Dear Theresa May: a counter-terrorism lesson from Africa

The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) cautions the UK government against proposing changes to human rights laws to facilitate counter-terrorism, arguing that such 'heavy-handed tactics' often fuel terrorist recruitment. Citing examples from Nigeria, Kenya, Algeria, Egypt, and Chad, the letter asserts that state abuses provide justification for groups like Boko Haram and al-Shabaab. The ISS highlights that in Africa, militant attacks rose from 171 in 2009 to 738 in 2015, suggesting that neglecting the rule of law undermines intelligence gathering and international cooperation. The document concludes that upholding human rights is a strategic necessity for defeating groups like al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.

• Research in Kenya and Mali indicates that state abuses are primary drivers for individuals joining extremist groups. In Kenya, former members cited state abuses as a major factor in joining, while in Mali, youth cited both state abuses and the state's failure to protect the population.
• Counter-terrorism efforts in Africa that fail to protect human rights have coincided with a significant increase in terrorism. Between 2009 and 2015, the number of militant attacks in Africa increased from 171 to 738, and deaths rose from 541 to 4,600.
• Respecting human rights and utilizing the criminal justice system is a more effective strategy for gathering intelligence and penetrating terrorist networks than a hardline approach. Furthermore, extra-judicial or unlawful actions by a state hinder the international cooperation necessary to combat transnational terrorism.

APA

Institute for Security Studies (n.d.). Dear Theresa May: a counter-terrorism lesson from Africa. https://issafrica.org/iss-today/dear-theresa-may-a-counter-terrorism-lesson-from-africa

Chicago

Institute for Security Studies. Dear Theresa May: a counter-terrorism lesson from Africa. n.d. https://issafrica.org/iss-today/dear-theresa-may-a-counter-terrorism-lesson-from-africa.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Institute for Security Studies |title=Dear Theresa May: a counter-terrorism lesson from Africa |url=https://issafrica.org/iss-today/dear-theresa-may-a-counter-terrorism-lesson-from-africa |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{instituteforsecuritystudiesnddear, author = {{Institute for Security Studies}}, title = {{Dear Theresa May: a counter-terrorism lesson from Africa}}, publisher = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.org/iss-today/dear-theresa-may-a-counter-terrorism-lesson-from-africa}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }