Gunaratna Rohan

After the US-led coalition targeted terrorist groups operating in Afghanistan, al Qaeda, the Taliban and two dozen other such organizations relocated to the Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) of Pakistan. This remote, inhospitable region has become the sanctuary for, and headquarters of, the al Qaeda-led global jihad movement. From this base al Qaeda and its associated cells have planned, prepared and executed numerous terrorist attacks around the world, in addition to supporting and waging insurgencies in Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia and elsewhere. The epicentre of international terrorism, Pakistan is the keystone in the international fight against terrorism today. Pakistan: Terrorism Ground Zero is the first detailed analysis of the myriad insurgent groups working in Pakistan. Well-known author on global terrorism Rohan Gunaratna, and leading scholar Khuram Iqbal examine the nature, structure and agendas of the groups, their links to activists in other countries, and describe how complex it will be to defeat terrorism in this part of the world. Based on extensive field research and interviews with serving and former terrorists and government officials, the authors argue that Pakistan faces a grave and continuing pressure from within, and that without steadfast international goodwill and support, the threat of extremism, terrorism and insurgency will continue to grow. Pakistan: Terrorism Ground Zero demonstrates that if the international community is to win the battle against ideological extremism and operational terrorism around the world, then Pakistan should be in the vanguard of the fight.

Long before the devastating events of 11th September 2001 many countries had developed ways to deal with terrorists, but for the most part these groups were regarded as only domestic threats. The actions of the Atta Group on 9/11, however, not only destroyed the World Trade Centre but also blew away forever these attitudes of complacency. The horror and enormity of the attacks on such iconic targets prompted an unprecedented response from across the globe. "Countering Terrorism: Can We Meet the Treat of Global Violence?" is a hard-hitting examination of responses to terrorism around the globe, looking not only at 9/11 but also the London and Madrid bombings, as well as terrorist activity in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Palestine and elsewhere. The authors argue that despite the international community being presented with a prime opportunity to cooperate and collaborate against trans-national terrorism, the opportunity has been missed, long-term visionary policies have been held hostage to short-term political expediency, and what should have been a watershed has become a trickle in the sand. The authors' collective experience dealing with a wide range of terrorist activity, security issues and conflict situations spans over forty years, and includes first-hand exposure in the field. Together they bring their specialist knowledge to bear on one of the most critical issues of today, offering a clear-sighted way of understanding and dealing with global terrorism.