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Sergio Altuna

@altuna

Mostly Islamism. North Africa & Sahel. Narratives and counternarratives. Senior Research Fellow at GWU Program on Extremism

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05.10.2023
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Latest posts by Sergio Altuna @altuna

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The Enemy of My Enemy…It’s Complicated! The Muslim Brotherhood and the Iran War By Sergio Altuna

In his first piece for our Substack, The Threat, Dr. Altuna (@altuna.bsky.social) writes about the Muslim Brotherhood and the Iran War

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11.03.2026 14:42 👍 1 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
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Constructing the Apostate | Program on Extremism | The George Washington University Authored by Sergio Altuna

How do al-Qaeda and ISIS justify violence against Muslims?

Our new TITAN-powered report, “Constructing the Apostate,” examines how both organizations operationalize concepts like ḥākimiyya, al-walāʾ wa-al-barāʾ to legitimize intra-Muslim coercion 👇
extremism.gwu.edu/constructing...

03.03.2026 13:07 👍 1 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
Decoding the Language of Global Jihad: Introducing the TITAN Project
Decoding the Language of Global Jihad: Introducing the TITAN Project YouTube video by Program on Extremism at GWU

Interested in jihadist narratives and missed the launch of @gwupoe.bsky.social's TITAN Project?

The full event is now available on YouTube. Watch the full recording here:

youtu.be/B3M5dTrwyAI?...

27.02.2026 09:01 👍 1 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
Decoding the Language of Global Jihad: Introducing the TITAN Project
Decoding the Language of Global Jihad: Introducing the TITAN Project YouTube video by Program on Extremism at GWU

Interested in jihadist narratives and missed the launch of @gwupoe.bsky.social's TITAN Project?

The full event is now available on YouTube. Watch the full recording here:

youtu.be/B3M5dTrwyAI?...

27.02.2026 09:01 👍 1 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
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How Tehran Whitewashes Its Crimes Abroad As Iran’s security forces crushed protests, a parallel operation unfolded online, blaming a domestic uprising on a global conspiracy.

We’re excited to welcome Jay Solomon as Executive Head of Investigations at the Program! His first investigation exposes an Iran-backed influence operation - and he’ll be diving deep into tech, extremism, and global security.

Read it here👇

25.02.2026 13:02 👍 2 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
Preview
Decoding the Language of Global Jihad | Program on Extremism | The George Washington University Featuring Sergio Altuna.

Join us tomorrow at 10am ET for a live webinar presenting TITAN (Terrorism Insight Through the Analysis of Narratives).
Discover how this new initiative advances the analysis of jihadist propaganda.

📍Online via Zoom Register now!

25.02.2026 16:55 👍 1 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
Preview
Decoding the Language of Global Jihad | Program on Extremism | The George Washington University Featuring Sergio Altuna.

How do we move beyond anecdotal readings of jihadist propaganda?

Developed by the @gwupoe.bsky.social, TITAN pushes the boundaries of how jihadist narratives are analyzed.

Join us Thursday, Feb 26 | 10am ET (16:00 pm CET) for the online launch. Register here 👇

extremism.gwu.edu/decoding-lan...

23.02.2026 09:50 👍 2 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
Preview
Decoding the Language of Global Jihad | Program on Extremism | The George Washington University Featuring Sergio Altuna.

How do we move beyond anecdotal readings of jihadist propaganda?

Developed by the @gwupoe.bsky.social, TITAN pushes the boundaries of how jihadist narratives are analyzed.

Join us Thursday, Feb 26 | 10am ET (16:00 pm CET) for the online launch. Register here 👇

extremism.gwu.edu/decoding-lan...

23.02.2026 09:50 👍 2 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0

My latest report is now out: the first publication powered by the TITAN Project.

An empirical reassessment of how contemporary jihadist organizations prioritize and redefine their enemies.

The full report is available below.

16.02.2026 14:47 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Preview
TITAN PROJECT | Program on Extremism | The George Washington University The Program on Extremism's TITAN project

You can check all information regarding the TITAN project, including technical details and related publications, at the following link: extremism.gwu.edu/titan-project

16.02.2026 13:03 👍 1 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
Preview
Decoding the Language of Global Jihad | Program on Extremism | The George Washington University Featuring Sergio Altuna

Following the in-person launch, we will host an online webinar on February 26 at 10:00 a.m.
The session will include a live overview of TITAN's functioning, core capabilities and analytical potential.

Registration details here: extremism.gwu.edu/decoding-lan...

16.02.2026 13:03 👍 1 🔁 1 💬 1 📌 0

These differences are not rhetorical nuances.
They reflect divergent strategic logics, with implications for how violence is framed, targets are prioritized, and legitimacy is claimed.

More TITAN analyses will be released in the coming weeks.

16.02.2026 13:03 👍 1 🔁 1 💬 1 📌 0

The findings show that while the near–far framework survives conceptually, both AQ and ISIS have increasingly re-centered the “near enemy” in practice.

But they do so differently, revealing distinct strategic priorities, not just rhetorical variation.

16.02.2026 13:03 👍 1 🔁 1 💬 1 📌 0
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Who is the Real Enemy Now? | Program on Extremism | The George Washington University Authored by Sergio Altuna

Today we release the first TITAN report:
“Who is the Real Enemy Now?”

The study offers an empirical reassessment of where the classic "near vs. far enemy” debate actually stands in contemporary jihadism.

Check it out 👇
extremism.gwu.edu/who-real-ene...

16.02.2026 13:03 👍 1 🔁 1 💬 1 📌 1

The launch event brought together researchers, policy professionals, and practitioners, reflecting strong interest in bridging methodological rigor with policy relevance.

16.02.2026 13:03 👍 1 🔁 1 💬 1 📌 0

On February 11, the @gwupoe.bsky.social formally launched the TITAN Project (Terrorist Information and Narrative Analysis), a new research initiative designed to systematically analyze al-Qaeda and Islamic State narratives through large-scale Arabic-language corpus analysis.

16.02.2026 13:03 👍 2 🔁 1 💬 1 📌 0
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GW Program on Extremism Launches TITAN Project to Expand Research on Jihadist Narratives - HSToday The Program on Extremism at George Washington University has launched a new research initiative aimed at deepening understanding of jihadist communication strategies and ideology.

This week we launched the TITAN Project - led by Sr. Researcher Dr. Altuna @altuna.bsky.social - to deepen research into how jihadist groups craft & evolve their narratives, using a structured corpus of propaganda to inform better understanding & counter-narrative efforts.

13.02.2026 13:09 👍 2 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 0

Are you interested in jihadist discourse?

Today is the last day to register for the in-person presentation of the TITAN project.

Join us next Thursday, February 11, at GW Law (Washington, DC).

06.02.2026 13:53 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Excited to introduce the TITAN Project, a new research initiative aimed at taking the analysis of jihadist narratives to the next level.

Looking forward to the launch event in Washington, DC. Come join us!

04.02.2026 14:56 👍 2 🔁 3 💬 0 📌 0

Excited to introduce the TITAN Project, a new research initiative aimed at taking the analysis of jihadist narratives to the next level.

Looking forward to the launch event in Washington, DC. Come join us!

04.02.2026 14:56 👍 2 🔁 3 💬 0 📌 0
Microsoft Forms

🚨 New research launch
Introducing The TITAN Project: a cutting-edge tool redefining how jihadist narratives are analyzed

Join us for a live walkthrough of its capabilities, findings & policy relevance
🗓️11 Feb | 📍GW Law

RSVP required by Feb 6👇
forms.office.com/pages/respon...

04.02.2026 13:20 👍 1 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 2
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The Egyptian Branch of the Muslim Brotherhood in America: Yesterday and Today | Program on Extremism | The George Washington University Authored by Sergio Altuna and Lorenzo Vidino

Following the designation by the State Dept & Treasury of Muslim Brotherhood chapters in Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon as FTOs, we at @gwupoe.bsky.social have released a report analyzing the activities of the Egyptian Brotherhood in the United States.
extremism.gwu.edu/egyptian-bra...

13.01.2026 16:00 👍 4 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
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The Egyptian Branch of the Muslim Brotherhood in America: Yesterday and Today | Program on Extremism | The George Washington University Authored by Sergio Altuna and Lorenzo Vidino

New report published by PoE Director Lorenzo Vidino and Senior Researcher @altuna.bsky.social
"The Egyptian Branch of the Muslim Brotherhood in America: Yesterday and Today"
extremism.gwu.edu/egyptian-bra...

13.01.2026 18:07 👍 1 🔁 1 💬 1 📌 1
Preview
The Egyptian Branch of the Muslim Brotherhood in America: Yesterday and Today | Program on Extremism | The George Washington University Authored by Sergio Altuna and Lorenzo Vidino

Following the designation by the State Dept & Treasury of Muslim Brotherhood chapters in Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon as FTOs, we at @gwupoe.bsky.social have released a report analyzing the activities of the Egyptian Brotherhood in the United States.
extremism.gwu.edu/egyptian-bra...

13.01.2026 16:00 👍 4 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
Is Bamako on the Brink of a Jihadist Takeover?
Is Bamako on the Brink of a Jihadist Takeover? YouTube video by Program on Extremism at GWU

Senior Research Fellow Dr. Sergio Altuna Galan (@altuna.bsky.social) sat down with Dr. Djallil Lounnas to discuss recent gains by JNIM in Mali and the Sahel more broadly. You can watch his interview here 👇

13.11.2025 17:25 👍 2 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 0
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Legitimizing Jihad: Ahmad Musa Jibril at the Boundaries of Law and Radicalism | Program on Extremism | The George Washington University Authored by Sergio Altuna and David Zimmermann

Coincidentally, last week we published a research paper warning about Ahmad Musa Jibril, showing how his extremist views and theological legitimation can act as a catalyst—creating moral permission and lowering hesitation among susceptible actors.
extremism.gwu.edu/legitimizing...

04.11.2025 10:02 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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On Nov. 1, federal prosecutors charged two men in an alleged ISIS-inspired plot in #Michigan. The criminal complaint says the suspects regularly shared content from Ahmad Musa Jibril and even sought guidance from his father regarding the planned attack.

04.11.2025 10:02 👍 0 🔁 1 💬 1 📌 0
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Sirios frente a marroquíes por el control islámico de España: "Mohamed VI necesita saber qué se dice en las mezquitas, quién está contra él y quién no" Algunos expertos, sobre todo las mujeres, abrieron mucho los ojos cuando vieron a Mohamed el Ghaidouni, presidente de UCIDCAT, la Unión de Comunidades islámicas de Cataluña,...

Sirios frente a marroquíes por el control del islam institucional en España.
www.elmundo.es/cronica/2025...

29.10.2025 20:23 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

📄 New report by senior researchers @altuna.bsky.social & David Zimmermann:

American cleric Ahmad Musa Jibril has become one of the most influential extremist agitators online—merging Salafi authority, legal training, and digital reach to radicalize audiences across borders.

28.10.2025 11:52 👍 1 🔁 1 💬 1 📌 0
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Legitimizing Jihad: Ahmad Musa Jibril at the Boundaries of Law and Radicalism | Program on Extremism | The George Washington University Authored by Sergio Altuna and David Zimmermann

In 2014 @csns-uk.bsky.social listed him among top clerics followed by Westerners travelling to Syria.

In 2018 A. Meleagrou-Hitchens examined his trajectory in the US Salafi scene.

Our latest analyzes how his discourse fuels radicalization & legitimizes violence.

extremism.gwu.edu/legitimizing...

29.10.2025 09:01 👍 0 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0