This is an in-depth comparative analysis of British and French policies and operations against Islamist terrorism. Based on a range of sources and developing an analytical framework for understanding counterterrorism in liberal democracies, this book will engage researchers, students, and policy practitioners in the central debates surrounding anti-terrorist policy.

Introduction -- 1. Terrorist campaigns and threat perceptions -- 2. Legacies of history: norms, institutions and routines -- 3. Co-ordinating counterterrorism: intelligence, police and prosecution -- 4. Justice for suspected terrorists? -- 5. Operations: tackling Islamist terrorism and its supporters -- Conclusion -- Appendix: list of interviews.