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Islamist Extremism

Islamist Extremism presents a politicised supremacist vision of Islam that is antithetical to democracy and human rights. Since the Islamic State (IS) and Al Qaeda’s high water mark a decade ago, Islamist Extremist movements are in a state of flux, spreading across a broad range of violent and political groups globally. We track and respond to these evolving threats using a range of tools and approaches, as well as trying to reach an increasingly young cohort of digital supporters.”

September 28, 2026

Islamic State’s decentralized digital ecosystem

ISD's Moustafa Ayad spoke to CNN about the digital ecosystem IS exists in today.

Islamist Extremism

September 17, 2026

25 years after 9/11, al-Qaeda remains perennially online: The group’s digital ecosystem in 2026

Islamist Extremism, Tech Accountability and Safety, Threat Analysis and Prevention

September 8, 2026

Generation ‘Slop Jihad:’ The decentralized ‘media jihad’ gets sloppy

Islamist Extremism, Terrorism and Extremism

August 21, 2026

Recent arrest shows Islamic State’s continued relevance

Islamist Extremism, Terrorism and Extremism

August 2, 2026

Anti-LGBTQ+ hate in extremist movements

Anti-LGBTQ+, Islamist Extremism, Targeted Threats, Hate and Abuse

July 29, 2026

Five lessons from the Islamist extremist attack on Berlin Pride

Anti-LGBTQ+, Islamist Extremism

July 27, 2026

Where Islamist and far-right targeting of queer people meet

Anti-LGBTQ+, Far-Right Extremism, Islamist Extremism, Targeted Threats, Hate and Abuse, Terrorism and Extremism

July 13, 2026

Extremists are using AI to build propaganda — and plan attacks

Emerging Technologies, Islamist Extremism, Terrorism and Extremism

March 11, 2026

Islamic State group activity in the US in 2025

Islamist Extremism, Terrorism and Extremism, Threat Analysis and Prevention

Further Reading

March 10, 2026

The 2025 Annual Review of Plots and Attacks Across the US

US attacks and plots in 2025 show unclear motives, rising nihilistic violence and more casualties, exposing gaps in prevention frameworks.

Hybrid Extremism and Nihilistic Violence, Islamist Extremism, Terrorism and Extremism, Threat Analysis and Prevention

February 26, 2026

Coordinating Through Chaos: The State of the Islamic State Online in 2026

ISD research found that in 2026, the group maintained the same cross-platform sprawl while continuing to evolve its tactical playbook.

Islamist Extremism, Terrorism and Extremism

February 26, 2026

As platforms pull back moderation, Islamic State contents grows in reach

Reduced platform moderation is fueling increased engagement with Islamic State content, including AI media and video game–based propaganda.

Islamist Extremism

January 17, 2026

Morocco’s Religious Diplomacy: Soft Power, Sovereignty and the Politics of Faith

After the 2003 Casablanca attacks, Morocco developed “Moroccan Islam” as religious diplomacy, examined in this report.

Islamist Extremism

December 23, 2025

Bondi Beach: The hallmarks of an Islamic State attack 

We analyzed antisemitic threats, calls for violence, and IS-inspired attacks on Jewish, Christian, and holiday targets.

Antisemitism, Islamist Extremism, Threat Analysis and Prevention

December 22, 2025

Online activity driving continual threat from Islamic State

The Islamic State's caliphate collapsed over six years ago, but the terrorist group’s ideology continues to inspire catastrophic violence worldwide. 

Islamist Extremism

December 22, 2025

Recent arrests in Toronto highlight Islamic State threat to Jewish community

Three Toronto men were charged with hate-motivated crimes targeting women and the Jewish community.

Antisemitism, Islamist Extremism

July 11, 2025

ISD’s research on al-Shabaab’s Facebook presence cited by Carnegie Endowment for Peace

ISD’s report on the militant group al-Shabaab was cited by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace on technology's role in modern conflicts.

Islamist Extremism, Terrorism and Extremism

July 8, 2025

ISD’s Moustafa Ayad on AI’s role in enhancing Islamic State propaganda and operational security

ISD’s Moustafa Ayad outlines AI’s new role in supporting the Islamic State’s propaganda and operational security in The Guardian.

Islamist Extremism, Terrorism and Extremism

July 7, 2025

ISD’s Jacob Davey highlights terrorism’s evolution since 7/7 bombings on BBC Radio Wales

ISD's Jacob Davey spoke to BBC Radio Wales on how the terror threat has shifted in the 20 years since the 7/7 London bombings.

Far-Right Extremism, Hybrid Extremism and Nihilistic Violence, Islamist Extremism, Terrorism and Extremism

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