Best Of: The Devil’s Puzzle: Defining International and Domestic Terrorism
The car ramming attack that occurred in New York City on Oct. 31 killed eight people and reignited debate over what constitutes domestic and international […] More
Homegrown terrorism
Network Take: NYC Attack Dark Preview of Violence to Come
The Cipher Brief asked network experts from the NYPD, NCTC, CIA and FBI to weigh in on the deadly truck attack in New York that […] More
Deny Terrorists What They Want — Prosecute Them as Criminals
After the deadly mass shooting in Las Vegas, which killed 58 people, and the murder of an anti-fascist protester in Charlottesville this August, many people […] More
‘Muddy Distinctions’ Between International, Domestic Terror
Over the last decade and a half, U.S. law enforcement and intelligence communities have remained vigilant in their efforts to defend the homeland against terrorist […] More
The Latest
Network Take: NYC Attacker Likely Inspired by ISIS
The Cipher Brief asked network expert Charlie Allen, former Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis at the Department of Homeland Security, to react to the […] More
Barcelona Attack: ISIS Plot or Copycat Contagion?
Terrorists used a car to mow down pedestrians on Thursday in Barcelona’s Las Ramblas district, killing over a dozen people and leaving many more injured […] More
‘Lone Wolves’ Never Really Act Alone
Attacks like Saturday’s one in London trigger information-sharing between allies, as well as domestic procedures to secure the homeland. Is there a concern about copycat […] More
The Call to Radicalism, Both at Home and Abroad
After violence broke out between white nationalist protestors and counter-protestors in Charlottesville, Virginia over the planned removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, a […] More
The Link Between White Supremacists and Islamic Terrorism
The process of radicalization, by which disaffected members of society are convinced to embrace violent means to pursue the goals of a terrorist ideology, has […] More
No Single Path Towards Radicalization
The Cipher Brief’s Bennett Seftel sat down with Charlie Allen, former Under Secretary for Security and Analysis at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, to […] More
Network Take: A Lone Lunatic Attack or a Broader Conspiracy?
The man who carried out a deadly terrorist attack in London was British-born and had been previously known to authorities, UK Prime Minister Theresa May […] More
How the Terrorist Watchlist Works
How the Terrorist Watchlist Works In the wake of recent domestic terrorist incidents, the spotlight has once again fallen on the terrorist watchlist. What is […] More
Homeland Security Committee Chair Unveils New CT Strategy
House Homeland Security Committee chair Michael McCaul (R-TX) on Tuesday will unveil his new counterterrorism strategy, a proposal meant to suggest ways to overhaul how […] More
What Matters in ISIS Claims of Responsibility
The attack in Nice, France that killed at least 84 people poses new questions regarding ISIS claims of responsibility: Does the automatic assumption of ISIS […] More
Attack in Orlando: The View from the UK
The first thing to state is that we are still not clear about Omar Mateen’s background. The FBI are still investigating possible motives – and […] More
Orlando Attack Shows ISIS is Still Potent
The Cipher Brief sat down with former Director of Analysis at the NYPD, Mitch Silber, to discuss the fallout from the Orlando attack this past […] More
The Security Challenges for Soft Targets in the Wake of Orlando
The choice of soft targets in recent terrorist attacks in Orlando, Paris, Brussels, and San Bernardino has raised questions about the safety and security of […] More
Homegrown Terror in Orlando
As the investigation into the Orlando attack unfolds, authorities on Monday said it appears the shooting was not part of a plot directed from outside […] More
What Needs to Be Done On Homegrown Terror
The Cipher Brief: Nothing is definitive yet, but Omar Mateen appears to be a case of a lone wolf – possibly inspired by ISIS, but […] More