Publication

This brief analyzes the 14 attacks in Europe, the US, Canada and Australia that have been defined as acts of terrorism since 2012. The author finds that most of the attacks were simple, in that they were carried out by only one or a small number of individuals with small arms and directed towards symbolic targets, and that the perpetrators have often had criminal histories and been known to the police or author authorities. Finally, she provides recommendations on how Western countries can prevent future attacks, including the suggestion that they need to increase cooperation between relevant authorities within their territories.