Description

Homeland Security Today and George Mason University are proud to host the first COUNTERTERRORISM2025. 

This summit will feature morning and afternoon sessions discussing key terrorism challenges, including the growing threats from international and state-sponsored terrorism, lone actors, and newly designated terrorist groups such as Mexican cartels and international gangs. While U.S. counterterrorism efforts have successfully thwarted many ISIS and Al-Qaeda attacks, these groups remain active globally, particularly in regions like Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. State-sponsored terrorism, especially from Iran-backed organizations like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, continues to destabilize global security.

The summit will also address evolving tactics used by terrorist organizations, including cyber terrorism, the use of drones for surveillance and attacks, the threat of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), and the growing danger of improvised explosive devices (IEDs). These technologies and tactics pose significant challenges to counterterrorism strategies, requiring a multi-faceted approach to mitigate their impact. The summit will explore how data analytics, enhanced information sharing, and counter-narrative campaigns can help respond to these complex and rapidly evolving threats. Initiatives like the Global Terrorism Trends and Analysis Center (GTTAC), which plays a pivotal role in collecting and analyzing global terrorism data for the U.S. Department of State, will be highlighted as essential components of a comprehensive counterterrorism strategy. The summit will foster collaboration and innovation by bringing together professionals from across sectors to improve strategies for combating these growing and diverse threats. Additionally, the summit will have poster presentations of GTTAC analysts on critical terrorism topics and counterterrorism approaches. 

Panels include:

• Iran-Backed Terror Groups: Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis
• Al Qaeda and ISIS: Are They Defeated or Still Alive? The Global Reach and Strength of Terrorist Networks
• Evolving Terrorism: Cyber, Technology, Tactics, and Radicalization in the Digital Age
• Narcoterrorism: The Rising Threat of Cartels as Terrorist Organizations
• U.S. Counterterrorism Policy

Speakers: 

Partners:

About Center for Homeland Defense and Security: 

The Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS) is located at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. Since 2003, CHDS has conducted a wide range of programs focused on assisting current and emerging leaders in Homeland Defense and Security to develop the policies, strategies, programs and organizational elements needed to defeat terrorism and prepare for and respond to natural disasters and public safety threats across the United States. The programs are developed in partnership with and are sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense.

About George Mason University: 

George Mason University is Virginia’s largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls more than 40,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. George Mason has grown rapidly over the past half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity, and commitment to accessibility. In 2023, the university launched Mason Now: Power the Possible, a one-billion-dollar comprehensive campaign to support student success, research, innovation, community, and stewardship. www.gmu.edu.