What do Jihadists with Criminal Pasts Show us about the Crime-Terror Nexus in Europe?

What do Jihadists with Criminal Pasts Show us about the Crime-Terror Nexus in Europe?

For over four decades, scholars and policymakers have debated the relationship with criminals and terrorists. Do they work together and form alliances? Or are they more likely to clash and compete? This seminar will highlight how the clearest manifestation of a "crime-terror nexus" in Europe occurs when criminals radicalise into jihadists. It will examine the importance of prison radicalisation, whether jihadists have interacted with the drug trade, and how they have acquired guns from the illicit market.

Rajan Basra, Research Fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR), King’s College London

Rajan Basra is a Research Fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR) at King's College London. His research focuses on the relationship between crime and terrorism, including the radicalisation of criminals, the use of criminal methods by terrorists, and the role of prisons. Basra has presented his research at the United Nations Security Council, the European Council, and the European Parliament. He is completing a PhD in War Studies at King’s College London, and holds an MA in Terrorism, Security, and Society from King’s College London, and an undergraduate degree from the University of Warwick.