Nikita Malik

Nikita Malik is the Deputy Director of Bright Blue, a liberal conservative think tank. She previously led the Centre for the Response to Radicalisation and Terrorism.

Why is it so difficult to prosecute female terrorists?

For decades, terrorist organisations have targeted women for recruitment. Deployed as suicide bombers for Al Qaeda, Boko Haram, the Tamil Tigers, and Hamas – to name but a few – women have also died serving in frontline roles. Yet we are now faced with a new group of female terrorists that are proving difficult to