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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.”

March 11, 2026

Islamic State group activity in the US in 2025

IS-inspired activity in the US persists, largely driven by teens, showing how accessible propaganda continues to radicalize and mobilize youth.

Islamist Extremism, Terrorism and Extremism, Threat Analysis and Prevention

March 10, 2026

The 2025 Annual Review of Plots and Attacks Across the US

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

Islamist Extremism, Terrorism and Extremism

February 26, 2026

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

Islamist Extremism

January 17, 2026

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

Islamist Extremism

December 23, 2025

Bondi Beach: The hallmarks of an Islamic State attack 

Antisemitism, Islamist Extremism, Threat Analysis and Prevention

December 22, 2025

Online activity driving continual threat from Islamic State

Islamist Extremism

December 22, 2025

Recent arrests in Toronto highlight Islamic State threat to Jewish community

Antisemitism, Islamist Extremism

July 11, 2025

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

Islamist Extremism, Terrorism and Extremism

Further Reading

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

July 3, 2025

Twenty years on: Responses to Islamist terrorism in the UK since 7/7

Catalysed by the 7/7 bombings, UK counter-terrorism focused on Islamist groups but now faces diverse threats.

Islamist Extremism, Terrorism and Extremism

July 2, 2025

Twenty years on: Assessing the UK Islamist terrorism landscape since 7/7

This article examines how the Islamist threat in the UK has developed, shifted and persisted since the 7/7 London bombings 20 years ago.

Islamist Extremism, Terrorism and Extremism

April 10, 2025

ISD’s Moustafa Ayad examines emerging tactics of young IS supporters

Moustafa Ayad explores how a younger generation of Islamic State supporters is innovating online—and what practitioners can do to keep pace.

Islamist Extremism, Terrorism and Extremism

February 12, 2025

A decade after the ‘Caliphate’: The state of the Islamic State online

An in-depth investigation into the Islamic State’s online ecosystems across the open web, social media platforms, and messaging applications.

Islamist Extremism, Terrorism and Extremism

December 20, 2024

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a proscribed Islamist group, pursues nationalist jihad, distinct from IS and al-Qaeda's global caliphate ambitions.

Islamist Extremism

November 28, 2024

A resurgent and diversifying threat: Islamist extremist violence in Germany in the wake of October 7

Analysing the rise in Islamist extremist attacks targeting Germany since Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel.

Islamist Extremism, Threat Analysis and Prevention

November 28, 2024

A spectrum of threats: Islamist extremism online in Germany post-October 7

Examining the risks presented to Germany by the contemporary online landscape of Islamist extremism.

Islamist Extremism, Terrorism and Extremism

September 13, 2024

From message boards to TikTok: al-Qaeda’s two decades of internet exploitation

For over two decades al-Qaeda has had a thriving online presence, ISD's Moustada Ayad explains why this long-term problem doesn't need to be one.

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

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