NCITE
@ncite.bsky.social
The National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education Center is a U.S. Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence based at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
📰 Two new publications from the NCITE team:
1️⃣ “Introducing the LEADIR Dataset”, by
@ginaligon.bsky.social
Michael K. Logan, & Mackenzie Harms, published in
Perspectives on Terrorism
📊 An open-source dataset of 280 terrorist groups & 295 leaders (2008–2017)
🔗 pt.icct.nl/article/intr...
1️⃣ “Introducing the LEADIR Dataset”, by
@ginaligon.bsky.social
Michael K. Logan, & Mackenzie Harms, published in
Perspectives on Terrorism
📊 An open-source dataset of 280 terrorist groups & 295 leaders (2008–2017)
🔗 pt.icct.nl/article/intr...
Introducing the Leadership for the Extreme and Dangerous for Innovative Results (LEADIR) Dataset | Perspectives on Terrorism
The goal of this research note is to introduce the Leadership for the Extreme and Dangerous for Innovative Results (LEADIR) dataset. LEADIR is an open-source relational dataset containing information ...
pt.icct.nl
September 29, 2025 at 3:38 PM
📰 Two new publications from the NCITE team:
1️⃣ “Introducing the LEADIR Dataset”, by
@ginaligon.bsky.social
Michael K. Logan, & Mackenzie Harms, published in
Perspectives on Terrorism
📊 An open-source dataset of 280 terrorist groups & 295 leaders (2008–2017)
🔗 pt.icct.nl/article/intr...
1️⃣ “Introducing the LEADIR Dataset”, by
@ginaligon.bsky.social
Michael K. Logan, & Mackenzie Harms, published in
Perspectives on Terrorism
📊 An open-source dataset of 280 terrorist groups & 295 leaders (2008–2017)
🔗 pt.icct.nl/article/intr...
🚨 NCITE’s Bettina Rottweiler, Ph.D., appeared on
@ketv7.bsky.social to discuss “764”, a dangerous decentralized online extremist network that targets youth for self-harm, abuse, and violence.
📺 Watch the segment: www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TdS...
@ketv7.bsky.social to discuss “764”, a dangerous decentralized online extremist network that targets youth for self-harm, abuse, and violence.
📺 Watch the segment: www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TdS...
FBI Omaha says disturbing online network targets children
YouTube video by KETV NewsWatch 7
www.youtube.com
September 25, 2025 at 5:24 PM
🚨 NCITE’s Bettina Rottweiler, Ph.D., appeared on
@ketv7.bsky.social to discuss “764”, a dangerous decentralized online extremist network that targets youth for self-harm, abuse, and violence.
📺 Watch the segment: www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TdS...
@ketv7.bsky.social to discuss “764”, a dangerous decentralized online extremist network that targets youth for self-harm, abuse, and violence.
📺 Watch the segment: www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TdS...
📰 New feature — NCITE’s Sam Hunter, senior scientist and director of academic research, spoke with @newsweek.com
about how terrorist groups like ISIS are exploring AI for harm: newsweek.com/isis-ai-terr...
about how terrorist groups like ISIS are exploring AI for harm: newsweek.com/isis-ai-terr...
Generating Jihad: How ISIS could use AI to plan its next attack
"We've moved from the hypothetical into reality on the use of AI by extremist groups," a leading expert told Newsweek.
newsweek.com
September 19, 2025 at 10:46 PM
📰 New feature — NCITE’s Sam Hunter, senior scientist and director of academic research, spoke with @newsweek.com
about how terrorist groups like ISIS are exploring AI for harm: newsweek.com/isis-ai-terr...
about how terrorist groups like ISIS are exploring AI for harm: newsweek.com/isis-ai-terr...
Today we mourn the lives lost on Sept. 11 and the countless other victims of terrorist attacks since that tragic day. NCITE was established in 2020 to help policymakers, practitioners, and the public better understand the nature of terrorist threats to the United States homeland.
September 11, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Today we mourn the lives lost on Sept. 11 and the countless other victims of terrorist attacks since that tragic day. NCITE was established in 2020 to help policymakers, practitioners, and the public better understand the nature of terrorist threats to the United States homeland.
🎙 NCITE Insights No. 37 — Public Perceptions of Punishment for Mass Violence
Ben sits down with NCITE researcher @kearnserinm.bsky.social, Ph.D., and visiting scholar Adam Ghazi-Tehrani, Ph.D., to discuss their research into public attitudes toward punishment for forms of mass violence.
Ben sits down with NCITE researcher @kearnserinm.bsky.social, Ph.D., and visiting scholar Adam Ghazi-Tehrani, Ph.D., to discuss their research into public attitudes toward punishment for forms of mass violence.
July 24, 2025 at 6:36 PM
🎙 NCITE Insights No. 37 — Public Perceptions of Punishment for Mass Violence
Ben sits down with NCITE researcher @kearnserinm.bsky.social, Ph.D., and visiting scholar Adam Ghazi-Tehrani, Ph.D., to discuss their research into public attitudes toward punishment for forms of mass violence.
Ben sits down with NCITE researcher @kearnserinm.bsky.social, Ph.D., and visiting scholar Adam Ghazi-Tehrani, Ph.D., to discuss their research into public attitudes toward punishment for forms of mass violence.
💡NCITE visiting scholar Adam Ghazi-Tehrani, Ph.D., professor at Indiana University Bloomington, chatted with NCITE students during a lunch and learn today. They discussed Ghazi-Tehrani's research abroad, advice and career paths for those in graduate school, and much more.
July 16, 2025 at 7:12 PM
💡NCITE visiting scholar Adam Ghazi-Tehrani, Ph.D., professor at Indiana University Bloomington, chatted with NCITE students during a lunch and learn today. They discussed Ghazi-Tehrani's research abroad, advice and career paths for those in graduate school, and much more.
Today marks the first anniversary of the assassination attempt on President Trump during an open-air campaign rally outside Butler, P.A. NCITE's @seamushughes.bsky.social spoke with The Hill reporter @byellalee.bsky.social to discuss NCITE research on trends of threats to public officials.
July 13, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Today marks the first anniversary of the assassination attempt on President Trump during an open-air campaign rally outside Butler, P.A. NCITE's @seamushughes.bsky.social spoke with The Hill reporter @byellalee.bsky.social to discuss NCITE research on trends of threats to public officials.
NCITE Research Associate Michael Becker published an article about gamified media literacy in the most recent issue of the Journal for Deradicalization.
Read the article ⤵️
journals.sfu.ca/jd/index.php...
Read the article ⤵️
journals.sfu.ca/jd/index.php...
Examining the Impacts of a Gamified Media Literacy Intervention in Indonesia
| Journal for Deradicalization
journals.sfu.ca
July 7, 2025 at 1:45 PM
NCITE Research Associate Michael Becker published an article about gamified media literacy in the most recent issue of the Journal for Deradicalization.
Read the article ⤵️
journals.sfu.ca/jd/index.php...
Read the article ⤵️
journals.sfu.ca/jd/index.php...
📝New research release
NCITE's Angie Benda and Austin Doctor published their research about improvised explosive devices (IED) in Perspectives in Terrorism. Here are some highlights ⤵️
NCITE's Angie Benda and Austin Doctor published their research about improvised explosive devices (IED) in Perspectives in Terrorism. Here are some highlights ⤵️
June 27, 2025 at 9:21 PM
📝New research release
NCITE's Angie Benda and Austin Doctor published their research about improvised explosive devices (IED) in Perspectives in Terrorism. Here are some highlights ⤵️
NCITE's Angie Benda and Austin Doctor published their research about improvised explosive devices (IED) in Perspectives in Terrorism. Here are some highlights ⤵️
"Ideology can’t be separated from activity when it comes to violent extremism—the two are closely intertwined and the broader implication of their criminal activity carries more weight when it is ideologically-motivated," writes Mackenzie Harms in her new Just Security article.
Does ideology matter for sentencing in terrorism and extremism cases? Mackenzie Harms of @ncite.bsky.social examined cases involving four different extremist beliefs and found that it does, despite uniform sentencing guidelines.
www.justsecurity.org/115468/sente...
www.justsecurity.org/115468/sente...
Ideology Matters: An Analysis of Sentencing in Terrorism and Extremism Cases
Ideology affects U.S. terrorism prosecutions: ISIS-linked defendants tend to get longer sentences than those tied to other groups.
www.justsecurity.org
June 25, 2025 at 6:25 PM
"Ideology can’t be separated from activity when it comes to violent extremism—the two are closely intertwined and the broader implication of their criminal activity carries more weight when it is ideologically-motivated," writes Mackenzie Harms in her new Just Security article.
NCITE's Austin Doctor spoke Monday with KETV NewsWatch 7 about the increased threat to cybersecurity and U.S. public officials in the wake of Operation Midnight Hammer, the U.S. military operation conducted in Iran over the weekend.
June 25, 2025 at 6:22 PM
NCITE's Austin Doctor spoke Monday with KETV NewsWatch 7 about the increased threat to cybersecurity and U.S. public officials in the wake of Operation Midnight Hammer, the U.S. military operation conducted in Iran over the weekend.
🎙 NCITE Insights No. 36 — AI Case Studies Report
On the latest episode of the podcast, NCITE Senior Scientist Sam Hunter, Ph.D., and I-O psychology doctoral student Alexis d'Amato discuss their new AI malign use cases report.
On the latest episode of the podcast, NCITE Senior Scientist Sam Hunter, Ph.D., and I-O psychology doctoral student Alexis d'Amato discuss their new AI malign use cases report.
June 24, 2025 at 8:01 PM
🎙 NCITE Insights No. 36 — AI Case Studies Report
On the latest episode of the podcast, NCITE Senior Scientist Sam Hunter, Ph.D., and I-O psychology doctoral student Alexis d'Amato discuss their new AI malign use cases report.
On the latest episode of the podcast, NCITE Senior Scientist Sam Hunter, Ph.D., and I-O psychology doctoral student Alexis d'Amato discuss their new AI malign use cases report.
Today's tragic violence against Minnesota elected officials is an extension of the rising anger and grievances on display against targets symbolic of local government.
June 14, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Today's tragic violence against Minnesota elected officials is an extension of the rising anger and grievances on display against targets symbolic of local government.
🎙 New NCITE Insights Episode🎧
In this episode, Erin Grace discusses research on youth recruitment and mobilization to violent extremism with NCITE Research Associates Bettina Rottweiler, Ph.D., and Brenna Helm, ABD. Watch or listen here: www.unomaha.edu/ncite/news/2...
In this episode, Erin Grace discusses research on youth recruitment and mobilization to violent extremism with NCITE Research Associates Bettina Rottweiler, Ph.D., and Brenna Helm, ABD. Watch or listen here: www.unomaha.edu/ncite/news/2...
NCITE Insights No. 35 — Youth Recruitment and Mobilization
Erin sits down with NCITE Research Associates Bettina Rottweiler, Ph.D., and Brenna Helm, ABD, to discuss their burgeoning research on youth recruitment and mobilization to violent extremism.
www.unomaha.edu
June 11, 2025 at 5:02 PM
🎙 New NCITE Insights Episode🎧
In this episode, Erin Grace discusses research on youth recruitment and mobilization to violent extremism with NCITE Research Associates Bettina Rottweiler, Ph.D., and Brenna Helm, ABD. Watch or listen here: www.unomaha.edu/ncite/news/2...
In this episode, Erin Grace discusses research on youth recruitment and mobilization to violent extremism with NCITE Research Associates Bettina Rottweiler, Ph.D., and Brenna Helm, ABD. Watch or listen here: www.unomaha.edu/ncite/news/2...
📢NCITE Director Gina Ligon was on Capitol Hill this morning to testify before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs regarding the security of major upcoming events in the U.S. Here are some major takeaways ⤵️
June 10, 2025 at 7:13 PM
📢NCITE Director Gina Ligon was on Capitol Hill this morning to testify before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs regarding the security of major upcoming events in the U.S. Here are some major takeaways ⤵️
🎙 NCITE Insights No. 32 — Old Threats and New: ISIS and 764 🎧
Erin sits down with @seamushughes.bsky.social, NCITE senior research faculty and policy associate, to discuss domestic prosecution and sentencing of members of ISIS and the emerging group 764.
www.unomaha.edu/ncite/news/2...
Erin sits down with @seamushughes.bsky.social, NCITE senior research faculty and policy associate, to discuss domestic prosecution and sentencing of members of ISIS and the emerging group 764.
www.unomaha.edu/ncite/news/2...
NCITE Insights No. 32 – Old Threats and New: ISIS and 764
On the latest episode of the podcast, Erin sits down with Seamus Hughes, NCITE senior research faculty and policy associate, to discuss domestic prosecution and sentencing of members of ISIS and the g...
www.unomaha.edu
May 9, 2025 at 11:33 PM
🎙 NCITE Insights No. 32 — Old Threats and New: ISIS and 764 🎧
Erin sits down with @seamushughes.bsky.social, NCITE senior research faculty and policy associate, to discuss domestic prosecution and sentencing of members of ISIS and the emerging group 764.
www.unomaha.edu/ncite/news/2...
Erin sits down with @seamushughes.bsky.social, NCITE senior research faculty and policy associate, to discuss domestic prosecution and sentencing of members of ISIS and the emerging group 764.
www.unomaha.edu/ncite/news/2...
“This is a terrorist network that has largely been led by minors and by young adults."
NCITE's @austincdoctor provides essential context about the emergent 764 terror group.
www.abcactionnews.com/news/state/t...
NCITE's @austincdoctor provides essential context about the emergent 764 terror group.
www.abcactionnews.com/news/state/t...
'This is a terrorist network': Florida teen in prison, FBI says he was member of '764'
The FBI calls it one of the biggest online threats facing kids today. It’s called “764” and it helped land a Tampa teen in federal prison.
www.abcactionnews.com
May 9, 2025 at 4:41 PM
“This is a terrorist network that has largely been led by minors and by young adults."
NCITE's @austincdoctor provides essential context about the emergent 764 terror group.
www.abcactionnews.com/news/state/t...
NCITE's @austincdoctor provides essential context about the emergent 764 terror group.
www.abcactionnews.com/news/state/t...
🎙 New NCITE Insights: 30 years after the Oklahoma City Bombing, Anne Barnes, interim vice president and chief financial officer for the University of Nebraska System, reflects on the day that changed America. She was working just blocks away.
www.unomaha.edu/ncite/news/2...
www.unomaha.edu/ncite/news/2...
NCITE Insights No. 31 – Reflecting on the Oklahoma City Bombing 30 Years Later
On the latest episode of the podcast, Blake sits down with Anne Barnes, MBA, interim vice president and chief financial officer for the University of Nebraska System, to reflect on the 30th anniversar...
www.unomaha.edu
April 18, 2025 at 7:55 PM
🎙 New NCITE Insights: 30 years after the Oklahoma City Bombing, Anne Barnes, interim vice president and chief financial officer for the University of Nebraska System, reflects on the day that changed America. She was working just blocks away.
www.unomaha.edu/ncite/news/2...
www.unomaha.edu/ncite/news/2...
LIVE WEBINAR | Join NCITE's Austin Doctor for "Terrorist Exploitation of Commercial Technologies and Implications for U.S. National and Homeland Security" in a live webinar with HDIAC.
🕛 10 a.m. CT
🗓️ April 29
REGISTER:
buff.ly/7ezTZ8a
🕛 10 a.m. CT
🗓️ April 29
REGISTER:
buff.ly/7ezTZ8a
April 18, 2025 at 3:19 PM
LIVE WEBINAR | Join NCITE's Austin Doctor for "Terrorist Exploitation of Commercial Technologies and Implications for U.S. National and Homeland Security" in a live webinar with HDIAC.
🕛 10 a.m. CT
🗓️ April 29
REGISTER:
buff.ly/7ezTZ8a
🕛 10 a.m. CT
🗓️ April 29
REGISTER:
buff.ly/7ezTZ8a
Last week, we were thrilled to welcome the University of Nebraska System Board of Regents to NCITE, where they heard from some of our students and faculty about their innovative work solving some of the most complex challenges of our time.
April 17, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Last week, we were thrilled to welcome the University of Nebraska System Board of Regents to NCITE, where they heard from some of our students and faculty about their innovative work solving some of the most complex challenges of our time.
🎙️ NCITE Insights No. 30 – Student Spotlight: I-O Psychology Conference 🎧
Hear from NCITE's Alexis d'Amato and Emma Theobald, UNO I-O psych graduate students, about their recent trip to the SIOP conference in Denver.
www.unomaha.edu/ncite/news/2...
Hear from NCITE's Alexis d'Amato and Emma Theobald, UNO I-O psych graduate students, about their recent trip to the SIOP conference in Denver.
www.unomaha.edu/ncite/news/2...
NCITE Insights No. 30 – Student Spotlight: I-O Psychology Conference
Erin meets with Alexis d'Amato and Emma Theobald, two NCITE researchers and UNO graduate students in industrial and organizational psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences, to discuss their rece...
www.unomaha.edu
April 11, 2025 at 2:59 PM
🎙️ NCITE Insights No. 30 – Student Spotlight: I-O Psychology Conference 🎧
Hear from NCITE's Alexis d'Amato and Emma Theobald, UNO I-O psych graduate students, about their recent trip to the SIOP conference in Denver.
www.unomaha.edu/ncite/news/2...
Hear from NCITE's Alexis d'Amato and Emma Theobald, UNO I-O psych graduate students, about their recent trip to the SIOP conference in Denver.
www.unomaha.edu/ncite/news/2...
RECAP: Protecting the Supply Chain 🚚 🔐
The threats facing the U.S. supply chain are diverse and fast-changing. Hear from security expert Jenni Hesterman on how to protect against them.
www.unomaha.edu/ncite/news/2...
The threats facing the U.S. supply chain are diverse and fast-changing. Hear from security expert Jenni Hesterman on how to protect against them.
www.unomaha.edu/ncite/news/2...
RECAP: Protecting the Supply Chain with Jenni Hesterman
On March 27, NCITE hosted Jennifer Hesterman, Ed.D., for a presentation on securing the supply chain. Hesterman is retired Air Force colonel and a national expert on securing soft targets.
www.unomaha.edu
April 3, 2025 at 6:25 PM
RECAP: Protecting the Supply Chain 🚚 🔐
The threats facing the U.S. supply chain are diverse and fast-changing. Hear from security expert Jenni Hesterman on how to protect against them.
www.unomaha.edu/ncite/news/2...
The threats facing the U.S. supply chain are diverse and fast-changing. Hear from security expert Jenni Hesterman on how to protect against them.
www.unomaha.edu/ncite/news/2...
We were thrilled to host Dr. Jennifer Hesterman at NCITE today for a presentation on threats to the U.S. supply chain. Stay tuned for a recap and recording of her talk!
March 27, 2025 at 10:50 PM
We were thrilled to host Dr. Jennifer Hesterman at NCITE today for a presentation on threats to the U.S. supply chain. Stay tuned for a recap and recording of her talk!
🎙️ NCITE Insights – Student Spotlight: Camden Carmichael 🎧
Camden is an NCITE student researcher and criminology undergraduate who recently co-authored his first peer-reviewed article and traveled to the National Targeting Center in Washington, D.C.
Learn more. ⬇️
www.unomaha.edu/ncite/news/2...
Camden is an NCITE student researcher and criminology undergraduate who recently co-authored his first peer-reviewed article and traveled to the National Targeting Center in Washington, D.C.
Learn more. ⬇️
www.unomaha.edu/ncite/news/2...
NCITE Insights – Student Spotlight: Camden Carmichael
On the latest episode of the podcast, Blake sits down with Camden Carmichael, an NCITE student researcher and undergraduate in the UNO School of Criminology and Criminal Justice. They discuss Carmicha...
www.unomaha.edu
March 27, 2025 at 6:03 PM
🎙️ NCITE Insights – Student Spotlight: Camden Carmichael 🎧
Camden is an NCITE student researcher and criminology undergraduate who recently co-authored his first peer-reviewed article and traveled to the National Targeting Center in Washington, D.C.
Learn more. ⬇️
www.unomaha.edu/ncite/news/2...
Camden is an NCITE student researcher and criminology undergraduate who recently co-authored his first peer-reviewed article and traveled to the National Targeting Center in Washington, D.C.
Learn more. ⬇️
www.unomaha.edu/ncite/news/2...
🎙️ NCITE Insights: Terrorist Recruitment, Desired Skills, and AI 🎧
On this episode of the podcast, hear from researcher
Evan Perkoski about his work studying the recruitment trends of terrorist organizations.
Listen now! ⬇️
www.unomaha.edu/ncite/news/2...
On this episode of the podcast, hear from researcher
Evan Perkoski about his work studying the recruitment trends of terrorist organizations.
Listen now! ⬇️
www.unomaha.edu/ncite/news/2...
NCITE Insights No. 27 – Terrorist Recruitment, Desired Skills, and AI
On the latest episode of the podcast, Erin sits down with NCITE researcher Evan Perkoski, Ph.D., to discuss his team's research on terrorist recruitment trends.
www.unomaha.edu
March 25, 2025 at 3:52 PM
🎙️ NCITE Insights: Terrorist Recruitment, Desired Skills, and AI 🎧
On this episode of the podcast, hear from researcher
Evan Perkoski about his work studying the recruitment trends of terrorist organizations.
Listen now! ⬇️
www.unomaha.edu/ncite/news/2...
On this episode of the podcast, hear from researcher
Evan Perkoski about his work studying the recruitment trends of terrorist organizations.
Listen now! ⬇️
www.unomaha.edu/ncite/news/2...