Dr Sajjan Gohel

About me

Dr. Sajjan M. Gohel's research interests include looking at the ideology and doctrine that feeds international terrorism, the varying tactics and strategies of transnational terrorist groups, border security challenges, and the role new media plays in strategic communications. He is the author of the book, , published by Oxford University Press.

In addition to being a guest teacher at the 杏吧论坛, Dr. Gohel is the International Security Director for the London-based Asia-Pacific Foundation, a policy assessment think-tank monitoring emerging geopolitical threats. He acts in a consultancy role for law enforcement agencies, foreign ministry and defence departments, and the international media. Dr. Gohel has also provided in-depth reports on security issues to multilateral organizations such as the European Union, UNHCR, NATO, OSCE and INTERPOL.

Dr. Gohel’s research is case-study driven having conducted fieldwork in 23 countries. Dr. Gohel has also provided expert witness testimony to the House of Common’s Foreign Affairs Committee on the evolving challenges and threats in Afghanistan-Pakistan, North Africa and the Middle East.

Dr. Gohel is the Editor for NATO’s first-ever which combined the expertise of academia as well as law enforcement and defence practitioners. He is leading NATO’s Defence Education Enhancement Programme’s (DEEP) to integrate the CTRC across the alliance and partner nations including the .

As part of NATO DEEP, Dr. Gohel is the Chairman for NATO DEEP’s Global Threats Advisory Group (CTAG), a collaborative research project investigating current transnational security threats and comprises of members from over 30 countries. He has led several train-the-trainer programmes for the armed forces of , , and other Mediterranean Dialogue countries.

Dr. Gohel also serves as a visiting lecturer for military officers and diplomats at the George C. Marshall Center, the NATO Schools in Turkey and Germany as also the International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law (IIJ) and an academic advisory member of the Counter Terrorism Advisory Network (CTAN).

Dr. Gohel has been awarded the 杏吧论坛 International History Department’s ‘Martin Abel Gonzalez Teaching Prize’ on several occasions and is the recipient of the NATO Centre of Excellence – Defence Against Terrorism (COE-DAT) Commendation for contribution to the academic research of terrorism.

Dr. Gohel is the host for NATO’s first ever podcast series, , where he talks with fellow practitioners on global security issues. He also appears as a guest analyst on CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, BBC, Sky News, CBC, CTV and The Monocle. Dr. Gohel’s commentaries also feature in various print media including Time Magazine, New York Times, Washington Post, Reuters and Associated Press.

Dr. Gohel received his BA (Hons) in Politics from Queen Mary, University of London. He also holds both a Master’s degree in Comparative Politics and a Ph.D. in International History from the London School of Economics & Political Science (杏吧论坛). His thesis is entitled, 'Insurrection of the Ideologues: The Evolution of Egyptian Islamist Radical Ideological Thought from Hasan al-Banna to Ayman al-Zawahiri'.

Expertise Details

Islamist Ideology and Doctrine; Trans-National Political Violence and Terrorism; Border Security; Role of New Media for Strategic Communications and Protest Movements; Comparative Middle East - South Asia - Central Asia and East Asia Politics

Doctor Teacher Terrorist The Life and Legacy of Al-Qaeda Leader Ayman al-Zawahiri

Dr Sajjan Gohel teaches the following course at postgraduate level:

HY435 - Ideology, State, Jihad: Political Islam from Ibn Taymiyya to ISIS

Awards

Dr Sajjan Gohel has won the following teaching awards:

- NATO Centre of Excellence Award - Defence Against Terrorism (COE-DAT) Commendation for contribution to the academic research of terrorism.

- 杏吧论坛 Class Teacher Award - Co-Recipient of the Martin Abel Gonzalez Prize Winner.

- Students’ Union Teaching Excellence Awards commendations.

Dr Sajjan Gohel’s publications include:

Curriculums

• ‘ (CTRC)’, NATO Defence Education Enhancement Programme (DEEP), (2020).

Articles

• ‘’, War on the Rocks, 16 November 2022.

• ‘Afghanistan's Grim Future,’ American Legion - January 2022.

• '', Foreign Policy, 26 August 2021.

• ‘’, Financial Times, 17 April 2021.

• ‘,’ Perspectives on Terrorism, Vol 11, No 1 (2017).

• ‘, CTC Sentinel, Vol 7 Issue 12, December, 2014.

• ‘, Perspectives on Terrorism, Vol 8, No 3, 2014.

• ‘’, CTC Sentinel, Vol 4 Issue 8, August, 2011.

• ‘’, CTC Sentinel, Vol 3 Issue 3, March 2010.

• ‘’, CTC Sentinel, Vol 2 Issue 12, December 2009.

Book Chapters

• '’ in Exporting the Global Jihad: Critical Perspectives from the Periphery (London: Bloomsbury, 2020), pp.99-122.

• ‘’, [with Francois Heisbourg, Rem Korteweg, Magnus Ranstorp, Rob De Wijk, in Magnus Ranstorp (ed), Understanding Violent Radicalisation: Terrorist And Jihadist Movements In Europe, (New York: Routledge, 2010), pp. 21-49

Written Testimony

• , British House Of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee Report On The UK's Engagement in Central Asia, 28 April 2023.

• ‘’, British House Of Commons Defence Select Committee Report on Indispensable allies: US, NATO and UK Defence relations inquiry, 19 November, 2017.

• ‘’, British House Of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee Report On The fight against ISIL: The UK's Role, 15 December, 2015.

• ‘’, British House Of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee Report on Extremism and Political Instability in North and West Africa, 29 May, 2013.

• ‘’, British House Of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee Report On The UK's Foreign Policy towards Afghanistan and Pakistan, Evidence 514, 17 November, 2010.

• ‘, British House Of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee Report On Global Security: Afghanistan and Pakistan, Evidence 132, 22 January, 2009.

PhD Thesis

• ‘Insurrection of the Ideologues: The Evolution of Egyptian Islamist Radical Thought from Hasan al-Banna to Ayman al-Zawahiri’, Department of International History of the London School of Economics & Political Science, Doctor of Philosophy, London, 2009.

Op-Eds and Contributions

• ‘’, NATO, 12 January 2023.

• ‘’, Taking The Leap, 19 December 2022.

• ‘’, Al-Jazeera, 24 November 2022.

• ‘’, 11 September 2022.

• ‘’, The New York Times, 21 August 2022.

• ‘’, The New York Times, 1 August 2022.

• ‘’, ITN, 12 March 2022.

• ‘’, NATO, 22 November 2021.

• ‘’, Financial Times, 30 September 2021.

• ‘Here's what's happening in Afghanistan and why women are scared out of their minds amid Taliban takeover’, Four Nine, 5 September 2021.

• ‘’, The Independent, 1 September 2021.

• ‘’, El Mundo, 31 August 2021.

• ‘’, The Australian, 28 August 2021.

• ‘’, I News, 28 August 2021.

• ‘’, New York Times, 26 August 2021.

• ‘’, Washington Post, 26 August 2021.

• ‘’, UK Forces News, 25 August 2021.

• ‘’, The Independent, 18 August 2021.

• ‘’, US News & World Report, 18 August 2021.

• ‘’, BBC News, 17 August 2021.

• ‘’, I News, 17 August 2021.

• ‘’, Vice News, 17 August 2021.

• ‘’, The Article, 10 August 2021.

• ‘’, Christian Science Monitor, 26 July 2021.

• ‘’, The Financial Times, 26 July 2021.

• ‘’, US News & World Report, 19 July 2021.

• ‘’, The Financial Times, 15 July 2021.

• ‘’, BBC News, 7 July 2021.

• ‘’, US News & World Report, 16 April 2021.

• ‘’, The Monocle, 22 February 2021.

• ‘’, NATO, 5 February 2021.

• ‘’, Foreign Policy magazine, 1 July, 2020.

• ‘’, South Asia @ 杏吧论坛 Blog, 5 June, 2020.

• ‘’, South Asia @ 杏吧论坛 Blog, 2 October, 2019.

• ‘’, The Beaver, 8 January, 2018

• ‘’, CNN Online, 1 November, 2017.

• ‘’, International Development Blog, 17 July 2017.

• ‘’, South Asia @ 杏吧论坛 Blog, 17 July 2017.

• ‘’, South Asia @ 杏吧论坛 Blog, 12 May 2017.

• ‘’, South Asia @ 杏吧论坛 Blog, 11 May 2017.

• ‘’, Europe’s World, 12 December, 2016

• ‘’ South Asia @ 杏吧论坛 Blog, 9 Nov 2016.

• ‘’, South Asia @ 杏吧论坛 Blog, 2 August 2016.

• ‘, South Asia @ 杏吧论坛 Blog, 22 July, 2016.

• ‘’, CNN Opinion, 17 November, 2015.

• ‘’, CNN Online, 18 September, 2012.

• ‘, CNN Online, 9 August, 2010.

‘’, CNN Online, 1 December, 2008.

• ‘Pakistan: Creating A Haven For Al Qaeda’, ABC Online, 30 December, 2007.

• ‘Terror Group Thought to be Defeated Now on Attack in Algeria’, ABC Online, 12 December, 2007.

• '', CNN Online, 28 March, 2006.

• ‘The Two Sides of Pervez Musharraf’, Club de Madrid, 18 August, 2006.

• ‘Tackling the invisible enemy submerged within the UK’, Op-ed, The Scotsman, 20th January, 2005.

• ‘The Consequences Of The Assassination of Rafiq Hariri’, WRITENET & The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), 21 March, 2005.

• ‘Political Standoff in Sri Lanka’, Royal United Services Institute, Newsbrief, 21 January 2004.

Booklet

• Supporting Muslim Students: A Quick Reference Guide for Teachers, Trainers and Lecturers, [with Sheikh Mohammed Abdi Dahir, Angus Dunphy, Paul Fitzpatrick, Hifsa Haroon-Iqbal, Barrie Phillips, Shaykh Asim Yusuf], Getting On Together (GOT) Project, (Melton: John Catt Educational, 2017)

Presentations

Dr Sajjan Gohel’s presentations include:

• ‘NATO Counter-Terrorism Education & Training Programme’, Jordanian Armed Forces, Zarqa, Jordan, 9 to 13 January 2023.

• ‘Global Terrorism and the Impact in the Asia Pacific Region’, LinCT & New South Wales Police, Sydney, Australia, 23 November 2022.

• ‘The Global Security Challenges’, Toronto Police Service and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Toronto, Canada, 2 November 2022.

• ‘Emergence of the FTF Phenomenon’, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Bali, Indonesia, 11 October 2022.

• ‘The Global Security Ramifications of the Taliban Takeover of Afghanistan’, Voices Center of Resilience, September 11 Memorial, New York, United States, 11 September 2022.

• ‘The Global Security Ramifications of the Taliban Takeover of Afghanistan’, Counter-Terrorism Dialogue 5, Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation (JCLEC) & Australian Federal Police, Semarang, Indonesia, 15 June 2022.

• ‘The Global Security Ramifications of the Taliban Takeover of Afghanistan,’ Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), Monterey, United States, 16 September 2021.

• ‘The Evolving Face of Terrorism’, Police Scotland, Glasgow, United Kingdom, 28 August 2019.

• ‘The Global Terrorism Landscape’, Combating Terrorism Working Group, Polish Naval Academy, Gdynia, Poland, 15-17 July 2019.

• ‘Foreign Fighters & Potential Returnees’, Interpol Conference, Lisbon, Portugal, 25 June 2019.

• ‘The Evolving Terrorist Threat: From FTF to RFTF’, International Institute for Justice, Valetta, Malta, 20 June 2019.

• ‘Foreign Fighters & Potential Returnees’, LinCT and Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Ottawa, Canada, 18 June 2019.

• ‘The Global Terrorism Landscape’, Foreign Law Enforcement Community (FLEC) Meeting, Ankara, Turkey, 31 August, 2018.

• ‘Addressing The Potential Threats And Challenges of Returning FTFs’, 2018 OSCE Counter-Terrorism Conference, Rome, Italy, 11 May, 2018.

• ‘The Returnee Foreign Terrorist Fighters’, NATO Defence Against Terrorism Course, Oberammergau, Germany, 25 April, 2018.

• ‘Security Challenges in Afghanistan (AfPak) & Resurgence of al-Qaeda’, NATO Defence Against Terrorism Course, Oberammergau, Germany, 24 April, 2018.

• ‘Global Terrorism Overview’, NATO Defence Against Terrorism Course, Oberammergau, Germany, 23 April, 2018.

• ‘The Current And Emerging Terrorist Challenges In South Asia & Central Asia’, Interpol’s Project Kalkan, Lyon, France, 28 March, 2018.

• ‘The Changing Face of Terrorism’, Leadership in Counter-TerrorismUK, Scotland,14 March, 2018

• ‘Countering Violent Extremism: Demystifying the Ideology’, Leadership in Counter-Terrorism, Victoria Police, Melbourne, Australia, 12 December, 2017.

• ‘After The Fall of the Caliphate: International Terrorism’s On-Going Concerns & Challenges’, Sydney Institute, Sydney, Australia, 7 December, 2017.

• ‘The Current And Emerging Terrorist Challenges In South Asia & Central Asia’, Interpol’s Project Kalkan, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 21 November, 2017.

• ‘Tactics, Strategies and Blow-Back: The Current Global Terrorism Challenges’, Calgary Police Service 2017 Counter Terrorism Conference,Calgary, Canada, 18 October, 2017.

• ‘The Counter-Terrorism Challenges in the UK and Europe’, China Institute of International Strategic Studies (CIISS), Beijing, China, 22 August, 2017.

• ‘Global Terrorism and Border Security’, NATO Defence Against Terrorism Course, Oberammergau, Germany, 10 July, 2017.

• ‘Blow-Back, Tactics & Virtual Terrorism 3.0’, PfPC Combating Terrorism Working Group (CTWG), Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, 30 May, 2017.

• ‘Border Security Challenges & The Blow-Back From Foreign Terrorist Fighters’, Organization for Security & Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Security Committee, Vienna, Austria, 22 May, 2017.

• ‘European Challenges & Responses To Violent Extremism & Radicalization That Lead To Terrorism’, World Counter Terror Congress, London, United Kingdom, 3 May, 2017.

• ‘Emerging Challenges In Terrorism & The Blow-Back From Foreign Terrorist Fighters’, SO15 Ports Communication Day, London, United Kingdom, 20 April, 2017.

• ‘The Changing Face of Terrorism’, Leadership in Counter-Terrorism (LinCT) UK Alumni Annual Conference, Scotland, United Kingdom, 22 February, 2017.

• ‘’, Combating Terrorism Working Group & Albanian Prime Minister’s Office, Durrës, Albania, 14 September, 2016

• ‘Global Terrorism: Daesh vs Al-Qa’ida’, NATO Defence Against Terrorism Course, Oberammergau, Germany, 23 May, 2016.

• ‘’, Addressing the Foreign Fighters Phenomenon & Counter-Terrorism Strategies, OSCE Border Management Staff College, Dushanbe, Tajikistan, 24 October, 2016.

• ‘Understanding & Preventing Daesh’s Radical Narrative’, 13th Annual Nursing Conference, London, United Kingdom, 12^th May, 2016.

• ‘The Emerging Challenges in South Asia & Potential Blow-Back to the Five Eyes’, Leadership in Counter-Terrorism (LinCT), New York City, United States, 27 April, 2016.

• ‘The History & Evolution of Daesh’, National Prevent Practitioners Forum, National Police Chief’s Council, Leicester, United Kingdom, 6 April, 2016.

• ‘Terrorism & The Migrant Dynamic’, Migration Crisis: Security Challenges & Policy Recommendations, PfPC Combating Terrorism Working Group (CTWG), Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, 2^nd June, 2016.

• ‘Challenges of Identification Of FTF In Mass Migrations Flows’, Transnational Threats Seminar, OSCE Mobile Training Team for Transnational Threats, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, 30^th August, 2016.

• ‘The History & Evolution of Daesh’, SO15 Ports Communication Day, Metropolitan Police, London, United Kingdom, 21^st April, 2016.

• ‘The History of ISIL: Remaining and Expanding’,National Ports Counter-Terrorism Conference, National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC), Birmingham, United Kingdom, 25^th November, 2015.

• ‘British Foreign Fighters and Potential Impacts on Euro-Atlantic/Eurasian Security’, Terrorism Experts Conference, NATO COE-DAT, Ankara, Turkey, 13^th October, 2015.

• ‘The Ideological Doctrine Shaping Emerging Trends in Trans-National Terrorism’, Counter Terrorism Conference, Calgary Police Service, Calgary, Canada, 16^th September, 2015.

• ‘From Al-Qa’ida To Daesh (ISIL): Assessing the Evolution Of The Ideological Narrative & Violent Extremism’, Combating Terrorism Working Group, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, 28^th July, 2015.

• ‘Countering And Demystifying The Radical Narrative’, National Prevent Conference (Part II), Association of Chief Police Officers, Oxford, United Kingdom, 25^th February, 2015.

• ‘Countering And Demystifying The Radical Narrative’, National Prevent Conference (Part I), Association of Chief Police Officers, Manchester, United Kingdom, 11^th February, 2015.

Dr Sajjan Gohel is regularly consulted and quoted by the international news media. Some of these contributions include:

2022

'', ITV News, 12 March 2022 (quoted).

2021

• '', BBC News, 7 June 2021 (quoted).

2020

• ‘’, Financial Times, 13 August 2020.

• ‘’, El País, 3 July, 2020.

• , NATO, 12 June, 2020.

• ‘’, Financial Times, 25 April, 2020.

2019

• ‘’, US News & World Report, 15 October, 2019.

• , CNN, 23 April, 2019.

• , CNN, 22 April, 2019

• , Associated Press, 18 March, 2019.

• , CBC, 15 March, 2019.

• , Partnership for Peace Consortium (PfPC), 18 July, 2019.

2017

• ‘’, CBC News, 13 October, 2017.

• ‘’, The Globe and Mail, 15 September, 2017.

• ‘’, Reuters, 12 July, 2017.

• ‘’, PBS Frontline, 11 July, 2017.

• ‘’, Radio New Zealand, 11 June, 2017.

• ‘’, CBS News, 6 June, 2017.

• ‘, The Independent, 5 June, 2017.

• ‘, The Evening Standard, 4 June, 2017.

• ‘’, Euronews, 2 June, 2017.

• ‘, BBC ‘This Week’, 26 May, 2017.

• ‘’, Debating Europe, 22 May, 2017.

2016

• ‘’, Newsweek, 29 November, 2016.

• ‘’, CNN, 1 September, 2016.

• ‘’, CNN, 3 July, 2016.

• ‘?’, BBC, 2 May 2016.

• ‘, Newsweek, 5 April, 2016.

• ‘’, CNN, 30 March, 2016.

• ‘’, CNN, 27 March, 2016.

• ‘’, U.S. News & World Report, 18 March, 2016.

• ‘’, The Huffington Post, 5 February, 2016.

• ‘’, CNN, 15 January, 2016.

2015

• ‘’, VOA, 18 November, 2015.

• ‘’, FiveThirtyEight, 14 November, 2015

• ‘’, CNN, 18 August, 2015.

• ‘A Third Road for Xinjiang’, The Diplomat, 25 April, 2015.

• ‘’, CNN, 2 April, 2015.

• ‘’, CNN, 26 February, 2015.

• ‘, U.S. News & World Report, 15 February, 2015.

• ‘’, CNN, 5 February, 2015.

• ‘’, Japan Times, 27 January, 2015.

• ‘’, CNN, 15 January, 2015.

杏吧论坛

Dr Sajjan Gohel

Guest Teacher and PhD Alumni

Department of International History

About me

Expertise Details

Books

Teaching

Publications and papers

News and media