Burton & Stewart on Terrorism

As the U.S.-jihadist war winds down, a larger terrorist threat looms on the horizon: the revival of state-sponsored terrorism. [more]

Assessing the strength or weakness of the al Qaeda organization depends largely on how one decides to define it -- and which of the two critical battlespaces one is observing. We examine each of those definitions and provide our assessment of the organization's current state in both the physical and ideological battlespace. [more]

As the present period of U.S.-Russian tensions progresses, the conflict will begin to manifest itself in the increased use of militant proxies. [more]

Efforts by radical anarchists to disrupt the Republican National Convention provide us with the opportunity to examine the broader operations of the so-called RNC Welcoming Committee, tactics of the anarchist movement in general, and the law enforcement response. [more]

Increased tension between Russia and the West following the recent conflict in Georgia is more than likely to result in heightened intelligence efforts by Moscow. These efforts could have a big impact on Western businesses. [more]

Rumors of planned attacks on U.S. soil have arrived later in the year than they typically do, but some differences in this latest batch have piqued our interest. [more]

The arrests in recent days of suspects tied to two bomb attacks in India provide an opening to examine connections between those incidents and others in the country and their ties to an organization calling itself the Indian Mujahideen. [more]

Recent setbacks for high-level al Qaeda figures in Pakistan underscore the emergence of the threat from grassroots terrorists. [more]

Islamist Uighur militants, who China says pose the biggest threat to the upcoming Olympic Games, have in recent years expanded their connection to the wider jihadist movement. [more]

Despite testimony given July 22 by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s top medical officer that a biological attack on the United States would result in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of victims, such attacks -- especially with anthrax -- are much more difficult to execute than most people realize. [more]

A decision two weeks ago by the Denver Water Board to close a road running over Dillion Dam provides an opening to examine the factors and feasibility involved in a potential threat to contaminate the water supply there or elsewhere. [more]

The flap caused by the closure of a road over a dam in Colorado due to security concerns provides an opportunity to revisit jihadist militants' ability to operate inside the United States and the type of targets they might attack. [more]

An attack July 7 on the Indian Embassy in the Afghan capital of Kabul that killed two high-level diplomats has all the signs of a targeted assassination versus a strike aimed at the building itself with the aim of incurring a high body count. [more]

An assault in Phoenix by Mexican cartel hit men should signal to U.S. law enforcement that additional attacks of a similar nature are likely to continue to extend onto American soil, particularly as violence in Mexico escalates. [more]

Recent diplomatic wrangling between Colombia and Nicaragua over the country’s decision to grant asylum to Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia members provides an opportunity to examine how militants have been harbored there for decades. [more]

The success of a break at Sarposa prison in Afghanistan underscores the Taliban's dedication to freeing their fellow insurgents, as well as the overall vulnerability of the facilities that attempt to contain them. [more]

The Pakistani government's recent thwarting of what appears to be a massive suicide bombing attempt signals a possible return of organized jihadist activity in Pakistan -- in the wake of the June 2 Danish Embassy bombing. [more]

This week's Terrorism Weekly is the second chapter of Fred Burton's new book, GHOST: Confessions of a Counterterrorism Agent. [more]

This week's Terrorism Weekly is the first chapter of Fred Burton's new book, GHOST: Confessions of a Counterterrorism Agent. [more]

International efforts to crack down on militant networks have increased the pressure facing jihadist recruiters as proven by materials they have produced to coach operatives when targeting new members. [more]