ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to provide an overview of the threat and spread of terrorism and of the Islamist influence in the Maghreb, as well as assess the counter-terrorism approaches of the three countries under review: Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. It provides an insight into the spread and threat of terrorist organizations in the Maghreb. The chapter provides an assessment of the counter-terrorism strategies initiated by the three countries, among which are political strategies, socio-economic restructuring, and religious control and education. It focuses on the Islamist challenge in the Maghreb. Algeria has long been a focal point of domestic terrorism and is now a major source of international terrorism. According to some analysts it was the fourth largest supplier of 'anti-coalition' fighters to Iraq. The terrorism threat in the Maghreb remains difficult to assess. Algeria has for a long time suffered from incidences of terrorism and Morocco's terrorism threat was relatively unknown until 2003.
