Taking Apart Terror

In the final episode of Taking Apart Terror: The West Africa Edition, host Fatma Ahmed, Bulama Bukarti and Abdulkadir Sambo ask: what’s the bigger picture for ISWAP? Across Africa, as Daesh affiliates leverage and even compete against each other, how should the counter-Daesh mission adapt? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Fatma Ahmed joins guest speakers Luc Chounet-Cambas and Florian Morier for episode 8 of Taking Apart Terror: the West Africa Edition, 'Is there a way out of ISWAP?' Daesh members, confronted by the reality of the group, are searching for ways out. Listen now!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“The job of tackling terror online is everybody’s job. It’s about looking out and changing the narrative.” Terrorists have been able to thrive online for years, but who is tackling this? Our host Fatma Ahmad is joined by Institute for Strategic Dialogue’s Moustafa Ayad and Veritas University Abuja’s Obodo Nmeamaka to discuss this and more in Episode 7 of Taking Apart Terror: The West Africa Edition.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

'The struggle against radical ideology is asymmetrical. Security responses [alone] do not solve the problem.' Tackling terror is about more than military operations. Find out how community leaders, journalists, and everyday citizens are involved in resisting extremism. Fatma Ahmed is joined by the Center for Promotion of Human Rights and Development in Africa's Samuel Ngambo and the Commonwealth's Anna Sherburn for Ep.6 of #TakingApartTerror: Who’s Tackling Terrorism in the Lake Chad Basin?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who is tackling terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and ISWAP in Nigeria, and by what means? Local experts Ahmad Jumare (Neem Foundation) and Tanimu Tahir (Youth leader and peace-building advisor) join Fatma Ahmed in Episode 5 of #TakingApartTerror: The West Africa Edition.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How does ISWAP raise funds? How is its money moved, and what does it pay for? Tune into Episode 4 of Taking Apart Terror where Fatma Ahmed, Dr Chukwudi Njoku and Chania Lackey discuss how ISWAP’s activities provide opportunities for disruption.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Women are also used as influencers because it is also believed that women can talk to women.” Expert guests Kemi Okenyodo of Partners West Africa - Nigeria/Rule of Law & Empowerment Initiative, Ella Abatan of Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and Yobe State University’s Hadiza Bukar discuss the multi-faceted roles that women play in both countering violent extremism and working in support of violent extremist organisations in Episode 3 of Taking Apart Terror: The West Africa Edition.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"The truth is that lots of things are happening behind the scenes that ISWAP does not want people to know.” In Episode 2 of Taking Apart Terror: The West Africa Edition, host Fatma Ahmed joins Malik Samuel (ISS Africa) and Ahmad Jumare (NEEM Foundation) to uncover the violent reality behind ISWAP’s propaganda, and how the terror group has changed tactics in recent years.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the first time ever, Nigeria is the world’s largest source of Daesh/ISIS attacks. As local and international partners address the evolving focus of violent extremism, a new podcast series asks: what do we know about terrorism in West Africa, and what can we do about it? Taking Apart Terror: the West Africa Edition is a nine episode series in which our host, Fatma Ahmed, brings together world-renowned experts from Nigeria, the Lake Chad Basin, and beyond to analyse and deconstruct the reality of terrorist group Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). In Taking Apart Terror: the West Africa Edition, we hear how climate change is directly affecting not just communities but gives ISWAP new opportunities and how women are essential agents in dismantling terror groups. Taking Apart Terror: the West Africa Edition follows the award winning Taking Apart Terror – which was the recipient of the Bronze Lovie & People’s Lovie Winner 2022 for the Best Crime & Justice Podcast and a finalist for the Best International Affairs Podcast at the New York Festival Radio Awards 2022. Fatma Ahmed is a governance, peace and security expert working with the United Nations to support programmes in this field. She notes: “Being able to bring these experts and expertise together in this particular Taking Apart Terror: The West Africa Edition, it can really help contribute to the discussion in preventing the threats faced that we face in the region as a result of terrorism and violent extremism but, also, looking at opportunities and really providing that African narrative, the African stories, the African experience to these issues.” Taking Apart Terror: the West Africa Edition unpacks the realities of ISWAP, increases our understanding of efforts put in place to fight them and explores how, by understanding Daesh/ISIS, we can strengthen efforts to reduce its appeal, see the group for what it really is, and better understand what we can do about them.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why is Daesh propaganda increasingly talking about Africa? Why have Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin become priorities for terrorists who once focused on Iraq and Syria? What are local and international organisations doing to counter the group's violent aims? Expert guests Bulama Bukarti, ISS Africa's Malik Samuel and Ahmed Bolori delve into this in episode 1 of Taking Apart Terror: The West Africa Edition.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How would you react if you lost a family member in an act of terrorism? In the final episode of Taking Apart Terror, Mike Haines, Omar Mohammed and Figen Murray remember their lost loved ones - David, Ahmed and Martyn - and how they refuse to let terror extinguish their compassion.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it take to get past the horrors of terrorism? How do you start to restore homes, cities, neighbourhoods, lives, minds? We explore what communities are doing to recover from the devastation caused by groups like Daesh. We ask if the world is doing enough to help them and hear first-hand from those trying to pick up the pieces of their shattered communities.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What attracts people to violent extremism? How can we prevent radicalisation? And, if  someone joins a terrorist organisation, how easy is it for them to leave? We answer all these questions. Plus, we hear from a former Al Qaeda recruiter about why he was drawn to the group, and from a Syrian refugee whose best friend threatened to murder him for not supporting the Daesh cause. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The situation in Afghanistan is dominating headlines. But how much sense does it make to you? The Taliban, ISIS K, TTP, Al Qaeda - does it feel like you’ve missed the chance to understand what’s going on? We have the answer. In this special edition we unravel who is who, where they’ve come from, what they want and, crucially, as we mark the 20th anniversary of 9/11, what it means for our safety.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all know about counter terrorism, right? SWAT teams, dark ops and recruiting “assets”? That’s some of it. But successful counter terrorism doesn’t start with what people do, it starts with what they want. Adnan finds out more about what the world is doing to try and put a stop to violent extremism.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Imagine a terrorist. What do you see? It probably isn’t a woman. But – you’d be surprised.  This time we discover just how many roles women play in terrorist activities. Plus, we hear why, until women are included in the solution, we’re going to keep struggling to solve the problem of violent extremism.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“There is actually still a lot of pro ISIS material on Instagram” – Anne Craanen, Tech against Terrorism. The power of the internet is open to everyone – terrorists included. This time our expert panel – including Anne Craanen and Omar Mohammed who, as the ‘Mosul Eye’, risked his life using social media to tell the world about the brutal occupation of Mosul -  lift the lid on Daesh’s skilful use of the web and social media. We also hear from journalist Marc Marginedas, held hostage by the infamous “Beatles” as yet another part of the group’s deadly propaganda machine.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How much does a terror attack cost? Where do violent extremists get their money from? And could you be contributing to Daesh funds by mistake? Adnan lifts the lid on the murky world of terrorism financing as well as discovering just what’s being done to cut off the cash supply – including getting some inside information from INTERPOL.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How are terrorist organisations run? Who decides on the plan? Do they have marketing departments, finance, HR? Can fighters take leave? Adnan looks behind the scenes at how the business of terror is managed  – including hearing from a former Al Qaeda recruiter on ‘living in an era where narratives are more important than weapons’.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ISIS, IS, ISIL, Daesh – what is this organisation actually called, and why does its name matter? Is it still active and how much do we need to worry about it? In Taking Apart Terror’s first episode, an expert panel guides Adnan Sarwar through the basics of this group: its name, its structure, what it’s trying to do.  So that when we see news about a bombing or terror attack, we can react in a way which doesn’t actually help the bad guys.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.