ISIL* instead of Al-Qaeda* as a global franchise of international terrorism

Despite the decline in the number of references in the world press to the two most “publicised” brands – Al-Qaeda (AQ) and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) – the topic remains a relevant security concern in various regions of the world.
Understanding the actual processes involved in the use of terrorist methods in regions with Muslim populations requires an understanding of the nature and drivers of the groups associated with ISIL* and AQ*.