countering Violent Extremism and presents a way forward that takes into account current arguments from those skeptical of CVE. Read more
 
The Paris Fidayin Attacks: Eight Years in the Making?
START Researcher Herbert Tinsley authored this editorial on the Fidayin attack that struck Paris and how further understanding of this tactic is needed to prevent future attacks on other liberal democratic communities. Read more.


PUBLICATIONS

 

Towards a Guide for Constructing and Disseminating Counter-Narratives to Reduce Support for Terrorism
Studies in Conflict and Terrorism
Braddock, Kurt and John Horgan

Repressive Efforts are Consistently Counterproductive in Reducing al-Qaeda-Inspired Violence against Canadians
Policing and Society: An International Journal of Research and Policy
Chenoweth, Erica and Laura Dugan

The Radicalization Puzzle: A Theoretical Synthesis of Empirical Approaches to Homegrown Extremism
Studies in Conflict and Terrorism
A video summarizing the article can be found here
Hafez, Mohammed and Creighton Mullins

Hezbollah’s Global Tentacles: A Relational Approach to Convergence with Transnational Organised Crime
Terrorism and Political Violence
Leuprecht, Christian, and Olivier Walther, David Skillicorn, Hillary Ryde-Collins

Deadlier in the U.S.? On Lone Wolves, Terrorist Groups and Attack Lethality
Terrorism and Political Violence
Phillips, Brian J.​


START NEWS
 

Resources to better understand the Islamic State, global terrorism, foreign fighters
In light of the Nov. 13 terrorist attacks in Paris, START has compiled a list of research-based publications, presentations and data sources that contribute to analysis of the current state of global terrorism and the Islamic State. Read more.
 
Cameroonian officials join START for weeklong executive forum
START recently hosted senior level officials from Cameroon on behalf of the Diplomatic Security Service’s Anti-Terrorism Assistance (ATA) Program. Sixteen Cameroonian officials joined the weeklong training led by START Executive Director William Braniff.Read more.
 
START team assesses insider threat for international air cargo
A generalized, modular and adaptable insider threat assessment tool for the International Air Cargo (IAC) supply chain is feasible, according to a new START study. The investigators established an eight-step insider threat procedure, useful for any application between basic space analysis and data-rich analyses of specific air cargo environments. Read more.
 
START teams up to host workshop in New Delhi
This month, START and the Vivekananda International Foundation hosted a workshop on “Opportunities for Public-Private Partnership in Countering Online Extremism and Recruitment,” under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Mission to India. Read more.
 
START data informs Institute for Economics and Peace
The Institute for Economics and Peace released the 2015 Global Terrorism Index, a report based on data from START’s Global Terrorism Database. With an interactive map and analysis, the report provides a detailed look at the changing trends in terrorism across 162 countries, over the last 15 years. Read more.
 
Pate moderates radicalization panel of OSAC
START Research Director Amy Pate moderated a panel on the topic of radicalization for the 2015 Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) Annual Briefing, held at the U.S. Department of State. Read more.

START intern has sights set on serving United States

You can say that service to the United States is in her blood. START intern Sarah Martin grew up in a military family that emphasized a commitment to their country. Through her work on the Profiles of Individual Radicalization in the U.S. project at START, Martin hopes to equip practitioners with the tools they need to promote peace. Read more.


OPPORTUNITIES
 

** START Graduate Certificate in Terrorism Analysis ** 
START's fully online Graduate Certificate in Terrorism Analysis provides participants with advanced education on the causes, dynamics, and impacts of international and domestic terrorism. Participants also develop the methodological skills necessary to pursue advanced research on and analysis of terrorism. This program is appropriate for both academicians and practitioners and is flexible in structure. Students can complete the program in as little as 9 months to 24 months. Apply by Dec. 1.
 
**Job Opportunities at START**
General Associate, Global Terrorism Database Apply by Dec. 7.
Part-time Hourly Software Engineer – Analytic Infrastructure Apply by Dec. 11.
Part-time Hourly Software Engineer – Natural Language Processing/Machine LearningApply by Dec. 11.
 
START Winter Courses: Geospatial Analysis for Terrorism; Communicating about Terrorism; The Rise of the Islamic State Register by Jan. 4.
 
START’s free, online course “Understanding Terrorism and the Terrorism ThreatRegister by Jan. 18.
 
Call for Papers: Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice Submit by Sept. 1, 2016.
 
DHS S&T ‘National Conversation on Homeland Security and Technology’ Dialog Series Participate Now.
 


START IN THE NEWS

 
The Economist: Coverage of the Paris attacks
Various articles in the Economist use information and data from START and the Global Terrorism database including stories on “Fighting Near and Far” and “Terror Attacks and Arrests in Western Europe.”
 
Reuters: Paris Attacks: Why families never seem to know about the killer in their home
START Researcher Arie Kruglanski authored this op-ed for Reuters about the secret lives of violent extremists and why the families of the Paris attackers may not have known anything was amiss. Read more.
 
CNBC: How to derail an attack on a soft target
START Executive Director William Braniff is interviewed for this piece on what companies can do to make soft targets such as stadiums, concert halls and businesses more secure. The Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence Program is also mentioned toward the end of the clip. Read and watch more.
 
Baltimore Sun: Accepting refugees protects the U.S. from ISIS
START Researcher Alejandro Beutel authored this op-ed about the Syrian refugee crisis and how the United States should respond. Read more.
 
BuzzFeed: 5 Charts that show what terrorism in America looks like
This article in BuzzFeed quotes GTD Program Manager Erin Miller and uses GTD data throughout the piece. Read more.
 
CNN: Erin Burnett Out Front
START Director Gary LaFree and Executive Director William Braniff appeared on CNN Nov. 23 to discuss the radicalization process and how recruitment plays into that. A link to the broadcast is not available.
 
ABC News: Experts question ISIS’ strength on home turf
START Researcher Herbert Tinsley and Executive Director William Braniff appeared in a story about the style of attack used in Paris and what it may indicate about the Islamic State. Read and watch more.
 
NPR: New Report Says Boko Haram World's Deadliest Terrorist Organization In 2014
NPR covered the release of the Institute for Economics and Peace 2014 Global Terrorism Index, which uses information from START's Global Terrorism Database, in this article which was picked up by at least 44 outlets. Read more.
 
Washington Post: A warmer embrace of Muslims could stop homegrown terrorism
Former START TRA Sarah Lyons-Padilla and START Researcher Michele Gelfand published this article in The Conversation. Read more
 

This is a selection of news clips from the past month.
A complete list of START’s media coverage can be found 
here.

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The START Consortium is dedicated to generating knowledge of the human causes and consequences of terrorism. Applying rigorous standards to both research and education, START seeks to illuminate one of the most highly politicized and understudied phenomena in the social sciences for students, practitioners and policy-makers. Funded primarily through research grants to date, START is seeking to generate an endowment that will provide the flexibility and autonomy to ensure that it can continue to serve as an objective source of data and empirically based analysis into the future.  To donate, or for more information, please click here.