In the International Journal of Police Science, Dr. John P. Sullivan, a Contributing Editor at Homeland Security Today, and Dr. Irina A. Chindea explore the increasingly complex relationship between organized crime and terrorism – a phenomenon often referred to as the “crime-terror nexus.” Their research article examines how transnational crime, terrorism, and irregular warfare interact and evolve, as well as how intelligence-led responses are adapting to this changing landscape.
The authors describe the nexus as the convergence of criminal enterprises, such as gangs and cartels, with extremist groups and insurgent networks. Over time, these relationships have shifted from simple coexistence to active cooperation, where criminal tactics, financing, and networks are shared to mutual benefit. The paper also explores how states are responding, often through intelligence-driven strategies designed to address threats that no longer fit neatly into traditional categories of “crime” or “terrorism.”
Read the full article, “Gangsters, Criminal Armed Groups, and Jihadists: Assessing the Crime-Terror Nexus,” in the International Journal of Police Science to explore how these intertwined threats are reshaping global security and what intelligence-led strategies may hold the key to countering them.
(AI was used in part to facilitate this article.)