Freelance Terrorism, methods of prevention and combat:

Almeida, Diogo dos Santos

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.26/59737

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Authors

Almeida, Diogo dos Santos

Advisor(s)

Silva , Tiago Miguel Gonçalves da

Wysocka , Monika

Abstract(s)

This dissertation examines the phenomenon of Freelance Terrorism and seeks to identify the most effective strategies for its prevention and counteraction in Portugal through a comparative analysis of the institutional and legislative models of Poland and France. Freelance Terrorism is characterised by ideologically motivated acts of violence perpetrated by individual’s or autonomous micro-cells, sometimes with formal links to terrorist organisations, which poses a particular challenge to traditional counterterrorism mechanisms. The primary objective was to understand how Portugal can adapt and strengthen its legal and institutional framework in light of the Polish and French experiences. A qualitative approach was adopted, combining documentary analysis with semi structured interviews with national and international experts. Due to limited institutional access, the French case was analysed through robust secondary sources. The results show that Portugal operates on a reactive and fragmented model, with legal and operational limitations that prevent effective preventive action. In contrast, Poland follows a more anticipatory model, focused on early detection of behaviour, while France stands out for its centralised and technologically advanced Anti-Terrorist architecture. The research concludes that Portugal should review its legal framework, particularly with regard to the use of metadata and digital surveillance, and invest in institutional and academic cooperation as a way of increasing national resilience against decentralised and asymmetric threats such as freelance terrorism.