All posts by Marco Lombardi

09Ago/24

Southport stabbings and riots in the UK: Comments from a security perspective – by Maria Chr. Alvanou

On Monday 29th of July a knife rampage described as a “horror movie” took place in Southport, UK, during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class resulting in three little girls stabbed to death and eight others injured. The perpetrator was a 17-year-old boy arrested at the scene, and his motivations seem irrelevant to terrorism.

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02Lug/24

Paris Olympic security threats: Why the Islamist terror network and Hamas matter – by Maria Alvanou

The world’s eyes in about a month will be on France hosting the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Major athletic events should always be considered a possible target for terrorists and a challenge for law enforcement authorities that have to safeguard security, making sure at the same time that people can enjoy participating with a festive spirit.

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29Giu/24

The role of local journalism between the need for security and new crises – by Giacomo Buoncompagni

Recent national and international emergencies, from pandemics to the recent floods, have repeatedly highlighted how the role of local information must be to synthesise the various social and cultural policies proposed by public bodies and the correct representation – the state of life of citizens in the territory – beyond national media logics, often based on speed and the spectacularisation of disasters.

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25Giu/24

From Heroes to Targets: The Dual Impact of MMA in the Caucasus Region. Investigating the MMA-Terror Nexus– by F. Borgonovo and G. Porrino

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has become a prominent sport in Russia, with a fervent following in the Caucasus region. This surge in popularity can be attributed to a blend of cultural heritage, historical precedence, and socio-economic factors that have made combat sports an integral part of Russian society. However, the rise of MMA has also brought about significant security challenges, with extremist groups exploiting the sport for recruitment and propaganda purposes.

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20Mag/24

La nuova strategia di Mosca in Libia: arrivano gli Afrika Corps – A. Bolpagni & G. Porrino

Mentre gli occhi del mondo sono concentrati sulla guerra in Ucraina e sul conflitto tra Israele e Hamas, la Russia sta riconsolidando la propria presenza in Libia, ponendo un’ulteriore minaccia al fianco sud della NATO. Nonostante la disfatta dell’alleato Generale K. Haftar nella battaglia di Tripoli nel 2020, la presenza russa è rimasta ben consolidata in relazione al più ampio progetto geopolitico di proiezione di potenza nel Sahel e nell’Africa sub-Sahariana.

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07Mag/24

Russian sabotage campaigns: the new European front of the War – by G. Porrino & A. Bolpagni

Since February 2024, at least ten operations between arson attacks and train sabotage have been planned, several of which have been intercepted by the intelligence services of the countries targeted. Where operations were successful, pictures and related videos were disseminated on PMC Wagner’s main Telegram channels. Such acts of sabotage do not constitute an isolated case, but rather part of a broader operation.

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04Mag/24

Islamic State Propaganda, Following the Content – by F.Borgonovo, S. Lucini, M. Lakomy

From 2019 to the present, the Islamic State’s digital ecosystem has undergone a dramatic evolution. Within the timeframe of 2021 to 2023, new players have come onto the scene, offering specialized translation services, while others have fortified the infrastructure for online dissemination, making it more robust against attempts to disrupt their activities.

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30Apr/24

CounteR – uno strumento innovativo per rilevare contenuti online radicali

Si è concluso con successo il progetto triennale CounteR, finanziato attraverso Horizon 2020, il programma di ricerca e innovazione dell’UE. Il 30 aprile 2024 segna il completamento formale del progetto CounteR – Countering radicalisation for a safer world: privacy-first situational awareness platform for violent terrorism and crime prediction, counter radicalisation and citizen protection.

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