This project examines the diffusion of terrorist attack planning and ways to hamper the malevolently creative, destructive capability of ideologically motivated individuals or terrorist organisations.

Our research team focuses on social media as an inter-and intra-movement learning pathway and explores how discourse within virtual social networks influences the creative innovation of target selection, modes of attack, and communication methods of both jihadist and violent right-wing extremists. This research emphasises the transnational influence of UK-based actors on extremist tactics in the US, while also recognising that the flow of extremist ideas is global and multi-directional.

Findings from this project will provide concrete recommendations on viable strategies for preventing and limiting destructive capacity on targets across the United States. This project is the only funded international component within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Center of Excellence for Terrorism Prevention and Counterterrorism Research at the University of Nebraska Omaha.