For 20 years, ISD has delivered field-leading threat detection, analysis and real-world strategies to combat terrorism, extremism and authoritarianism - in all their ideological forms.

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

June 18, 2024

‘CNN’, the Caliphate News Network: IS support groups hiding behind faux media giant social accounts

IS support groups have long created content using media outlet assets, but the creation of fake social media accounts to spread the faux-branded content is a new tactic, leveraging previous moderation workarounds and state influence strategies to proliferate terrorist content online.

Islamist Extremism, Tech Accountability and Safety

March 19, 2024

“Don’t you want to go on vacation?”: Hawking ‘hijrah’ to the African affiliates of the Islamic State

ISD analyses the Facebook activity of 10 Islamic State alternative news outlets, their promotion of hijrah (immigration) to Africa and the welcomed efforts to sell the continent to a base accustomed to supporting the group's actions in Syria and Iraq.

Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, Islamist Extremism

March 8, 2024

Appraising the Islamist extremist landscape after 7/10

Since October 7, there has been growing speculation about the evolving terrorism threat landscape. In this Dispatch, ISD reviews what we know and do not yet know about the changing UK terrorist threat.

Islamist Extremism

January 23, 2024

The UK government bans Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir

ISD’s Rashad Ali talked to Tortoise Media about the UK government’s decision to designate Islamist group Hizb-ut Tahrir as a terrorist organisation.

Islamist Extremism, Tech Legislation and Regulation, Terrorism and Extremism

January 19, 2024

Hizb ut-Tahrir

This article explains Hizb ut-Tahrir's activities and ideologies and its recent designation as a terrorist organization in the UK.

Islamist Extremism, Terrorism and Extremism

January 4, 2024

The terrorist radio revival: How the Islamic State’s radio station survives on social media

Despite being bombed off the airwaves, IS’s al-Bayan FM radio station persists on social media, ISD finds.

Islamist Extremism, Tech Accountability and Safety

November 28, 2023

#HamasisISIS?: Assessing the campaign comparing proscribed groups

In this Dispatch, we explore the differences with comparing Hamas to ISIS when it comes to the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Islamist Extremism, Terrorism and Extremism

November 23, 2023

Condemn, condone, converge: German extremist and conspiracist responses to the Israel-Gaza crisis

In Germany, extremists and conspiracy theorists use the Israel-Hamas conflict to polarise politics. This Dispatch analyses their impact.

Antisemitism, Far-Left Extremism, Far-Right Extremism, Hybrid Extremism and Nihilistic Violence, Islamist Extremism, Targeted Threats, Hate and Abuse, Terrorism and Extremism

November 23, 2023

Anschuldigen, anprangern, anstacheln: deutsche extremistische Reaktionen auf den Israel-Hamas Konflikt

In Germany, extremists and conspiracy theorists use the Israel-Hamas conflict to polarise politics. This Dispatch (in German) analyses their impact.

Antisemitism, Far-Left Extremism, Far-Right Extremism, Hybrid Extremism and Nihilistic Violence, Islamist Extremism, Targeted Threats, Hate and Abuse, Terrorism and Extremism

November 21, 2023

“Letter to America” reaches 719M impressions across social media platforms

ISD’s Moustafa Ayad talks to CNN about "Letter for America," Osama bin Laden's two-decade-old letter went viral during the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Democratic Integrity, Far-Right Extremism, Islamist Extremism, Terrorism and Extremism

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