The international jihadist network of radical Islamic terrorist groups is far more extensive than just al Qaeda, and it has conducted twice as many attacks in the three years since September 11, 2001 as it did in the three years prior to that date. Defeating the Jihadists: A Blueprint for Action (Century Foundation Press, 2004), assesses the nation's successes and failures on homeland security and calls for a stronger, more effective strategy for dealing with jihadists, including al Qaeda. The report offers a detailed action plan for neutralizing the international movement at the core of worldwide terrorism. The report also describes the nature of the jihadist threat; provides comprehensive profiles of the various jihadist groups; and offers a rationale for the effort and money that would be needed to make the plan a success. The plan presented in the report builds on the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission and serves as a road map for winning the war against the jihadists.

The report's authors are Richard A. Clarke, Glenn P. Aga, Roger W. Cressey, Stephen E. Flynn, Blake W. Mobley, Eric Rosenbach, Steven Simon, William F. Wechsler, and Lee S. Wolosky—all experts on various aspects of national security, intelligence, counterterrorism, military operations. View a list of members' bios (PDF) and download the press release (PDF).

Download chapters:

Summary of the Recommendations (PDF)

Foreword by Richard C. Leone, Table of Contents, and Members of the Task Force (PDF)

1. Overview (PDF)
2. The Nature of the Threat (PDF)
3. The Hydra of Jihad (PDF)
4. A Country-by-Country Approach (PDF)
5. Partnering with the Islamic World (PDF)
6. Going after the Jihadists (PDF)
7. Homeland Security (PDF)
8. Preventing Nuclear Terror (PDF)
9. Ensuring Energy Independence (PDF)

Appendix: Recent Terrorist Attacks by Region (PDF)
Notes (PDF)
Additional Sources (PDF)

To order, call the Brookings Institution at (800) 552-5450, or in Washington, DC, (202) 797-6258. Order online here.

This report was commissioned by The Century Foundation as part of its major Homeland Security Project. The project began with a working group cochaired by former Governors Thomas Kean and Richard Celeste. Some components of the project are supported in part by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. This task force was assembled and chaired by Richard A. Clarke. More information on this project can be found at www.homelandsec.org or the foundation's Web site www.tcf.org.