Counterterrorism Blog
The first multi-expert blog dedicated solely to counterterrorism issues, serving as a gateway to the community for policymakers and serious researchers. Designed to provide realtime information about terrorism cases and policy developments.
Farhana Ali Archives

Live from Kashmir: Women in Black Call for Freedom

By Farhana Ali

Women donned in black veils chanted slogans of azaadi (freedom) as they marched the streets of Srinagar in the disputed territory of Kashmir. "Return our land!" they shouted, "We are with Pakistan! You have no place in a Muslim land!...

Rising Female Bombers in Iraq: An Alarming Trend

By Farhana Ali

The rise of female bombers in Iraq is now garnering greater media attention. The wow-factor of Muslim women strapping on the bomb is important today because these women pose a security threat to U.S. coalition forces in Iraq as well...

Inside a Girls Madrasa in Pakistan

By Farhana Ali

The following item appeared in The Washington Post Travel Section, March 30, 2008 Ancient History, Modern Girls I've been fascinated by the way girls are treated in Pakistan since I was a girl myself and traveled there to visit extended...

Female Suicide Bombers in Iraq: Why the Trend Continues

By Farhana Ali

As the war in Iraq continues, more Iraqi women will be ready to make the ultimate sacrifice: to use their bodies as human shields. The U.S. Government and other experts are asking: Why now? Why has there been a spike...

Congressional Briefing: Where is Pakistan Heading?

By Farhana Ali

Last month, I traveled from Islamabad to Peshawar and then headed north to Kashmir. To understand where Pakistan is today and where it is heading, I presented the following briefing to the U.S. Congress. Today, there is cautious level of...

Outside View: Danish cartoons doom us all

By Farhana Ali

We've been here before. Like two years ago, last week's rage in Pakistan over reprints of cartoons and a forthcoming Dutch film that insult Islam's holy book once again entangles Muslims and the West in a fury over freedom of...

Event: The Bomber Behind the Veil

By Farhana Ali

I will give a lecture on Thursday, March 20, at 6:30 pm ET at the International Spy Museum in Washington, titled, "The Bomber Behind the Veil: Muslim Women and Violent Jihad." Unlike other talks I've given on female suicide bombers...

New U.S. Report on Female Bombers Unexceptional

By Farhana Ali

This month’s report by two U.S. government agencies, the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigations, warning United States law enforcement agents of female terrorists inside the United States is both dated and exaggerated. Years ago, when...

Pakistan's Pre-Election Frenzy

By Farhana Ali

With parliamentary elections in Pakistan only hours away, there are two relevant questions for the United States to consider: Will a newly elected Pakistani prime minister agree to work with Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf, America’s staunch ally on the war...