JI H AD I S T AN D E T H N O - N AT I ON A L I S T T E RRORI S M plant-based toxin ricin was thwarted in Cologne in June 2018, seven individuals who had been planning an attack using explosives and firearms were arrested in the Netherlands in September 2018, and an individual who intended to carry out an attack using a pesticide was apprehended in Sardinia in November 2018. Al-Qaeda remains in the shadow of the ‘Islamic State’ The dismantlement of the caliphate provided core al-Qaeda, under the leadership of Ayman al-Zawahiri, the opportunity to regain its influence and its leadership role in the global jihadist movement. To date, however, core al-Qaeda has failed to do so – neither through spectacular attacks nor through effective propaganda. Calls and efforts to unite the various jihadist groups have likewise remained unsuccessful so far. Jihad-motivated terrorist attacks in Europe (Schengen area) since 2015 (in brackets: number of attacks) 38 S I T UAT I O N R E PORT 2 0 1 9 | F I S