AN ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS IN SPAIN AND FRANCE: WHAT’S CHANGED?

Abstract

In order to determine best practices in response to a continually changing security environment, this research assesses how the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and ISIS-inspired terrorist attacks carried out by the group’s terrorist cells and self-radicalized individuals have affected the independent and collective counterterrorist efforts of Spanish and French security agencies. Identifying the evolution of and outlining proposals for refining Spanish and French anti-ISIS counterterrorist measures revealed that it was their long-time histories of fighting against ethno-nationalist and jihadi terrorist organizations, rather than terrorist attacks by ISIS or its affiliates, that helped the security institutions of Spain and France to adapt plans, strategies, and policies for confronting ISIS from a holistic perspective. Based on these conclusions, policymakers in Spain, France, the United States, and Mexico will benefit from the application of the findings provided by this work's analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of Spanish and French counterterrorism policies. In addition, the thesis offers recommendations for countries facing other terrorism-related security issues, such as organized crime or drug trafficking.