When security labels replace legal judgment

FOR decades, security studies have come to dominate how terrorism and violent extremism are interpreted, categorised, and discussed, often to the exclusion of legal, social, and victim-centred perspectives. This dominance has not extended to all forms of violence, but it has been particularly pronounced in cases that are politically charged, spectacular, or emotionally disturbing.

In this space, complex incidents are increasingly framed through a security lens, leading to instances where acts are mislabelled or misidentified as terrorism even when they do not meet the legal threshold.