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

December 17, 2020

Op-ed: Jakob Guhl on online extremism in German-speaking countries for GNET

Jakob Guhl writes about online extremism in German-speaking countries during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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

November 12, 2020

The ‘content blitz’: Social media response times to terrorist content

ISIS continues to deploy social media for recruitment. ISD timed platforms' takedowns of terrorist content to understand their effectiveness.

Islamist Extremism

September 11, 2020

Farah Pandith on how the terror threat has morphed since 9/11

Approaching another anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks, Farah Pandith writes for CNN on how the terror threat in the U.S. has morphed.

Islamist Extremism, Terrorism and Extremism

September 8, 2020

Click reveals ISD discovery of huge pro-ISIS online cache

ISD deputy director Moustafa Ayad discovered one of the largest collections of material belonging to the so-called Islamic State group ever found.

Hybrid Extremism and Nihilistic Violence, Islamist Extremism, Terrorism and Extremism

July 13, 2020

The Propaganda Pipeline: The ISIS Fuouaris Upload Network on Facebook

This new investigation delves into the inner workings of a pro-ISIS account network on Facebook.

Islamist Extremism, Tech Accountability and Safety

July 12, 2020

Extremists use BBC theme to trick Facebook into showing vile clips

ISD Deputy Director for Technology, Communications, and Education, is quoted in The Times on how IS circumvents moderation on social media.

Islamist Extremism, Terrorism and Extremism

November 2, 2019

Women, Girls and Islamist Extremism

This toolkit helps practitioners engage with women and girls linked to Islamist extremism, offering guidance for community groups in Europe.

Islamist Extremism, Resources, Terrorism and Extremism

November 1, 2019

‘The Baghdadi Net’: How A Network of ISIL-Supporting Accounts Spread Across Twitter

ISD monitoring following Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's death when ISIL supporters flooded Twitter with Arabic content showing automated behavior.

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

July 24, 2019

The Management of Terrorist Content: How Al Qaeda Texts Continue to Evade Facebook and YouTube Detection

This briefing paper highlights Al Qaeda content available on YouTube and Facebook and the companies’ inability to remove content the content.

Islamist Extremism, Tech Accountability and Safety

June 27, 2019

Briefing Note: ‘El Rubio’ Lives: The Challenge Of Arabic Language Extremist Content On Social Media Platforms’

This briefing outlines research uncovering thousands of users viewing extremist content in Arabic language across mainstream social platforms.

Islamist Extremism, Tech Accountability and Safety

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