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343 Carmen López Alonso Book review on the one hand, the evolution of al Qaeda after the March 11 events, and on the other, the new threat represented by Daesh, from its origins in «Al Qaeda in Iraq» to its current situation of retreat; the author points out the importance which the Syrian civil war has throughout the development, with the proclamation of the Caliphate in 2014, as well as the tactics employed in what he calls the «Empire of terror», with the efficient utilization, among others, of modern communications media. The book ends with an interesting chapter on the jihadist threat in the world. First, its impact in the Moslem countries is analyzed, (in the Middle East, in Afghanistan and Pakistan, in the Maghreb and the Sahel, in Nigeria with the Boko Haram group, and in Somalia with Al Shabbab). The chapter continues with the study of the presence of jihadist terrorism in Europe and in Spain (herein including references to the attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils), ending with a final analysis of the responses made by the European Union in the face of the threat represented by jihadist terrorism. In his conclusion the author warns that «while it is true that a sudden and complete disappearance of jihadist terrorism should not be expected, it is likely that its incidence will be gradually reduced. In the short term, however, it is to be feared that Daesh will increase its terrorist attacks to mask the collapse of the Caliphate»12. To sum up, this is a necessary, timely and very useful book, not only for students who need a broad approach to the subject but for any interested person. It is a book which not only presents the development of the facts but makes note of possible guidelines for efficient action in the face of these. The book has the added advantage of its Spanish publication. Here it should be noted that, while remaining far from that published in other languages, basically English or French, in recent decades there has occurred notable growth in Spain in the number of quality specialized studies on these subjects, among others those published by Spanish think-tanks such as the SISS, the REI, and the CIDI, to cite the most outstanding13. To these studies must be added more general works, aimed at a wider public, among which is to be found this book, which as of the end of 2017, brings them up to date14. Professor Avilés has, as well, written an easy-to-read, balanced and complete book in which the presentation of concrete and updated data and references predominate, a book that avoids falling into the all-too-frequent interpretative simplifications, so often seen when dealing 12  Avilés, 2017, Ibid, p. 216 (written August 31, 2017). 13  SISS (IEEE in its Spanish abbreviation) the Spanish Institute for Strategic Studies (www.ieee.es); REI (RIE in its Spanish abbreviation) the Royal Elcano Institute (www.reallinstitutoelcano.org); CIDI (CIDOB in its Spanish abbreviation) the Center for International Documentation and Information in Barcelona (www.cidob.org). 14  Among them, in addition to the aforementioned work by M. A. Ballesteros, and to cite only those most globally related, are to be found that published in 2007 by Luis de la Corte and Javier Jordán (2007), Terrorist Jihad. Madrid. Abstract, or study, by the aforementioned L. de la Corte, 2006, The Logic of Terrorism, Madrid, Alianza. Other outstanding studies in Spanish about more concrete cases (Hizbollah, Hamas, suicide attacks, terrorism in various countries, the Moslem Brotherhood, Syria, Yemen, etc.,) may be seen in the bibliography included in the work herein summarized. http://revista.ieee.es

REVISTA IEEE 11
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