leidensecurityandglobalaffairsblog

Daan Weggemans is Program Director BSc Cybersecurity and Cybercrime & Researcher at Leiden University

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Public-Private Partnership ‘Melissa’: Combatting Ransomware

Over the last decades, ransomware incidents have surged all around the globe. To address this growing threat, a public-private partnership (PPP) called ‘Melissa’ was initiated in 2022 in the Netherlands, uniting Dutch public entities (e.g., police, NCSC) and private cybersecurity firms.

Daan Weggemans, Bibi van den Berg and Manon Nobbenhuis • January 10, 2025

Beyond ‘Indoctrination’ and ‘Brainwashing’: Understanding the Transmission of Extreme Beliefs

When discussing the transmission of extreme beliefs, we tend to fall back on concepts such as ‘indoctrination’ and ‘brainwashing’. In this blog, we explain why this is problematic.

Layla van Wieringen, Marieke Liem and Daan Weggemans • December 03, 2021

'Governance of violent radicalisation’; need for a one dimensional terminology?

During a recent seminar at Leiden University's Institute of Security and Global Affairs, several views on dealing with violent radicalization were presented.

Daan Weggemans and Elke Devroe • May 29, 2017

New ISGA report: “Destination Syria"

What does the daily life of those who travelled to Syria to join jihadist groups look like? Destination Syria, a new report, provides answers to this question.

Edwin Bakker, Daan Weggemans and Roel de Bont • December 12, 2016

Daily Life in Syria

The recently published report ‘Destination Syria’ examines several aspects of the daily lives of Dutch nationals who left the country in favor of a new life in war-torn Syria.

Edwin Bakker, Daan Weggemans and Roel de Bont • April 11, 2016

‘After release’: Studying reintegration of former jihadist detainees

The release of (former) jihadists from prison is not the end of a process but rather the start of a next phase: it could be the beginning of a successful societal reintegration but also the start of a (new) cycle of violence.

Daan Weggemans • September 28, 2015

Foreign Fighters on Social Media: An analysis of 11 Facebook accounts

What insights do eleven social Facebook-accounts of Dutch and Belgic foreign fighters offer with respect to the phenomenon of so-called returnees?

Edwin Bakker, Daan Weggemans and Peter Grol • January 19, 2015

Dutch women on jihad in Syria: why do they go?

Increasingly media report on women who undertake the trip to Syria to join the jihad. What drives these women to give up their comfortable, safe lives to undertake the journey to a country torn by violence?

Daan Weggemans and Seran de Leede • July 07, 2014

'Threat from Jihadism more serious than ever before'

Jihadism in the Netherlands has developed in a relatively short time span into a complex and dynamic movement that poses a more serious threat to democracy and national security than ever before.

Jelle van Buuren and Daan Weggemans • June 30, 2014