On today’s episode, Matt is joined by another leading counterterrorism researcher, Aaron Zelin. Aaron has spent years studying the global jihadi movement, focusing on the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda. They explore the resurgence of the Islamic State following its territorial defeat in Iraq and Syria in 2017, and the evolving threat the group poses to the United States and other countries—from recent attacks in Iran, Russia, and New Orleans, and the organizational restructuring that’s made them rather resilient. Unpack these critical issues with one of the foremost experts in the field.

Read Aaron’s work for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy: https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/experts/aaron-y-zelin

Read Aaron’s Substack, Jihadology+: https://www.jihadologyplus.com

Read Aaron’s past work for Jihadology: https://jihadology.net

"A Globally Integrated Islamic State" by Aaron Zelin | War on the Rocks

"Remaining, Waiting for Expansion (Again): The Islamic State’s Operations in Iraq and Syria" by Aaron Zelin | The Hudson Institute

Follow Aaron on Twitter/X: https://x.com/azelin

Follow Aaron on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/azelin.bsky.social

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Secrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD.

Music by Andrew R. Bird

Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode unpacks global events through the lens of intelligence and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and analysts.