Media and Press
ACTRI Professional Publications in the News
Analysis, Commentary & Activities
The exploitation of AI by violent extremist and terrorist groups: Homeland Security Today Expert Threat Forecast
Homeland Security Today
ACTRI Director Shajkovci contribution to the 2024 HS Today Expert Threat Forecast, January 2024
Children Affected by the Foreign Fighter Phenomenon: Guidelines on the Prevention of Radicalization on Social Media and the Internet in the Digital Age
CRTG Working Group
ACTRI Director Shajkovci contribution to the 2023 Children Affected by the Foreign Fighter Phenomenon (CAFF) series, June 2023
Risks and Threats for 2023: The Nation’s Homeland Security Experts Speak
Homeland Security Today
ACTRI Director Shajkovci contribution, January 2023.
Putting Disinformation Studies into the Discussion
Media & Learning
ACTRI & Partner research contribution featured, January 2023.
Guidelines for the Prevention of Violent Extremism Online and Offline
Canadian Practitioners Network for the Prevention of Radicalization and Extremist Violence (CPN-PREV)
ACTRI Director Ardian Shajkovci contribution in the Delphi Process, October 2022.
Killing of Top al-Shabaab Man ‘Will Likely Escalate the Conflict
The Media Line
ACTRI Director Ardian Shajkovci quoted, October 4, 2022.
The “New School” Far-Right: A Transnational Model on Telegram
Homeland Security Today
Michael R. Vandelune, Ardian Shajkovci, Allison McDowell-Smith, September 20, 2022.
How Instability in Afghanistan and War in Ukraine Rise the Threat of Terrorism and Jihadist Radicalization: An Interview with Ardian Shajkovci
World Geostrategic Insights
ACTRI Director Ardian Shajkovci interview, September 9, 2022.
Israël et la Cisjordanie en état d’alerte maximale après une vague d’attentats
L’Orient-Le Jour
ACTRI Director Ardian Shajkovci quoted, Apri 1st, 2022.
On 19th DHS Anniversary, HS Today Experts Reveal Security Challenges in the Year Ahead
Homeland Security Today
ACTRI Director Ardian Shajkovci contribution, March 1st, 2022.
Maybe I’ts Time for a New Comms Policy After Military Raids
The Cipher Brief, Brigadier General Mark Kimmit, US Army (ret.)
ACTRI Director Ardian Shajkovci referenced, February 2022
The Death of Its Leader is Both a Blow and a Likely Propaganda Boost for ISIS
The New York Times, Jane Arraf
ACTRI Director Ardian Shajkovci quoted, February 2022
The ISIS Hostages: These Children Should Not Have Been There
The New York Times, Ben Hubbard
ACTRI Director Ardian Shajkovci quoted, January 2022
De la chute du califat à l’attaque de Hassaké, la résilience de l’État islamique
L’Orient Le-Jour, Noura Dokhi and Soulayma
ACTRI Director Ardian Shajkovci quoted, January 2022
As Islamic State Resurges, U.S. Drawn Back into the Fray
The New York Times, Jane Arraf and Ben Hubbard
ACTRI Director Ardian Shajkovci quoted, January 2022
Prison Attack in Syria is Latest Sign of ISIS Resurgence
The New York Times, Jane Arraf
ACTRI Director Ardian Shajkovci quoted
The International Risk Podcast—with host Dominic Bowen and guests from the American Counterterrorism Targeting and Resilience institute and Storyzy
Dominic Bowen and guests from the American Counterterrorism Targeting and Resilience institute and Storyzy
State of ISIS: Long-Term Challenges as Terror Group Makes Its Next Moves
Ardian Shajkovci, ACTRI Director, September 13, 2021.
ISIS affiliates in Africa have expanded following territorial gains in Nigeria, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Sahel.
Commemorating the 20th anniversary of 9/11
Ardian Shajkovci, ACTRI Director, Contribution Commemorating the 20th Anniversary of 9/11
Storyzy Hunts Fake News for UK Foreign Office
Intelligence Online, 07/27/2021.
”Intelligence Online recently published an article about Storyzy, a France-based disinformation monitoring and analytics platform, and its recent partnership with the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). The article also highlights Storyzy-American Counterterrorism Targeting and Resilience Institute (ACTRI) research partnership.”
Homegrown Nazism: The proud boys and the Origins of American White Nationalism with Alon Milwicki
Dr. Alon Milwicki
A Nazi on Wall Street Podcast, July 2021
Elusive Films
The Prosecution Challenges of the Travelers to the Islamic State
Ardian Shajkovci and Allison McDowell-Smith
International Peace Institute (IPI) Global Observatory, June 2021
“Since the 2017 collapse of the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the Syrian Democratic Forces has retained custody of approximately 2,000 foreign terrorist fighters and close to 10,000 Islamic State militants. Despite the professed inability of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to assume long-term responsibility for the detainees, coupled with repeated requests by the United States, a majority of western governments remain reluctant or unwilling to repatriate them.”
Dr. Alon Milwicki
Well That Aged Well, June 2021
“In this episode we take a look at how Neo Nazism rose to America. What kind of power did they have over American culture? Who were behind the Risse of Neo Nazism in America? And how powerful are they? Find out this and more ‘in this weeks episode of “Well That Aged Well.”
Guideline Development Committee
2020-2021. Chaire UNESCO-Prev, 2020-2021
Ardian Shajkovci committee member of the Chair UNESCO-Prev Consensus Guideline Development Committee. “ Under the leadership of UNESCO-Prev Chair, in collaboration with the Canadian Practitioners Network for Prevention of Radicalization and Extremist Violence (CPN-PREV), the Consensus Guideline Development committee will 1) identify best practices in the prevention of radicalization leading to violence and 2) develop guidelines that can be adapted to the reality and context of each country. The Consensus Guideline Development Committee brings together more than seventy (70) experts from different sectors, disciplines, and countries to guarantee that diverse perspectives and experiences are taken into account.”
European Concern Over the Returning Foreign Fighters
European Centre for Counterterrorism and Intelligence Studies, 11/01/2019.
“Europe is currently expecting to receive several Daesh fighters that were previously held in Turkey following their capture, with Ankara announcing this month that it would not act as “a hotel for foreign terrorists” anymore and would begin repatriating them to their states of origin. Germany arrested a 21-year-old female Daesh suspect accused of being a member of terrorist group upon her return home on Friday, federal prosecutors confirmed.”
A Tale of Two Attempted Coups and the Lessons for Fragile Democracies
18 Degrees North Investigations, 01/20/2021.
“The deadly mob attack on the U.S. Capitol should remind the world over, and especially the Caribbean, of just how fragile our democracies can be. Since the 1970s, the Caribbean region has seen its fair share of attempted and successful coups in Haiti, Trinidad & Tobago, Venezuela, Honduras, Guatemala, Panama, Grenada, Dominica and Suriname, some with the help of the United States.”
The Telegraph, 07/29/2019.
“The tense updates come at rapid-fire pace. “911 call center is down, hacked and offline.” “All over the city.” “It’s an Election Day meltdown as fictitious hackers attack a nameless, large city in an American swing state.”
►Framing the Counterterrorism and Countering Violence Extremism Debate in Light of Current and Future Waves of Returnees from the Syrian Camps
Ardian Shajkovci, Allison McDowell-Smith, Amanda Garry, and Mohamed Ahmed 07/10/2021.
All over the world, governments are struggling to formulate coherent policies, consistent with their national security, to deal with citizens who left to Syria and Iraq, often with their families, to become Foreign Terrorist Fighters (FTFs) in jihadist groups, notably the Islamic State (ISIS), and who now wish to return to their countries of origin.
►The African Union Should Resolve Somaliland’s Status
Stephen Schwartz, 09/12/2021.
Joshua Meservey, senior policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation, advocated in a recent policy paper that the United States recognize Somaliland as an independent state. This serious proposal is overdue for consideration. Meservey recounts that Somaliland ended its voluntary union with Somalia in May 1991 and has been governing itself successfully for 30 years. Somaliland has held competitive elections—accompanied by peaceful changes of government—and has a military, constitution, flag, and passport. Its deep-water port of Berbera is being developed by Dubai Ports World and is rapidly gaining capacity. Somaliland lies just east of Djibouti and south of Yemen on the Gulf of Aden and abuts the strategically important Bab-el-Mandab Strait. Meservey argues correctly that recognizing Somaliland’s independence would provide the U.S. military a much-needed alternative to Djibouti and diminish the Chinese threat to U.S. facilities, personnel, and operations there. Such a move would also provide the United States and others with a stable, functioning, peaceful partner in a war-torn region and strengthen Somaliland’s democratic governance and economy.
►Somalia’s Leaders Need to Seize Immediately the Lessons of Afghanistan
Stephen Schwartz, 09/12/2021.
In January 2021, I published a paper on U.S. policy towards Somalia in which I expressed concern that the rapid withdrawal of U.S. military forces from Somalia could invite an Al-Shabaab takeover of Somalia. Fortunately, that did not occur. Yet that very scenario played out in Afghanistan where the government was too corrupt, weak, and isolated to sustain the fight against the Taliban. Whether an attempt by Al Shabaab to seize greater control would succeed will depend on the legitimacy and capabilities of Somalia’s political leadership and government institutions. Afghanistan and Somalia share some critical vulnerabilities, which makes Afghanistan’s fate instructive.
►Drones in the Hands of Terrorists: What Happens Then?
Ardian Shajkovci , 08/02/2021. RIAC.
In 2017, FBI Director Christopher Wray said that drones constituted an imminent terrorist threat to U.S. cities. Is this threat still considered imminent? That is a good question and that has been part of the discourse here in the United States as well. The concern is that they come with a very low acquisition cost.
►PERSPECTIVE: Taliban and al-Qaeda Weaponize Withdrawal into Their Afghanistan Victory
Teagan Hale, 08/16/2021. Homeland Security Today.
With the imminent withdrawal of all U.S. and NATO troops from Afghanistan, the Taliban’s two-decade defiance is poised to be heralded as a triumphant milestone throughout the terrorist ecosystem, signaling that the United States can indeed be challenged successfully both politically and militarily. Special attention must be paid to the discourses on America’s longest military engagement, as its lasting impressions will affect how future challengers vocalize opposition to the United States. This article briefly discusses how the idea and reality of an American withdrawal has been discussed as a victory by the Taliban and al-Qaeda in their own words. It also extrapolates how their themes may undermine future policies.
►PERSPECTIVE: QAnon, the Spread of Disinformation, and Conspiracy-Based Radicalization
Amanda Garry and Samantha Walther, 04/26/2021. Homeland Security Today.
The QAnon conspiracy theory alleges a cabal of “deep-state,” Satan-worshipping pedophile politicians are controlling the United States government. While QAnon gained significant media coverage during the recent election, the movement has actually existed for nearly four years, with the first QAnon post occurring on Oct. 28, 2017.
►The Way Forward for the United States in Somalia
Steven M. Schwartz, 01/12/2021. Foreign Policy Research Institute.
The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) is on track to withdraw almost all U.S. forces from Somalia by January 15, 2021, providing a gratuitous public relations and operational windfall to al-Shabaab, Somalia’s potent al-Qaeda affiliate. The hasty exit compromises the reputation of the United States as a partner and opens the door to a greater role for the People’s Republic of China.
►Biden Administration: A Shift in Strategy in Countering Terrorism and Beyond
Rukaya Mohamed Abdirahman, 06/22/2021. Robert Lansing Institute.
Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) in Somalia has received approximately 45 million dollar budget cut from the European Union this year, and while the Trump Administration had announced the withdrawal of US troops from Somalia, the Biden Administration had not reversed it.
►The Evolution of Far-Right Extremism Online Post-2015 in the United States
Samantha Walther, Andrew McCoy, 05/10/2020. Homeland Security Today.
Previous research has considered major platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to be the most widely used social media platforms for violent extremism and violent extremist content in the United States.
►ISIS and Foreign Fighters: Assessing the Threat and Potential Repatriation, Rehabilitation, and Reintegration
Antoine Andary, Amanda Garry, Allison McDowell-Smith, Ph.D. and Ardian Shajkovci, 01/25/2021. Homeland Security Today.
Failure to recognize the evolution of ISIS and develop appropriate policies to combat it, along with the relatively low returnee rate, runs the risk of terrorist attacks in Europe and elsewhere, yet a peaceful reintegration into society for FTFs seems possible.
►Mogadishu Attack: Political Instability and the Enduring Menace of al Shabaab
Mohamed Ahmed, Ardian Shajkovci, Allison McDowell-Smith & Abdirizak Ismail, 08/24/2020. Homeland Security Today.
Despite significant counter-terrorism and disengagement efforts, al Shabaab remains very much active and pervasive.
►Eco-fascist ‘Pine Tree Party’ Growing as a Violent Extremism Threat
Ardian Shajkovci, Allison McDowell-Smith & Mohamed Ahmed, 09/27/2020. Homeland Security Today.
Activity suggests the movement is quickly accelerating, recruiting, and promoting infrastructure damage and violence.
►’Soft- Power’ Counterterrorism: Turkey’s Military Presence in Somalia and Tactical and Operational Implications for al Shabaab
Ardian Shajkovci, Allison McDowell-Smith, Mohamed Ahmed & Abdirizak Ismail, 03/24/2020. Homeland Security Today.
The imperative for Turkey’s military presence in Somalia is often explained through the lens of phased and likely future withdrawal of the AU and AMISOM peacekeeping mission from the country.
►Youth, Violent Extremist Recruitment, and COVID-19 in Kenya
Rukaya Mohamed, Ardian Shajkovci, Allison McDowell-Smith & Mohamed Ahmed, 06/22/2020. Homeland Security Today.
Overstretched militarily and economically- as funds initially earmarked for combating violent extremist groups and healthcare provisions continue to be diverted to deal with the widespread pandemic – many countries fear the potential for the emergence of a new wave of violent extremism.
► Arguments for and Against Trying European Foreign Terrorist Fighters in Syria
Ardian Shajkovci, 02/17/2020. Homeland Security Today.
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) recently announced that the foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs) under their custody will soon stand trial in Syria. According to the SDF officials, FTFs from the United Kingdom will be the first to face such trials, perhaps starting as early as this spring.
► Somalia’s Foreign Policy, Al Shabaab, ISIS: Implications for Somalia, the Horn of Africa, and Beyond
Mohamed Ahmed & Ardian Shajkovci, 03/16/2020. Homeland Security Today.
Somalia is often considered a quintessential example of a failed state that suffers from devastating humanitarian crisis and the lowest levels of development in the world. The country has for decades now been engulfed with multiple crises, including but not limited to separatism, corrupt regional state administrations, foreign interventions, lack of economic stability, clan rivalry, and the ever-growing threats from al-Shabaab and the Islamic State in Somalia (ISS).
►Homeland Security Experts on the Biggest Threats and Challenges the U.S. Faces in 2020
Ardian Shajkovci, 01/28/2020. Homeland Security Today.
HST invited ACTRI Director Ardian Shajkovci and other CT and CVE leaders to comment on the global community’s greatest threats for the upcoming year.
► Damage Control: Beyond Discussions on Foreign Terrorist Fighter Repatriation, Rehabilitation, Reintegration
Ardian Shajkovci, 02/03/2020. Homeland Security Today.
Following the collapse of the so-called Islamic State, return, and possible return of thousands of foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs) from the conflict zones in Iraq and Syria, many governments will be facing their first national legislative and counterterrorism policy test.
► Killing Soleimani and Muhandis: AUMF Questions, Risks, and Regional Impacts
Ardian Shajkovci, 01/05/2020. Homeland Security Today.
The killing of Soleimani raises concern that there will be retaliatory attacks against U.S. interests in the region and that it could drag Iraq deeper into Iran-U.S. confrontation. Concerns abound that the attack could spark direct clashes between Tehran and Washington as well.
► Making Sense of the Precarious Legal Landscape Following Iran’s Retaliatory Missile Attacks
Ardian Shajkovci, 01/11/2020. Homeland Security Today.
In retaliation for the U.S. drone strike on General Qassem Soleimani, the leader of the Quds Force within Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRCG), the government of Iran this week launched a total of 15 missiles at Iraqi military basis hosting U.S. and coalition service members.
► Still More to Dissect in Pensacola Shooter’s Motive, Access to Weapon
Ardian Shajkovci, 12/09/2019. Homeland Security Today.
Ahmed Mohammed Alshamrani, a 21-year-old second lieutenant in the Royal Saudi Air Force, opened fire in a classroom at Naval Air Station Pensacola last Friday, killing three and wounding eight.
► The Impact of Congress’ ‘Caesar Bill’ Against the Assad Regime
Ardian Shajkovci, 12/17/2019. Homeland Security Today.
The Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act targets current and aspiring Assad regime business partners across oil and gas, merchant, lender, service provider, and contractor services. Politically, beyond its intended economic impact, the bill treats the Assad regime as a criminal entity and isolates and sanctions any entity or person engaging with the regime until certain demands are met.
► Dealing with Turkey’s Campaign of Repatriating ISIS Members
Ardian Shajkovci, 11/17/2019. Homeland Security Today.
Europe is currently bracing for new waves of repatriation of ISIS members previously held in Turkey following their capture. Suleyman Solu, Turkey’s interior minister, has stated that Turkey would not act as “a hotel for foreign Daesh/ISIS terrorists.”
► Bin Laden vs. Baghdadi: Whose Death Stirred More Reaction from Jihadists?
Ardian Shajkovci, 12/02/2019. Homeland Security Today.
Terrorist leadership decapitation remains a key component of U.S. counterterrorism policy. While its utility in producing desired counterterrorism policy outcome remains a point of contention, and beyond the scope and aims of this article, in this largely descriptive analysis the author compares and contrasts research trends and reactions to the deaths of Osama bin Laden vs. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi on certain jihadi websites and mainstream social media platforms.