Terrorism can mutate too

Zulkarnaen, a senior leader of the al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiah, who had been on the run for his alleged role in the 2002 Bali bombings, is escorted by police upon arrival at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Dec 16,2020. — AP

THE coronavirus pandemic has, over the past year, forced countries to impose lockdowns and close their borders, leading to a drop in public events and gatherings as well as a sharp slowdown in travel.

These have meant that, for the most part, extremist terrorism has dropped off the headlines and seen a dip in impact.