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?

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?

The podcast exploring how much we really know about terrorism and what is being done to stop it. Hosted by former British soldier Adnan Sarwar.

Understanding terrorism is the first step in fighting it.

Preventing acts of terror is a major priority for governments across the globe. Yet terrorism has fallen off the news agenda, we’ve had other things to think about. And while the eyes of the world are elsewhere, there are well organised extremists who haven’t given up their fight.

Yet it’s hard to engage with something we don’t understand; Daesh, ISIS, Islamic State, ISIL... what do these terms actually mean? Are they the same thing?

Taking Apart Terror is a brand-new podcast presented by former British soldier, Adnan Sarwar, who served in the Iraq War. Across 10 episodes, Adnan speaks to experts to learn about every aspect of how terrorist organisations operate: how they're funded, how they communicate, and the role of women. He discovers what's really going on behind the scenes, and what the world is doing to stop them.

For the first time ever, the world’s leading counter terrorism and extremism experts join Adnan to explore the world of terrorism, including leading professors from universities across the globe who specialise in extremism, organisations who prevent terrorism and investigative journalists who have risked their lives to bring true stories of terrorism to the world.

Taking Apart Terror tells extraordinary stories from a former Al-Qaeda recruiter and features the brave ‘Mosul Eye’, a citizen journalist called Omar Mohammed, who risked his life to tell the world about the atrocities taking place in his city. The harrowing realities of terrorism are shared by a mother who lost her son in the Manchester Arena attack and Nobel prize-winner Nadia Murad who stood before President Trump and demanded help for her Yazidi people, who suffered unimaginable brutality at the hands of Daesh.

A terrorist organisation doesn’t need to be perfect, it just needs to out compete the opposition that it’s up against. Terrorists want us to be confused, they want to us to be scared, they want to seem like a terrifying threat with mythical status. Taking Apart Terror, from The Global Coalition against Daesh, is here to help us understand more and fear less, exploring every aspect of how terrorists work and what the world is doing to stop them.

Taking Apart Terror 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.

The podcast exploring how much we really know about terrorism and what is being done to stop it. Hosted by former British soldier Adnan Sarwar.
Understanding terrorism is the first step in fighting it.
Preventing acts of terror is a major priority for governments across the globe. Yet terrorism has fallen off the news agenda, we’ve had other things to think about. And while the eyes of the world are elsewhere, there are well organised extremists who haven’t given up their fight.
Yet it’s hard to engage with something we don’t understand; Daesh, ISIS, Islamic State, ISIL... what do these terms actually mean? Are they the same thing?
Taking Apart Terror is a brand-new podcast presented by former British soldier, Adnan Sarwar, who served in the Iraq War. Across 10 episodes, Adnan speaks to experts to learn about every aspect of how terrorist organisations operate: how they're funded, how they communicate, and the role of women. He discovers what's really going on behind the scenes, and what the world is doing to stop them.
For the first time ever, the world’s leading counter terrorism and extremism experts join Adnan to explore the world of terrorism, including leading professors from universities across the globe who specialise in extremism, organisations who prevent terrorism and investigative journalists who have risked their lives to bring true stories of terrorism to the world.
Taking Apart Terror tells extraordinary stories from a former Al-Qaeda recruiter and features the brave ‘Mosul Eye’, a citizen journalist called Omar Mohammed, who risked his life to tell the world about the atrocities taking place in his city. The harrowing realities of terrorism are shared by a mother who lost her son in the Manchester Arena attack and Nobel prize-winner Nadia Murad who stood before President Trump and demanded help for her Yazidi people, who suffered unimaginable brutality at the hands of Daesh.
A terrorist organisation doesn’t need to be perfect, it just needs to out compete the opposition that it’s up against. Terrorists want us to be confused, they want to us to be scared, they want to seem like a terrifying threat with mythical status. Taking Apart Terror, from The Global Coalition against Daesh, is here to help us understand more and fear less, exploring every aspect of how terrorists work and what the world is doing to stop them.
Taking Apart Terror was the recipient of the Bronze Lovie &amp; People’s Lovie Winner 2022 for the Best Crime &amp; Justice Podcast and a finalist for the Best International Affairs Podcast at the New York Festival Radio Awards 2022.

Taking Apart Terror

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.

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 &amp; People’s Lovie Winner 2022 for the Best Crime &amp; 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.

Daesh in West Africa: what is the bigger picture?

Today (21 August) is International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, a day established by the UN General Assembly to honour the victims and survivors of terrorism. To mark this, the Global Coalition Against Daesh is releasing a special episode of its award-winning podcast Taking Apart Terror, narrated by Omar Mohammed, a historian and extremism researcher famed for his anonymous blog ‘Mosul Eye.’ The podcast delves into the human stories behind acts of terrorism, exploring resilience in the face of unimaginable adversity. 

Omar Mohammed garnered international recognition for his courageous reporting from Mosul during Daesh's occupation, during which he documented the brutal realities of life under terrorist rule. His blog became one of the few unfiltered windows into the atrocities committed in Mosul, relied upon by journalists, policymakers, and humanitarian organisations alike. 

In Taking Apart Terror, Mohammed continues his mission of shedding light on the human cost of extremism, by interviewing survivors of terrorist attacks. Among them is Mayssam, a resident of Mosul who lived through Daesh's occupation, Travis, a survivor of the 2017 Westminster Bridge attack, and Officer B, an Australian counterterrorism officer who was stabbed in the line of duty in 2014. We also hear from Mayssa Rekhis, an anthropologist and medical doctor, who helps us understand the complex emotional and mental challenges survivors face. 

Through these deeply personal interviews, Mohammed explores how individuals cope both during and following an act of terrorism. The podcast offers listeners an intimate look at how individuals navigate the aftermath of terror, finding strength and resilience in what is often a messy, non-linear path to ‘recovery.’ It also gives us an insight into why Mohammed risked everything to create his blog: his actions mirror his deeply held belief that terrorism is an aberration, and goodness and resilience are the true markers of humanity: 

“It is too easy to believe, but also very wrong to believe, that [terrorism] is the true nature of humanity,” says Mohammed. “I would rather believe that our true nature if reflected in our ability to persevere, and to rally around those who need us.”  

Taking Apart Terror challenges the notion that terrorism defines our world, instead highlighting the enduring human spirit and the importance of supporting those who have been affected by these tragic events.

Today (21 August) is <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.un.org%2Fen%2Fobservances%2Fterrorism-victims-day&amp;data=05%7C02%7CMike.Halmshaw%40fcdo.gov.uk%7C449fef6286564080ba4808dcc132c435%7Cd3a2d0d37cc84f52bbf985bd43d94279%7C0%7C0%7C638597670992665695%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=urAH2gHgidPtBjriajHIRJf9u%2FAj%2BDm5dAjdNBK4WUg%3D&amp;reserved=0">International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism</a>, a day established by the UN General Assembly to honour the victims and survivors of terrorism. To mark this, the <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheglobalcoalition.org%2Fen%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7CMike.Halmshaw%40fcdo.gov.uk%7C449fef6286564080ba4808dcc132c435%7Cd3a2d0d37cc84f52bbf985bd43d94279%7C0%7C0%7C638597670992676364%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=dbBnEQ85w7AUMp94ZcoEsprC5oTOS5aIF%2BE3TOihfio%3D&amp;reserved=0">Global Coalition Against Daesh</a> is releasing a special episode of its award-winning podcast <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fopen.spotify.com%2Fshow%2F2oU2fmSnRPwed0C3nuvnbm&amp;data=05%7C02%7CMike.Halmshaw%40fcdo.gov.uk%7C449fef6286564080ba4808dcc132c435%7Cd3a2d0d37cc84f52bbf985bd43d94279%7C0%7C0%7C638597670992683081%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=xi9%2BYXWBdbneuCDVYplTmBr2dLNZ2wWSNTjKAM0G4oo%3D&amp;reserved=0">Taking Apart Terror,</a> narrated by Omar Mohammed, a historian and extremism researcher famed for his anonymous blog ‘Mosul Eye.’ The podcast delves into the human stories behind acts of terrorism, exploring resilience in the face of unimaginable adversity. 
Omar Mohammed garnered international recognition for his courageous reporting from Mosul during Daesh's occupation, during which he documented the brutal realities of life under terrorist rule. His blog became one of the few unfiltered windows into the atrocities committed in Mosul, relied upon by journalists, policymakers, and humanitarian organisations alike. 
In Taking Apart Terror, Mohammed continues his mission of shedding light on the human cost of extremism, by interviewing survivors of terrorist attacks. Among them is Mayssam, a resident of Mosul who lived through Daesh's occupation, Travis, a survivor of the 2017 Westminster Bridge attack, and Officer B, an Australian counterterrorism officer who was stabbed in the line of duty in 2014. We also hear from Mayssa Rekhis, an anthropologist and medical doctor, who helps us understand the complex emotional and mental challenges survivors face. 
Through these deeply personal interviews, Mohammed explores how individuals cope both during and following an act of terrorism. The podcast offers listeners an intimate look at how individuals navigate the aftermath of terror, finding strength and resilience in what is often a messy, non-linear path to ‘recovery.’ It also gives us an insight into why Mohammed risked everything to create his blog: his actions mirror his deeply held belief that terrorism is an aberration, and goodness and resilience are the true markers of humanity: 
“It is too easy to believe, but also very wrong to believe, that [terrorism] is the true nature of humanity,” says Mohammed. “I would rather believe that our true nature if reflected in our ability to persevere, and to rally around those who need us.”  
Taking Apart Terror challenges the notion that terrorism defines our world, instead highlighting the enduring human spirit and the importance of supporting those who have been affected by these tragic events.

Survivor Stories

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!

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!

Is there a way out of ISWAP?

“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.

“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.

Daesh in West Africa: what is the bigger picture?

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