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.”

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 31, 2022

Facebook’s structural struggle in flagging terrorist content in Kenya, African countries

Moustafa Ayad spoke with the WaPo about ISD's two-year investigation into the online media ecosystem of al-Shabaab and the Islamic State in Africa.

Islamist Extremism, Tech Accountability and Safety, Terrorism and Extremism

June 14, 2022

Under-Moderated, Unhinged and Ubiquitous: Al-Shabaab and the Islamic State Networks on Facebook 

This report outlines networks of Somali, Kiswahili and Arabic pages and profiles on Facebook which are supportive of al-Shabaab and the Islamic State.

Islamist Extremism, Tech Accountability and Safety

February 15, 2022

Nuanced text analysis at scale: Toxicity detection and digital Salafism

ISD outlines its approach to applying toxicity analysis to Salafi online content and the development of automated toxicity detection tools.

Islamist Extremism, Tech Accountability and Safety

February 14, 2022

‘Sophisticated’ tactics by online ISIS groups evade platform policies

Moustafa Ayad spoke to POLITICO about ISD's research into online Islamist networks on mainstream social media.

Islamist Extremism

December 22, 2021

Generation Z & Das Salafistische Online-Ökosystem: Executive Summary

Eine digitale Momentaufnahme des sich schnell verändernden Online-Ökosystems des Salafismus, mit Fokus auf die Schnittstellen zu Generation Z.

Islamist Extremism

December 20, 2021

Islamic extremists troll each other online and manage to stay under Facebook’s radar

Our Moustafa Ayad shared exclusively with POLITICO evidence exposing how several groups supporting the Islamic State and the Taliban managed to go undetected for months on Facebook. 

Islamist Extremism, Tech Accountability and Safety

December 20, 2021

Islamic extremists troll each other online and manage to stay under Facebook’s radar

Our Moustafa Ayad shared with POLITICO evidence of extremist groups posting propaganda and hate speech for months.

Islamist Extremism, Terrorism and Extremism

November 24, 2021

Gen-Z Salafi followers turn to far-right memes further reinforcing dividing lines

ISD's Milo Comerford and Moustafa Ayad spoke with MEL magazine about Gen-Z and the digital Salafi ecosystem.

Hybrid Extremism and Nihilistic Violence, Islamist Extremism

November 23, 2021

Left or right? Islamism at the center of a culture war lacking religious representation

UnHerd cites our report "Islamogram: Salafism and Alt-Right Online Subcultures" to better explain the overlap between Salafi Gen Zers and leftism.

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

November 16, 2021

Islamogram: Salafism and Alt-Right Online Subcultures

This report provides an ethnographic deep dive into an emerging online Salafi ecosystem, referred to by its members as ‘Islamogram’.

Far-Right Extremism, Islamist Extremism, Terrorism and Extremism

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